Rusty Under Carraige
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Mudeprived
New member
That is pretty much exactly what my truck looks like too. I have decided it is not worth the time and effort required to eliminate all that. I am in PA so it is going to continue to rust.
dogtail
New member
Originally Posted by i_am_del View Post A little rust won't hurt said:
Oooh my F'ing dog. You guys read this forum? Soo easy to prevent rust, many different ways and so many people have talked about in this forum. You can go hard or soft core prevention. I live in Massachusetts, its soo salty in the Winter, my 99 undercarriage is black and solid. You can use Fluid Film, POR-15, or old school lube.
I old school mine. I only use WD-40, don't listen to the naysayers, totally works if you do it right, it doesn't come off, doesn't wreck environment. I lay out plastic, drive on top. I get a gallon of WD-40 with compressor and paint sprayer, and go full spray on undercarriage. I also spray the entire inside of the frame. Then I take a can with the little red stray thing and spray up thru the rocker drain holes, all the door drain holes, hatch drain holes and hood drain holes. Whole thing takes like me 20 minutes, 30 minutes if I'm dragging my feet. I do it right before 1st snow, then I may hit again maybe like February for extra measure if I feel like it. The stuff doesn't wash off, my last seasons grime is still on this Fall. (Important don't go thru high pressure car wash, it will strip RP off, doesn't mater which RP you use. High pressure water jets will break down RP coating)
What ever condition your rig is in now, you can totally halt rust progression, RP over your rust, doesn't matter. Just do it, or pay the consequence.
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Mudeprived
New member
I got my truck with rust included. I sanded, repainted, and fluid filmed the rear axle last fall and it started rusting again during the winter. My biggest issue is my driveway, which is always saturated. All the moisture ends up underneath the truck every morning. Open up the hood in the morning and you will see a wet engine compartment.
I do fluid film the undercarriage to prevent any further rust but this rig is a cheap DD that I don't want to put too much time and money in.
afg10000
New member
It's not pretty but the frame looks decent from what I can see. It does look like you could use a little TLC maintenance. I'd definitely take a look at them ball joints. They look a little wet from your pics. Sway bar bushings are toast. Lots of little stuff you could replace and there would be less rust.
dogtail
New member
Doesn't matter how much rust is on it now, if you want to halt the progression. 20 minutes lubing it up is a cheap, quick and super easy way to go. It will within a season or 2 turn all the rust scale black as it builds the grime barrier, just never high pressure wash the under carriage ever, just drive thru puddles.
That looks pretty good. Have you been doing that since the truck was new?
dogtail
New member
I picked this salt belt rig up in 2015, had a little undercarriage surface rust here and there, but thats all been halted and blackened from RP treatment. People have been doing RP for many decades with effective results, I learned from them.
Ifirefight
New member
Forgive my ignorance, but do all cars/trucks rust like these 4runners or is this a Toyota issue? Do the new vehicles do this also? I have lived in South Florida almost all my life so I have no idea.
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dogtail
New member
In the salt belt areas, all vehicles will get some rust over time. Treatment can prevent most rust if done properly. Tacomas and 4runners are known for frame rust issues. But there are many other vehicles that have rust issues when you get up there in age. They may rot in different spots on the vehicle also. Manufacturers are getting better with the way the build them. On the 60's and 70's cars, you could have a car totally rot out in like 7 years, it was horrible. In Florida you get hurricanes, we get rust.
Mark_BC
Senior Member
I wonder if WD40 works as well for a rusty surface as for protecting a painted one.
That rust is widespread but looks shallow. If it was me, I'd be cleaning it up, removing all loose stuff and flakes with a grinder/dremel/needler, down to the base rust actually on the metal. Then degrease with POR degreaser, wash with methanol, then paint with Eastwood Rust Encapsulator. It gets good reviews. Then I would put some rust preventer over that like WD40 or Fluid Film.
Not a good project for this time of year though so until next summer you might just want to spray with the oily products mentioned here, but then you'll have a harder job next summer degreasing to prep for paint.
That rust is widespread but looks shallow. If it was me, I'd be cleaning it up, removing all loose stuff and flakes with a grinder/dremel/needler, down to the base rust actually on the metal. Then degrease with POR degreaser, wash with methanol, then paint with Eastwood Rust Encapsulator. It gets good reviews. Then I would put some rust preventer over that like WD40 or Fluid Film.
Not a good project for this time of year though so until next summer you might just want to spray with the oily products mentioned here, but then you'll have a harder job next summer degreasing to prep for paint.
dogtail
New member
Yeah Ideally one would want to prep and paint it right. But lets face it, life gets in the way and there are time restraints. So if you can do nothing else, spend 30 minutes and lube it up. WD-40 works really good on scale and surface rust as a barrier. It penetrates all the micro scale and fissures, then it builds a grimy skin over time and with reapplying.
My rearend had some moderate surface rust on it when I bought it, here's an example of the grimy skin it develops after applications and a few seasons. Its still has a barrier from last Winters application. Again, I avoid high pressure car wash of undercarriage. I did go thru one high pressure car wash once this summer though.
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ToyotaBrah
Member
Rust is the achilles heal of virtually all Toyota trucks including the Land Cruiser. I've seen California rigs with rusty frames from being close to the beach (salt air exposure). The rust severity is far more prevalent in parts of the country that copiously use salt.
Del, your rust looks manageable. I would follow the advice of what's been mentioned here to stop the progression of the rust.
Also, when you guys use those self-service bays, try to use the spot-free cycle. The pressure is far less and apparently water is not recycled in that mode.
Del, your rust looks manageable. I would follow the advice of what's been mentioned here to stop the progression of the rust.
Also, when you guys use those self-service bays, try to use the spot-free cycle. The pressure is far less and apparently water is not recycled in that mode.
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