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-   4th Gen T4Rs (https://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/)
-   -   Found rust coming through the paint. I am bummed. Need advice. (https://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/296436-found-rust-coming-through-paint-i-am-bummed-need-advice.html)

jlaw904 04-06-2021 09:20 PM

Found rust coming through the paint. I am bummed. Need advice.
 
I was trying to find the source of these little bubbles on my rear tailgate:

https://i.ibb.co/prPQc59/IMG-20210406-204236.jpg

After removing the interior panel, I could find the source. Obviously it has been fixed before:

https://i.ibb.co/x5hmhV4/image.png

I saw that and my heart sank. I spent so much time this year getting this 4Runner in perfect shape engine-wise and now I see this. It literally needs no other work done at this point. I saw the weather strip at the rear hatch window was completely disintegrated. I'm assuming that's what caused the issue before and allowed water to leak all down inside and after they fixed it they never replaced the strip so the issue came back or wasn't fixed properly.

Now I'm deciding what to do since I know it will just continue to spread:
- Have a body shop repair the job which I'm guessing will cost a small fortune. What do you think a job like this would cost?
- Chip it all off myself from the inside and smother it in Evaporust gel for a couple days then clean it and spray some rust inhibitor coating and then accept fate from there.
- Use it as an excuse to start looking for a 4WD with less miles lol

What would you do? This thing is in excellent condition otherwise for it's age.

eleven14 04-06-2021 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlaw904 (Post 3624849)
I was trying to find the source of these little bubbles on my rear tailgate:

https://i.ibb.co/prPQc59/IMG-20210406-204236.jpg

After removing the interior panel, I could find the source. Obviously it has been fixed before:

https://i.ibb.co/x5hmhV4/image.png

I saw that and my heart sank. I spent so much time this year getting this 4Runner in perfect shape engine-wise and now I see this. It literally needs no other work done at this point. I saw the weather strip at the rear hatch window was completely disintegrated. I'm assuming that's what caused the issue before and allowed water to leak all down inside and after they fixed it they never replaced the strip so the issue came back or wasn't fixed properly.

Now I'm deciding what to do since I know it will just continue to spread:
- Have a body shop repair the job which I'm guessing will cost a small fortune. What do you think a job like this would cost?
- Chip it all off myself from the inside and smother it in Evaporust gel for a couple days then clean it and spray some rust inhibitor coating and then accept fate from there.
- Use it as an excuse to start looking for a 4WD with less miles lol

What would you do? This thing is in excellent condition otherwise for it's age.

Personally I'd start checking salvage yards for a replacement tailgate and be done with it. Sucks but at least it's contained to the hatch and you know what caused it.

Bluesky 07 04-06-2021 09:46 PM

This is unfortunately a well-known issue. Seems Toyota applied the sound deadening material before the corrosion inhibitor, allowing moisture in, under, & around the material to cause rust.

jlaw904 04-06-2021 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluesky 07 (Post 3624861)
This is unfortunately a well-known issue. Seems Toyota applied the sound deadening material before the corrosion inhibitor, allowing moisture in, under, & around the material to cause rust.

Well that just sucks. First I've heard of it.

mr_skittle 04-06-2021 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluesky 07 (Post 3624861)
This is unfortunately a well-known issue. Seems Toyota applied the sound deadening material before the corrosion inhibitor, allowing moisture in, under, & around the material to cause rust.

Took the words from my mouth...

We got our 2006 last fall and the dealership had repainted the back gate to cover up this very issue, and it's already back. There are some threads here that give some ideas and some folks went ahead and did the work you have in mind. I think you are on to the main culprit, the weather seal on the rear window. Ours was trashed too. We also have a Rav4 with the same bad weather seal. That crap is not cheap. The 4 rav windows and the rear for the 4runner cost about $300 but it sure beats the alternative. I've also got rust down at the very bottom of the gate where the sheet metal is all folded together. Again, I assume it's a result of water leaking in the bad weather seal. If the rust it's too bad and it can be repaired, that's the route I'd go. A new gate is an option but probably wouldn't be any less work.

I'm in the middle of a big hitch rehab job at the moment but this emerging rust on the gate is next on the hit parade.

Flesh Eater 04-06-2021 10:09 PM

Glad I saw this now. Going to drill and fill mine with Fluid Film. :)

jlaw904 04-06-2021 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flesh Eater (Post 3624873)
Glad I saw this now. Going to drill and fill mine with Fluid Film. :)

I don't think there's any reason to drill though. After removing that panel and pulling the plastic film off, you have a pretty wide open space for spraying a nozzle around. You can betcha ass I'm gonna do that if I repair it myself this weekend though. Also, apparently the sound deadening material needs to come off to properly coat the metal.

Syr4RinNC 04-06-2021 10:35 PM

Id probably find a replacement through a junk yard or used car parts website - they go for about $500.

You could certainly try to repair it. For you outside of the rustbelt, good chance of it holding up

Im less inclined to repair rust as itll just pop up again

AuSeeker 04-06-2021 11:47 PM

Just an FYI, the outside bottom weather strip is not and never was designed to keep water out, it's impossible to keep all water out on any window that goes up and down even when the weather stripping is new, this is the same on the doors as well, the weather stripping main purpose is to keep leaves and most debris, bugs, etc. out, the hatch and all the doors have drains in the bottom, these drains do get clogged over time from what little debris gets past the weather strip, also if rust gets started it will also clog the drains as it flakes off.

If you ever hear water in the hatch or doors after a heavy rain it's because the drains are clogged and needs to be cleaned or replaced, also you need to vacuum out any debris inside the hatch/doors.

On older vehicles the drains were simply holes in the sheet metal on the bottom of the hatch/doors, most all vehicles now have plastic drain inserts in the holes that allows water to come out but keeps insects out, these inserts can get clogged once too much debris gets inside the hatch/doors.

T4R2014 04-07-2021 12:02 AM

Spray it with Fluid Film and wait until a clean hatch comes up in your color. Not worth stressing over.

rwh963 04-07-2021 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuSeeker (Post 3624905)
Just an FYI, the outside bottom weather strip is not and never was designed to keep water out, it's impossible to keep all water out on any window that goes up and down even when the weather stripping is new, this is the same on the doors as well, the weather stripping main purpose is to keep leaves and most debris, bugs, etc. out, the hatch and all the doors have drains in the bottom, these drains do get clogged over time from what little debris gets past the weather strip, also if rust gets started it will also clog the drains as it flakes off.

If you ever hear water in the hatch or doors after a heavy rain it's because the drains are clogged and needs to be cleaned or replaced, also you need to vacuum out any debris inside the hatch/doors.

On older vehicles the drains were simply holes in the sheet metal on the bottom of the hatch/doors, most all vehicles now have plastic drain inserts in the holes that allows water to come out but keeps insects out, these inserts can get clogged once too much debris gets inside the hatch/doors.

this is why i strongly favor flip up strut rear windows. never had rust problems with them.

mr_skittle 04-07-2021 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuSeeker (Post 3624905)
Just an FYI, the outside bottom weather strip is not and never was designed to keep water out, it's impossible to keep all water out on any window that goes up and down even when the weather stripping is new, this is the same on the doors as well, the weather stripping main purpose is to keep leaves and most debris, bugs, etc. out, the hatch and all the doors have drains in the bottom, these drains do get clogged over time from what little debris gets past the weather strip, also if rust gets started it will also clog the drains as it flakes off.

If you ever hear water in the hatch or doors after a heavy rain it's because the drains are clogged and needs to be cleaned or replaced, also you need to vacuum out any debris inside the hatch/doors.

On older vehicles the drains were simply holes in the sheet metal on the bottom of the hatch/doors, most all vehicles now have plastic drain inserts in the holes that allows water to come out but keeps insects out, these inserts can get clogged once too much debris gets inside the hatch/doors.

This is a really good point. Think water-resistant vs. waterproof. The weatherstripping on moving windows is resistant. The thick, squishy stuff around the outside edge of the door is waterproof.

I had this problem in my old Subaru outback wagon. Everytime I opened the rear hatch after a rain the water would pour out. I can't count how many times I unplugged the drain holes but, eventually, it would fill up again. Another problem with that car is it leaked in a lot of dust on gravel roads. Therein lied the problem. The gate would get full of dust, then it would rain and I'd have the makings for some Mud Pies inside the liftgate :shocked:


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