Frame rust prevention thread

Figured I'd place all my frame rust tackling in one place...it's an on going process as most know. I'll add to it and edit to give credit as things go. It's gonna take a while as I'm still not sure how to add multiple photos at once and it's super ANNOYING. Maybe we can't here idk.

Naval jelly and Ospho were used after breaking up the heavy rust mechanically.

Just FYI - there's a ton of info on the web on how to use Ospho and wether or not it needs neutralized or not. I finally went with the narrative that it does even though I called the company and the guy told me it didn't need to be. Even though I wasn't painting over it. That conclusion was based on this thread I found. These guys do restoration/ paint for a living so I think it's wise. First 2 posts.

http://www.spiuserforum.com/index.php?threads/how-to-neutralize-ospho.3973/


Before needle scaler. Used various wire brushes for cordless drill,hand held wire brushes also.





Naval jelly at work...



Final results after grease rub. Frame was grease rubbed a couple years prior with the bed on so it made more sense to keep that process going instead of trying to get it clean enough for a paint over rust type application.

 

Frame off is way to go. Cool to see the first gen frames get love.

 

Doesn’t look too bad to begin with for treating. My biggest regret is opting for that Toyota treatment which was fine externally since they were putting it on top of already POR-15 treated frame.

It’s that “internal” treatment using the noxodul waxy stuff that did nothing for the boxed section of the frame and keeping it from rusting inside out.

 

Achillies heel on our trucks is the frame stiffener at the center of the frame, just below the aft edge of the cab. You've got some rust starting under that area, so you should make that area a priority, FYI..

Overall, that frame is a pretty decent starting point...

 

What process are you using? Looks like some naval jelly residue? I need to do this with mine. Probably very similar shape to yours.

 

The area just past the gas tank, furthest x member from the front under cab ya mean? I sprayed it with Ospho and let it sit. Pita to get to but it wasn't in horrible shape I don't think.

 

Combination of things. This was mostly needle scaler to remove loose paint and rust. Some wire wheeling, grinding but not much as the rust wasn't that thick fortunately. Laid some Ospho down, let it dry. I scrubbed with dawn and water mix, dried with compressed air and sun. Greased everything after as the frame had been grease rubbed about a year prior. I wasn't about to try and get it all clean to paint after that. I just didnt have great access to the upper side of most of this when I greased it the first time with the bed on

 

This spot?

 

What year model did the frame rot become a non issue, or has it not?

 

That's it. Mine is rusty there too and delaminated like that on the driver side. @N84434 removed his and made new ones.

I treated that area with POR-15.

 

I think somewhere between 2010-2013. I’ve certainly seen rusted out frames on 2007 & 2008 from those who didn’t take care of them. I don’t think Toyota wants you to know because that may lead to more lawsuits up until those years would be my guess.

 

Thats the spot...

Like @FirstGenVol said, I manufactured new ones, made them longer and fabbed them out of 1/4" steel.
I think I inadvertently turned my truck into a 1 ton when I did it....

 

I thought y'all were referring to the cross member directly below back of cab.
Yup this frame overlap area seems like it could've be thought out better. I hate that spot. I don't think mine is as bad as some I've seen in the "how bad is this rust" threads when people are looking to buy. This is where I tell them to look if I get the chance. Gas tank side is a bit h to get at. Almost like you'd have to pull the damn cab or drop the tank to do it right.

Do you have a link to a posts when ya did it? I'm interested. I'm no welder so I don't think I'd be able to pull it off but if it's a good fix....I may pay in the future.

 

Highly recommend checking out his entire build thread. It's worth the read, 10 pages worth of fixes.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/my-2001-trd-access-cab-repair-modify-thread.71679/

 

You getting me into a PHM type read with a bunch of codes words that I have to store in my brain then re-read to figure out what they mean?!
I know I asked that's just the first thing I thought of.

 

It's Post #12 in my build thread. Not sure how to copy/paste that post on my iPad...
I've seen many people refer to this area as "Frame Overlap" but in reality, it's a stamped steel stiffener that gets riveted to the frame. It basically adds strength to the frame area between the cab and the bed.
And yes, the tank needs to come out. Not a bad job, really...

 

Much appreciated! Not much to update lately... it's just been a good truck

 

Dude since you have it all apart , get some muriatic acid from home depot or Lowes, put in a spray bottle and spray that whole thing down and wire brush the rust . Then rinse it all down and all the rust will be neutralized and you can use whatever rust prevention you want from there

 

I did, Ospho up in there. Just didn't have process typed out with the photos. Originally.

 

Been searching the web for evidence that I can replace my fuel pump on my 2006 Double Cab by taking off the bed instead of lowering the tank. And here it is...thanks!

 

I've got the same tumor growing on my frame. I'm a little worried the rivets will pull through the frame if this gets much worse.

 

they won't pull through. My frame stiffeners were pretty much gone, and I still had to drill them soma bucks out. What we have here is intergrainular metalurgic breakdown. The steel is literally peeling apart like an onion

your best option, for long term success, is to drill those out, clean up that area, repaint, fabricate replacements and bolt them in. It's a fair bit of work, but if you don't want the truck to fold up like a Taco ( no pun intended) those should be replaced.

 

Riveted panels and members are 100% removable, though not all of them are easy to remove. It may be worthwhile just to remove it, then get some grade 8 bolts, with nylock nuts, lockwashers, and standard washer to re-secure with the grade 8 hardware. You don't need to weld back in, though many would recommend it, hardware can be just as safe.

I've never had problems doing this, but standard disclaimer, proceed at your own risk. I've documented similar on the internet, likely on one of the GM forums, but hell if I can find it. You'll basically want to work on one side, then the other, like so:

• Throw support (jack stand or similar) under the frame rail on each side of the stiffener, firmly up to the steel. (curb any risk of sag/droop/bend)
• Angle grind down the rivet head, ideally on the side invisible to the world.
• Get a pneumatic hammer with a punch/point bit, and hammer out the rivet from the ground side. (only takes 3-4 seconds)
• Repeat for all rivets necessary, slide out the stiffener or x-member from its location.
• Treat underlying framerail, treat the stiffener or crossmember, allow proper cure time.
• Reinstall stiffener or crossmember to original location, using quality grade 8 hardware (w/nylock nuts, lock washers)

I dunno how difficult it would be to possibly fab up a new crossmember+stiffener in these trucks. I used a custom steel one with a "C" shape on each side that fit inside the framerails to stiffen them, and double as crossmember mount, this is on one of my old pickups so I could upgrade the drivetrain.

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Here that is from the underside once I got it all bolted back up, driveshaft in place, etc. You can see the bottom of the two grade 8 fasteners with washer and lockwasher and nylocks blurry, on the upper right edge of the pic.

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Same hardware setup used for the engine mounts, note on the framerail:

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I wish I had pictures from when I notched and bagged it. Used the same hardware there. But I seem to have lost those pics, and I sold it not long after.

Anyway, point being, this was one of the older trucks I've worked on with old school parallel rails, where many things previously riveted were bolted in after. I had no issues. I suspect with some work, and an angle grinder, pneumatic hammer, with proper fastener selection, you could fix that up.

 

How did you figure out that Noxudol did nothing for the frame channels?

 

There was no evidence it was even sprayed 5 years later after I examined it. The only clue was the plugs they put on the bottom channel of the frame and foam blocks on the ends. The inside had 1-2 inches of flaked off rust from the inside when I took pics.

 

Means, they didn't do it.

 

How are you sure? Would you see the residue normally?

 

Yes. It creeps up inches away from the treated area, soaks in all the rust, slowly converts it to black colored oxide and stays there for years. I sprayed fender flare bolts with that wax (called Noxudol 700 "cavity wax"), it is not fully washed out even after a full year and 10-15k miles.

Here's my Tundra's frame that I've treated with 700 inside channels and 1600 outside 3 years ago. You may notice yellow varnish around some of the holes - this is 700 keeps creeping out. It even sneaks through porosity in Toyota's crappy welds.



On another vehicle I sprayed 700 over flaky rust inside the wheel arches and had it inspected a year after - it all turned black, no flakes, no nothing. Everything is covered in sticky wax. Probably will stay like that for the next 20 years.

 

Thanks. I’ll confirm with Noxudol, Inc. and call Toyota corporate. Maybe I can get them to confirm it was never treated with my pics and an inspection.

My guess is they’ll fight me on it but it doesn’t hurt to try. Wish I knew that when I first saw it. At least I have the visit documented and my personal pics.

 

Ospho will burn your man parts, AND tastes lemony... be careful with it