WHERE DO THEY RUST?

Ok guys and gals, where do the 2nd Gen Tundras rust?


I was a life long Texan and NEVER had to deal with road salt and brine eating my prized Toyota investments.

After moving up to Alaska last Fall and having the Canadians douse my new prized 2013 Tundra in brine and salt on the way up here I am looking for a way to prevent my awesome machine from getting road cancer and EATEN ALIVE!


Ive power washed the bottom of this thing clean enough to eat off of (the dirt here in Alaska is clean enough to eat if you wanted to unlike the Lower 48) and want to take a look at corrosion preventive measures to keep her form rusting out.


I had heard that they are starting to use some chemical up here on the roads vs straight sand like they have always done and I want to specifically pre-treat all areas on the truck that are prone to rust.


Like every other vehicle out there winter ice melting measures COMPLETELY SUCK and eat vehicles alive. There has got to be a way to prevent this and I am certain that I can prevent this from happening to mine. Like I said Im looking to find out what areas on Tundras are especially vulnerable.


I spilled a couple of gallons of Diesel fuel in the bed of my tuck over the winter and it seeped out everywhere all under the bed!


GOT ME THINKING that this might be a good start on preventing rust!


Im looking at a 50/50 mix of used motor oil & diesel fuel and spraying it up under the fender wells, the whole bottom of the truck (except for the exhaust pipes) and every other place that I can get it sprayed into. May even look at drilling some holes in some sheet metal and flooding some areas like the rockers, tail gate, and every other nook and crannies that I can get to and treat it.

We "mist" the inside of aircraft for corrosion control and why not look at doing the same thing on vehicles? Im optimistic that we can find the way to keep the salt from eating our trucks.


Any ideas, input, pics, and any other info on the specific areas on these trucks that rust would be much appreciated.

 

Spray the entire underside with Fluid Film. 2 cans should do you and are about $26 plus tax.

Where to spray? Think like water and let that be your guide Grasshopper.

 

Will take a look and do some research. Would obviously have to re-teat every Spring / Fall if its not that "sticky".

 

I use Fluid film on my car's also!

 

Maybe. Depends. Takes about and hour. At $26 its a no brainer. Waxy oil is the best description. I spray and wipe so its a thin film. In highly critical areas its not wiped and looks like pooled up wax.

 

Fluid film bubbles and works it way in to tight area's. On my car's I drill a 1/4" in the door jam and spray the inside of the rear quarter panel every fall and then install a 1/4" body plug so looks factory if you didn't know better!

 

There is an aviation spray called "CorosionX". Great stuff and stays put. About 15 bucks a can. Might be very good in those hard to get to places and where small holes can be drilled. Im considering spraying that, some straight WD40, and the motor oil diesel mix on some different bottom areas and frame to see what it all will do and how log it will stay.

I know that back in the old days it was the diesel and motor oil mix that everyone used for anything metal outside. Will do some test areas and see how they all do. We have had dry spell and a lot of dust lately so it will be interesting to see what the dust sticks to and how bad.

 

They rust in the bed floor in the front corners and on either end of the wheel wells, from what I have read it cannot be prevented by spraying some type of corrosion inhibitor as you cannot reach it the spray. Pretty common problem with the second gens if you do a search.

 

I used about 6 cans of fluid film per year on my tacoma. 6 cans per year for the last 8 years at a cost of about $480 and lots of time.
I am currently waiting for a new frame due to the rust that the fluid film DID NOT PREVENT!
Fluid film is highly overrated. I plan on using oil on my new frame!

 

As stated above for location. Its the only spot on the 08 i had that rusted bad up through the bed. There are 3 or 4 cross supports on the underside of the bed , part of the bed structure not the frame. Every dip and rise in the bed floor leaves a space on the bottom side that collects salt , slush etc. You can get to them with rust check or other products but its not easy on the gas tank side. Id suggest even if you take it somewhere and have it done to do these spots yourself. I only use to have mine coated by crown control every second year and assumed it was done proper , no goodie ! Rusted through bad , never realized till I removed the bed matt. Now on the 2014 I bought a couple weeks ago , first thing I did even though its summer , caused those gaps and holes in rust check coating.

 

Take the plate off the tailgate. raw steel.
I got some rust bubbles along the bottom of the tailgate

 

Try krown. I think it's the T40. Or if you get I to a larger town they will have a body shop that does that type of work.

WD 40 is water based if I remember correctly.

 

I've seen the bed floor rust around where the bolts mount it to the frame. Don't know how you'd treat that. Maybe take the bolts out and spray in the bolt holes, put bolts back in. I only recommend that on the OP's truck since it hasn't really been exposed to salt before. 10 year old new york truck, those bolts are going to be rusted in place and liable to snap if you try and remove them.

Also I think Toyota had a TSB or recall for certain year 2nd gens regarding bed rust. Its not as well known as the frame recall, but something to ask about if you have a rusty bed.

Of course if you have a plastic bed liner, get that thing out of there. I also wouldn't use one of those bed rugs, even if you have a tonneau cover. Your cover can leak, get the rug wet, it never dries, rusts out your bed, I've seen it happen on a 2003ish Chevy truck.

 

Of course if you have a plastic bed liner, get that thing out of there. I also wouldn't use one of those bed rugs, even if you have a tonneau cover. Your cover can leak, get the rug wet, it never dries, rusts out your bed, I've seen it happen on a 2003ish Chevy truck.[/QUOTE]

Never heard of of bedrug locking in moisture before. Can you elaborate for those of us that have them with and without covers in adverse climate?

 

Never heard of of bedrug locking in moisture before. Can you elaborate for those of us that have them with and without covers in adverse climate?[/QUOTE]

Happened to a co-worker's 2000-2003ish Chevy truck. Of course he doesn't take care of his things, it came with the bed rug/tonnaue cover. Bed floor started to rust up near the cab, of course he was hauling crap with the cover off, there was a lot of dirt/leaves up near the cab. Then he puts cover back on for a few months, it starts to stink, he ignores it until he needs to haul something big/bulky, decides enough with the rotten bed-rug, pulls it out and discovers some bubbly rust up by the cab in the bed floor because there had been standing water/moisture there for god knows how long. I think the bed rug and dirt blocked the drain hole. My thing is even one of those bed rugs can block the drain hole, they act like a sponge if you get them wet.

Just not a fan of them, use a rubber mat instead or get the bed rhino lined if you don't mind spending an extra $400 vs the $90 bed mat.

 

Best thing to do is take it to a good body shop and have them do every nook and cranny. Working at a body shop myself I have done plenty of vehicles. We usually get into places you don't think of. But anyplace you can slide a little hose in spray full. Take things apart if necessary. And before you do it. Wash all the areas. Pull plugs from rockers,inside boxsides,fenders, hoods etc. Let dry then start. Good luck.

 

I just started trying to treat my "new to me" 2010 Wisconsin truck. Just getting the back bumper off I snapped a few bolts. Might want to invest in stainless replacements.

 

Being from Wisconsin it's a never ending battle against rust. Good luck.

 

If anyone else here lives in Western New York State, look into www.carwell.com

Just had my truck oiled there, I have friends that have used them as well. Highly, highly recommended. They are a professional operation and do a great job.

 

I'm pretty OCD when it comes to rust prevention. Originally from New England, spent 5 years in PA, and now live in coastal NC. If it's not road salt, it's Atlantic Ocean salt.

I was a firm believer in Fluid Film for a few years, but that's because it looked legit and a bunch of other people recommended it to me. It does do something, it's not completely useless, but a pressure washer pulls it right off (even with a green tip). So I imagine sustained high speed water spray, slush spray, or even just water from tire spray will also remove it fairly quickly. Mechanically, it can basically be wiped off, leaving only a glossy residue behind.

2 products that I really like right now.
-CRC SP-400: This stuff is my favorite right now and shows all the properties of something that I really want to fight corrosion. It's an aerosol, comes out of the can very thin, but sets up to a thick waxy coating in a day. It gets into all the nooks and crevices. It doesn't stay sticky or slimy. You can't wipe it off with rubbing, soap, or scrub brush. A pressure washer with a green tip at about 12" doesn't have an effect on it. It can be removed with a yellow tip on a pressure washer or with acetone. This is my go-to for just about any area under the truck.

-PB Blaster Corrosion Stop: Comes out of the can thin, clear in color so you can use it in areas where aesthetics are an issue. Not as resistant to removal as the SP-400, but better than Fluid Film. I use it on suspension components, control arms, coilovers, and shocks.