Toyota 4Runner Frame Recall Campaign

[sleepydad]

$600

You can buy a Jeep CJ frame here for $2000.

Scroll halfway down the page to the "Frame Accessories" section. Hot dip galvanizing, inside & out is an additional $600.

It's a shame Toyota doesn't do it from the factory.

I hot dipped my 4x bumpers both front and rear.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/247329-2000-limited-sleepydad-build.html#post2851199

If I remember it cost me about $100, I know a guy who does sandblasting and has the contract for guard rails... road sighs... stuff like that so he sends a lot of stuff to the hot dip company. He will include smaller parts when he sends big orders. downside is you have to wait a couple of months but it's cheap. otherwise I think it was like $500 min charge if you go it alone.

somethings about hot dip... you have to protect any threads, with a toss out bolt and lock tight. you will have to re-tap the threads after because the hot dip will get into the threads despite that... but it's not bad. if you leave the threads unprotected it can be a biach to re-tap them.

no enclosed tubes or enclosed spaces whatsoever, it can explode so you have to drill drain holes in everthing.

other than those things I love it, was kind of pain to coordinate it and re-tap things but it's super tough and resists scratching better than anything I have tried to date. I was always disappointed with powder coating because after 3-4 years it looks like shiat.

I have considered doing my entire frame... I might do it next winter.

 

[dogtail]

A quick wash once a week is enough sometimes. I bought mine rust free in Florida and drove it up to MA about 4 years ago. I had it undercoated before driving it up and usually spray the underside down with fluid film at the beginning of winter and spray everything in the engine bay and all suspension parts down with Boeshield T-9. So far so good, only minimal surface rust on the trailer hitch and rear shock mounts.

Make sure you get the frame interior, from front to back. A maintenance coating of your choice. Frame can look good on the outside and be thinning on the inside. Rear LCA bracket is the "hot spot". A body hot spot are the rockers, the small little drain holes make sure they are open, good to get a WD40 nozzle in and mist the inside. I also hit the inside chamber of the bottom of the doors, hatch and hood thru the drain holes.

 

[Mark_BC]

Make sure you get the frame interior, from front to back. A maintenance coating of your choice. Frame can look good on the outside and be thinning on the inside. Rear LCA bracket is the "hot spot". A body hot spot are the rockers, the small little drain holes make sure they are open, good to get a WD40 nozzle in and mist the inside. I also hit the inside chamber of the bottom of the doors, hatch and hood thru the drain holes.

After [MENTION=7105]Scramble[/MENTION]'s suggestion, I drilled an extra hole in the bottom of the frame by the LCA mount to allow for drainage and to stick my finger in there to assess the damage which luckily wasn't too bad. I also enlarged any of the other holes to allow me to stick my finger in. Harbor Freight has a scope camera I've been eyeing for months for $70 I think, hoping I can get it when it's on sale.

 

[dogtail]

After [MENTION=7105]Scramble[/MENTION]'s suggestion, I drilled an extra hole in the bottom of the frame by the LCA mount to allow for drainage and to stick my finger in there to assess the damage which luckily wasn't too bad. I also enlarged any of the other holes to allow me to stick my finger in. Harbor Freight has a scope camera I've been eyeing for months for $70 I think, hoping I can get it when it's on sale.

Yeah, sounds good to prevent this from happening. Here you see a low mileage 5 speed on CL I went to check on a month ago, nothing mentioning this major condition was in the ad. All you gotta do is simple maintenance, and they don't rust.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[Mark_BC]

Yeah, sounds good to prevent this from happening. Here you see a low mileage 5 speed on CL I went to check on a month ago, nothing mentioning this major condition was in the ad. All you gotta do is simple maintenance, and they don't rust.

I think what happens there is they don't drive it much (low mileage), probably taking it out in winter when it's snowy. They get salt in it but don't drive it enough when the weather warms up to wash off the salt with rain so it sits there and rots.

 

[dogtail]

I think what happens there is they don't drive it much (low mileage), probably taking it out in winter when it's snowy. They get salt in it but don't drive it enough when the weather warms up to wash off the salt with rain so it sits there and rots.

Yeah sounds about right....and as you, I am also a card carrying member of the desert dune SR5 club

 

[totalnobody]

2018 frame rust

Ok I will throw this into the mix...........

I have a 2018 4runner Off Road Premium w/Kdss

704 miles on the odometer and I have rust at almost every weld on the frame.

almost every weld has a fine line of rust along the bead of the weld.
NOT COOL!

I have spoken with the service manager at my dealer and have an appointment set up for this week so he can inspect and photo..

I really don't expect anything from this other than getting this noted to my vin# so should there be a future problem I can show it started when truck was new.

 

[Mark_BC]

Ok I will throw this into the mix...........

I have a 2018 4runner Off Road Premium w/Kdss

704 miles on the odometer and I have rust at almost every weld on the frame.

almost every weld has a fine line of rust along the bead of the weld.
NOT COOL!

I have spoken with the service manager at my dealer and have an appointment set up for this week so he can inspect and photo..

I really don't expect anything from this other than getting this noted to my vin# so should there be a future problem I can show it started when truck was new.

I think they don't properly clean off the weld residue, that's why it starts there. You'd think they would fix that by now with their reputation. I honestly don't know why they don't dip these things in zinc by now. At least offer it as an option for an extra $1000

 

[xmindbender]

POR-15. I've used it a lot on older, US steel, rust buckets. Get the zink on it early and seal the beotch up proper like. I'll be treating my new (to muah), near flawless 1st gen. Ill take all of the trim off, clean up the frame and associated parts, treat liberally with their zink oxide and sealer. You can also add zink plates like they do to coastal bridges, boats etc. The sealer will constrict a bit when curing but once on...:first: it is indestructible.

Oxidation is a chemical/electrical process... disrupt that and you are good-to-go... even with exposed metal

 

[Leemo9000]

Is it possible to link the frames of both the Tundra and 4Runner, are they the same exact frame, and were or are they being manufactured in the exact same way, and at the exact same place as the already recalled frames, is there a connection between the two, if there is a connection Toyota has already been found guilty, and can be held responsible for the problem with the 4Runner.

 

[IBallEngineer]

Is it possible to link the frames of both the Tundra and 4Runner, are they the same exact frame, and were or are they being manufactured in the exact same way, and at the exact same place as the already recalled frames, is there a connection between the two, if there is a connection Toyota has already been found guilty, and can be held responsible for the problem with the 4Runner.

Seven questions, seven answers.

No
No
No
No
No
No
No

 

[jmanderson]

Nebraska uses sand for road care during winter months. At some point there has to be accountability with an owner as well. I currently own a 4th and 5th along. Sold my 3rd gen last year. I wash underbodies during the winter and periodically have Rhino liner sprayed on the underbody to slow the process. All 3 have or had barely surface rust...to me the argument would be similar to getting oil changes or any other service work done to ensure longevity of the vehicle. Toyota can't prep vehicles for every weather condition.

 

[Ducaudi]

Filed complaint

I’m new to the forum, bought a 2003 4RUNNER on an impulse buy. Later found the typical rusty frame issues. Filed my complaint with NHTSA.

As stated by the OP, I encourage others to file!

 

[jgue467]

Useless effort. Not to be a jerk but the first thing I do when looking at Any vehicle is get on my knees and look under it's skirt.

I couldn't bear to look very long at those pics, hope it's not done for. Best of luck. :cowboy:

 

[onemanarmy]

that one is done for.

What's the deal with the hoses attached to the swaybar with hose clamps?

 

[sportscarfan]

that one is done for.

I agree. Time to search for a frame donor from the WEST. The '98 I just bought spent most of its life in New Mexico and found it's way to CO a couple years ago. The frame has zero cancerous rust. Same with my '97, except it remained a CO native.

 

[habanero]

I’m new to the forum, bought a 2003 4RUNNER on an impulse buy. Later found the typical rusty frame issues. Filed my complaint with NHTSA.

As stated by the OP, I encourage others to file!

First off, welcome to the forum, and also
'03 is a 4th gen and also, wow, that's impressive!

 

[Ducaudi]

First off, welcome to the forum, and also
'03 is a 4th gen and also, wow, that's impressive!

Thanks, I noticed it was the 3rd gen forum after I posted it.

 

[Ducaudi]

that one is done for.

What's the deal with the hoses attached to the swaybar with hose clamps?

Radiator support is gone which is where the hoses normally attach.

 

[IBallEngineer]

I’m new to the forum, bought a 2003 4RUNNER on an impulse buy. Later found the typical rusty frame issues. Filed my complaint with NHTSA.

As stated by the OP, I encourage others to file!

The OP hasn't posted in this thread in 3 years. Because he found no resolution, and wasted his time complaining. You won't find any either, and are wasting your time as well.

The frame rusting is not typical, more don't rust than do.

:hungry: