[SecureBase]

I’m looking to purchase my first 4runner. I have plenty experience with car maintenance but none with rust repair.

I found this Year 2000 SR5 in Delaware with low miles (121k). But the rust underneath concerns me. Can you please take a look and tell me how typical/repairable this is?

[JROTN]

Hey.

I live in upstate NY (Rust Belt because of salt on roads) it looks bad. First off that rear diff. looks to be leaking, it's a common problem up here for those housings to rust out and cause the leak, pretty major repair, change housing or have one of the repair covers welded over it which would still require disassembly. Also from what I can make out by the pictures, that frame looks bad where that rear lower control arm is connected to the frame. take a ball peen hammer to it and see if it goes through. Also do the same around the trans. cross member (frame and member).

It might be a good idea to keep looking.

[Dieselchessy]

That frame has already been patched. That flat steel plate at the trailing arm perch on the drivers side isn't factory.

My advice, don't walk, run!

[2016 4Runner SR5]

That's not rust, that's rot. Unless you plan to cut the frame up and patch it, move on.

[brillo_76]

That frame looks rotted out. The back axle housing on the 3rd member dorman makes a replacement back plate.


So you can see on my build thread what it takes to repair rotted out frames. Unless you do it yourself it's not cost effective. However, I do it to improve my welding skills. I can tell you its extremely time consuming. You can do the frame in sections as well.

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[VernySanders]

Stick your finger through the holes on the side of the frame to feel the steel on the bottom. This will give you an indictation of how much work youd have ahead of you. In my personal opinion living in Michigan, my truck looked worse than this when I got it and I did have to have my frame patched by the rear upper control arm mount that's welded onto the frame. I took a dead blow and smacked the frame all the way around which broke up PILES of rust flake. Then I blew it out and continued the process untill I was satisfied. I also drilled a couple additional drain holes in key locations on the frame to prevent settling then I painted with POR-15 inside with eastwood internal frame coating and then sprayed my entire undercarriage with woolwax and I havent looked back since. Thing looks brand new underneath now. If you can smack that frame with a dead blow on the underside (bottom of the frame) and not put holes in it you'll be fine but you'll need to be committed to 40 hours this summer of pure frame work and de scaling. If you dont need to get your frame patched then honestly it's very inexpensive. More elbow grease than anything.

[Outrider]

Personally, I would run away from that too. Especially with evidence of prior repairs.

Rust is very much like cancer. Once it has started, it is very difficult or impossible to stop.

[brillo_76]

Originally Posted by Outrider

Personally, I would run away from that too. Especially with evidence of prior repairs.



Rust is very much like cancer. Once it has started, it is very difficult or impossible to stop.

The only way to stop it is to replace the steel. Then to keep it at bay rust inhibitors can really slow it down. Rot cant be fixed just replaced. Rust can be slowed down and stopped with Rust Inhibitors.

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[5 Speed Dave]

My frame REPAIR (SAF-T-CAP) plus having a mechanic friend weld it on cost me $588. Got it back yesterday. The main reason I bought my Runner was the 5 Speed. I looked a LOT for a good one.
I would PASS on this rig unless you can weld. Consider applying the extra $600 I spent on rust repairs toward a better Runner.

[brillo_76]

I know the amount of time I spent fixing them that it's a DIY or a really good buddy that can weld project. I really dont like to see fully functional 3rd gens get junked for frame rot. However, I saved 4 and if I dragged anymore home to fix. My wife would probably send me packing...;)

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[Dieselchessy]

I’m of a different opinion. If they have frame rot then they have body rot. And they have rusted bolts.

The bolts that the tips protrude through the wheel wells, the ones up into the frame, ect... working on a rig that has bolts break off in the frame and fenders is disgusting. Fighting every fastener just to work on suspension, ect... is annoying as all get out.

I’d order a rig sight unseen from California or Arizona and pay $2000 to ship it across the country before I worked on a rusty New England rig.

I once bought a 98 5spd that spent the first year or two in the NE so had minor frame rust. I tried removing the receiver and the skid plates and out of 8 bolts 3 broke.
I was immediately shopping for a different rig and then sold that one.
Life is too short for that nonsense.

[SecureBase]

Thanks for your help guys. Unfortunately, I don’t believe it’ll be feasible for me to work on a major welding operation anytime soon.

I passed on the one above.

Can you offer any advice from the two sets shown attached here. Two vehicles, four pictures each.

The extent of the work that I am able to do is using a metal brush and applying a coating. Will any of these suit me?

Thanks in advance!

[brillo_76]

From all the frames I have seen and the 3rd gens. Frames mostly go in the arches first. Especially in the exhaust side inside arch. After the arched start to rotting Then the inner frame rail next to the arches rot out with the body mounts that are in the fender well areas.

The upper control arms that hook on the pipe that runs from frame rail to rail will out too along with those lower control arms that hook on the bottom on the frames in the arch.

If this information helps any.




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[catrains]

I put mudguards on all my vehicles .. long and wide.. no guards then a big rust/rot mess.
I am not a 5yr vehicle owner. I keep my vehicles 2 decades..
my 2016 runner I installed a bigger mud guard and the under body looks good. I also crawl under the vehicles and in spring/fall touch up any rust spots.
I re-painted the runners front covers.. looked better than when I purchased it in 2016..

these 2000 runners did have frame replacements was a big issue in the rust belt.
looks like you have no $$$... buy a newer runner , go to south carolina not New Jersey..

[brillo_76]

Originally Posted by catrains

I put mudguards on all my vehicles .. long and wide.. no guards then a big rust/rot mess.

I am not a 5yr vehicle owner. I keep my vehicles 2 decades..

my 2016 runner I installed a bigger mud guard and the under body looks good. I also crawl under the vehicles and in spring/fall touch up any rust spots.

I re-painted the runners front covers.. looked better than when I purchased it in 2016..



these 2000 runners did have frame replacements was a big issue in the rust belt.

looks like you have no $$$... buy a newer runner , go to south carolina not New Jersey..

Mudgaurds would help big time. Howver the 4 Runners never had a recall and replacements. That was only the made in north America Tocumas and Tundras.

In the rust belt. Rust inhibitors are the only way to keep them from rotting out members like Dogtail and others have proven that with their methods.

But what do I know as I owned and worked with Toyota frames for close to 30 years now. I just didn't have any 4 runners until 5 years ago. I just had the trucks, cars since the early 90s and been showing DIY how to repair frames for a little while here. ;)

If interested anyone can look at my build thread as I show how to repair the rotted frames and what they look like when I am done.

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