Anyone else notice that 3rd Gen 4Runners are less rusty than previous counterparts?

[nobb]

Just wanted to have a discussion on the topic of rust.

I've noticed that the older 1st and 2nd gen trucks in general are usually MUCH more rusted out than the 3rd (or 4th) generations. I actually rarely see any rusted out 3rd gens, but the 1st and 2nd gens running around town almost always have much worse rust. As for 4th gens...I don't think I have EVER seen one with rust. I'm strictly speaking about the metal body of course, so the chassis could be a different story.

Captain Obvious would suggest that it's because I'm comparing a vehicle that has physically been on the road for a shorter period of time vs an older one that has been exposed to the elements longer.

So out of curiosity...did Toyota improve their metallurgy/corrosion resistance with the 3rd gen+ trucks in a noticeable manner (body + chassis)?

 

[BrandonF]

As a short answer, yes they did.

It's interesting that this has been brought up, as I was looking at my cousins' husband's 95.5 tacoma and we were discussing how rusty it is. It's spent it's whole life on the west coast of BC, which is wet and, of course, near the ocean, but the roads do not get salted. Overall, the rust on vehicles here is not bad at all. However, his frame has significant rot and the fenders, rockers, cab and bed all have a lot of rust. It made me think, when exactly did toyota implement the improvements in rust protection?

 

[Singtoe]

I want to say that there is no more rust protection on our trucks compared to earlier models.

There is no rubberized coating on any of the inner panels.

When the paint chips, it does start to surface rust.

The body has no galvenaztion to it.


So it is just time.

 

[Swimmerboy2112]

Just wanted to have a discussion on the topic of rust.

I've noticed that the older 1st and 2nd gen trucks in general are usually MUCH more rusted out than the 3rd (or 4th) generations. I actually rarely see any rusted out 3rd gens, but the 1st and 2nd gens running around town almost always have much worse rust. As for 4th gens...I don't think I have EVER seen one with rust. I'm strictly speaking about the metal body of course, so the chassis could be a different story.

Captain Obvious would suggest that it's because I'm comparing a vehicle that has physically been on the road for a shorter period of time vs an older one that has been exposed to the elements longer.

So out of curiosity...did Toyota improve their metallurgy/corrosion resistance with the 3rd gen+ trucks in a noticeable manner (body + chassis)?

Come to NE PA. There are PLENTY of rusted out 3rd gens. I've seen 2 2nd gen Tacomas with holes in the frames. And forget about Dodge, some only a few years old were basically reduced to scrap because of the rust.

 

[Jon T4R]

Ditto for New York. They use salt around here like its going out of style - and it wreaks havok on all the vehicles - which sucks. I don't quite understand the copious use of salt around here because places like Colorado, Utah, Montana, etc get loads more snow than we do and as far as i know, i believe they use sand. so what gives??

 

[KidVermicious]

Are you kidding? We've got salt coming out our butts in Utah, they coat the roads with it. We don't get the horrible rust like the Rust Belt or coastal areas though, probably because the humidity is generally much lower.

 

[541joseph]

I think it's just time and maybe better paint. And in Oregon we use cinders and some kind of glycol to try and prevent ice build up.

 

[audiness]

3rd gens rust just as bad as any of the early toyotas, they just aren't as old as the 1st and 2nd gens yet. There have been numerous people on here with holes rusted through the frames on 3rd gens.

If you live in an area where salt is on the roads, and drive a 3rd gen 4unner, its only a matter of time...

 

[IBallEngineer]

Are you kidding? We've got salt coming out our butts in Utah, they coat the roads with it. We don't get the horrible rust like the Rust Belt or coastal areas though, probably because the humidity is generally much lower.

Back in 04 I bought an 85 runner from Utah, had it shipped to CA. I promptly sold it to my friend who I helped to restore it. We stripped it down to a bare frame, had everything sandblasted and powder coated. But the body itself has been a problem. I cut out HUGE sections of 1/4 panel, and welded in patches. But the roof, hood, doors, rear gate all had smaller rust repairs and over time some of them came back to bite me. Especially the hood, which I've redone twice and is once again showing some rust blistering. We wanted to keep the OE hood and it didn't look THAT bad, so we didn't replace it. Prolly shoulda'

That thing had more salt damage than anything I've ever worked on!

No more Utah trucks for me!