Rust on Hitch

[Cox]

I am looking at a 2010 SR5 and there is rust on the hitch. Has anyone ran into this, is it something to be concerned about? Its only pretty much a 3 year old car, so I'm a little puzzled as to the rust. Basically where these are body on frames my worry is the rust making its way through the frame. If the rust is just on the hitch are there products out there to prevent it from spreading? This 4Runner has been MotorTrend Certified so it has had the 139 point inspection, comes with a 6 month, 7500 mile warranty, free ding/dent removal, etc, etc. Is it something I should stay away from???

Thanks in advance

 

[Whiplash Willy]

Don't ever trust those 100+ Point Inspections on used cars. Those inspections consist of someone standing 5ft from the car and putting a bunch of check marks in boxes. My wife's 2006 GX470 we just bought had passed one of those inspections at the dealer. Come to find, the Front Diff leaks, the shocks are blown, and the KDSS may be bad as well.

How bad is the rust on the hitch? If you can see some on the hitch, I am sure it is much worse underneath. Has this vehicle been driven in areas that use salt? I have seen 3 month old 4runners with horrible frame rust. Toyota doesn't coat their frames very well, and 4runners come pre-rusted from the factory.

 

[NoDak]

just had the daughter's corolla come back from the dealer with both front cv joint/axles replaced and transmission seals replaced also.

it was a toyota CPO with only <31k miles and 2009.

all fixed under CPO warrantly since we only had it for 3 weeks before the sound came about.

yeah toyota/lexus CPO is better than a 3rd party CPO in my opinion, since i can go back to toyota dealer and say fix this. never heard of a Motor Trend CPO. and why are you going with a CPO that is given by a magazine?

hell anyone can do a CPO, i would just ensure the fine print had shitloads of lawyer disclaimers.

 

[JBecker]

Rust is inevitable in many areas. Embrace it, it's natures way of reducing weight.

 

[mdrudy]

I am looking at a 2010 SR5 and there is rust on the hitch. Has anyone ran into this, is it something to be concerned about? Its only pretty much a 3 year old car, so I'm a little puzzled as to the rust. Basically where these are body on frames my worry is the rust making its way through the frame. If the rust is just on the hitch are there products out there to prevent it from spreading? This 4Runner has been MotorTrend Certified so it has had the 139 point inspection, comes with a 6 month, 7500 mile warranty, free ding/dent removal, etc, etc. Is it something I should stay away from???

Thanks in advance

I bought an 07 in 2011 that had rust on the hitch. I just sanded it down and re-painted it. It's been fine ever since. There wasn't really any other rust to speak of though so i just chalked it up to the finish on the hitch...not the truck.

 

[Jeremy556]

Pictures? Hitch is a popular place for rust, as its easy to get paint removed installing/removing hitches and connecting trailers.

If it used to live near the ocean, or in the rust belt, its going to be rusty. Get a flashlight and crawl underneath.

 

[LandCruiser]

Hitches are high carbon steel cheaply finished and prone to serious abuse.

Excessive rust could mean saltwater launches and salt on rear axle, frame, and brakes.

 

[JayceeP]

I've had mine on the road for almost a year now and there is some rust forming on the hitch. Lots of debris being kicked up under there. Though, my Jeep hitch didn't really rust at all over 3 years except for the inside where I used it a couple times and would be expected.

 

[Stifler]

unless the rust is so bad you can see through the metal I cant believe this is even being discussed... I think mine had rust on it the day I bought it. hit it with the rustoleum rust inhibitor and call it a day

 

[dekeman]

Same. Yanked the frozen hitch out two weeks ago, out came a sheaf of black paint. Receiver was golden brown the next day. Now so lubed up a horse could derive great pleasure from it.

 

[roktoy]

Another thing to consider is where it came from, if it came from an area where they salt the roads it could have more rusting issues. But just look under it and see how the frame and body looks. If its just the hitch, do what others say, just sand and paint it.