mlclambo

Anyone have any experience with frame rot on a Toyota Tundra frame ? Any repair solutions?

Greg Manning

Common on some year models + Tacoma. Safe T Cap makes some very nice repair panels that are not to difficult if you are a competent welder. Toyota replace many of these under extended warranty but there is a time limit. Best thing is call a service writer at your dealership and see if it's still open for your year model Tundra.

bluewaterpirate

Have 2013 with 155k spends about a month each year on the beach getting to my surf fishing spots ... no problem with rust/rot anywhere had 2003 that I put 265k on no issues with it.

BACKTOTHESEA

My brother was informed of the issue by a Toyota dealer maybe two years ago. Wasn’t even all that bad but when the dealer was looking at something else (which was also potentially covered by Toyota’s extension of warranties for certain items) the dealer told my brother it should meet the requirements for replacement. He ended up with a new frame and took only a day. Also got new suspension (rear I believe). He had well into 100k miles, maybe 140k.

Call a local dealer for replacement information. Probably also on google.

BigShrimpin

Plenty of information out there on the gen1 tundra recall

BACKTOTHESEA

Sorry, I noticed it was a question on Tundra. My brother has a Tacoma.

iFishMD

I have virtually no rust on the frame of my 2011 that I have had over 10 years. I launch a boat 100+x a year in brackish and salt water. Plus I live in the mid atlantic where we get road salt etc. Toyota frame rust was a problem on the old early generation Tundras.

Misterfu02

There is no way that truck has a rust free frame unless it was kept in a climate controlled garage and never driven.

launching in salt doesn’t mean anything unless you’re launching the truck and not the boat.

Driven in winter? There’s rust. You might not be able to see it but it’s there.

t500hps

A guy at work had Toyota replace the frame of his truck a year or so ago......seems they had the thing for 2 months or so before he got it back. I have no idea what he went through to make that happen but it was under warranty.

ericinmich

The most important you left out is what year?

Brad1

To what degree is it rotted? Is it to the degree that the integrity compromised, or is it rusted on the surface, but the metal is still (for the most part) intact. Woolwax (fluid film) will stop it from getting any worse.

What year Tundra?

dannyroche

When I drop off my wife's Highlander for service, I walk the lot. Amazing how many Tundra and Tacoma frames are stocked out back. Initially I was surprised that they were changing frames out, but not many options. Cheap steel costs in the long run.

Patton222

From what I understand the issue was not prevalent in the gen 2 tundra. And the 00-01 were the problem years. Maybe someone else can confirm.

71Outrage

All the frame problems were US suppliers using below spec steel. This has never been a problem on Japanese made Toyota’s like 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Lexus GS, Lexus LX. The American suppliers to Toyota USA for American made Tundra and Sequoia are also suppliers to the big 3 US builders...I believe the contractor was Dana. My point is this isn’t some characteristic of Toyota products but rather a fluke problem with a few model years. That doesn’t make it any better if you’re facing the problem, but painting Toyota as using bad steel is inaccurate in any across the board basis.

ericinmich

Some 4Runners have recalls with frame rust, built in Japan with suppliers over there. I think the issue not as simple as to blame Dana for below spec steel. The majority of the issue is due to the coating prep and application by Dana. Dana makes frames for the US OEMs, and they specify different steels and coatings... maybe better or maybe worse I suppose.

kheid

my frame cracked in half ......01 tundra

friogatto

No rust on a 2010 with 130k miles.
Coastal south east, road salt is pretty limited.

It does visit salt water ramps regularly.

The first couple years I had the truck I would crawl under there and spray 3m rubber on anything that looked like rust or bare metal. Mostly it was the running boards. Might of gone through 2 cans total.

Only rust I can see under there now is on the exhaust and thats just small surface spots.

Misterfu02

Terrible idea. Great way to trap in moisture. Your truck is rotting out where you can’t see it now.

SalmonDaze

Just to help clarify a bit: the corrosion found in the 'yota frames in the "problem years" was due, entirely, to a change in conversion phosphate coating chemistry. It had nothing to do with steel sourcing. I was VERY close to this issue when it arose. Not going to go into which Fortune 200 company was at fault and which German company had its ass handed to it; but very simply: there are several "general" types of pre-paint chemistries used over mild steel: zinc, iron, manganese, and zirconium (and some others). Before paint, zinc is the most durable and desirable; iron is the most economical and widely used (certainly, in industrial applications). Steel processors are VERY reluctant to change suppliers, even if it keeps the chemistry the same. And E-coat cannot mask or otherwise overcome conversion coating failure. Otherwise, you get the opportunity to swap frames under bodies by the thousands.

JExpedition07

I don’t think that can be pinned on Dana, they build to manufacture spec. Ford and GM had no issues in the same era. My 2007 Ford Expedition EL (with Dana hydroformed fully boxed frame) has lived in Buffalo New York since new and the frame is still majority black, I have a pic underneath somewhere. This SUV will be 14 years old in January. Besides some road-debris rash/surface rust on the bottom it’s looking pretty good for another 14 years. Believe it or not Americans can build good stuff, and Dana makes a damn good frame.