Opinions on rust?

Hello Tundras crew!

I've been poking around your forums for the last couple of years as my wife and I have been planning to pick up a Gen 1 Tundra for a while. We owned a lovely 2001 AC 4x4 back in the day (father-in-laws hand-me-down) but had to sell it during a financial pinch as it had double the mileage and got worse mpgs than our other (current) vehicle - a 2006 Tacoma AC 4x4. The Taco has done well but we regularly tow a horse trailer and are hoping to pick up a truckbed camper in the next year... and our Taco has a mean rust problem... so it seems like finding the right long-term Gen 1 Tundra is our best bet at checking all of our needs without getting a gigantic truck. Which brings me to my first post - I need your expert opinions on the current rust situation (since I'm paranoid after dealing with it on our Taco for the past decade) on this 2005 DC 4x4 I'm looking at this weekend. The media gallery are the current images the owner passed along. To me, it looks pretty darn good and like a few hours of tidy up and sealing would keep it chipper for the long haul? The truck has 145k with timing belt, water pump, and shocks replaced at 139k... so I'm pretty keen on it checking the major maintenance boxes... but is there anything I'm missing?


Photo Album 'Go or No Go Tundra?' by dirtroadsplease | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)

 

Are you able to shine a flashlight inside the box portion of the frame towards the front of the truck?

Also, there is a frame brace where it looks like it overlaps. It's just before the back wheels. That are is prone to rot. Check both really good. From a quick glance at the pictures it looks to be in good shape.

 

Looks about like my truck, I am suspicious of the tire carrier that looks to have been repainted. Most of what I see looks like pretty mild surface rust. Scrape around, poke with a screw driver, take a bite of the frame while the seller watches. Let them know you have been well trained to identify the taste of rust. They'll get weak in the legs just in time to start negotiating on the price.

 

If you have access this close, grab the VIN. Run it through the Toyota Owners site. https://www.toyota.com/owners

It's an '05 so not eligible for frame swaps or treatment IIRC. Still, from that site you can at least check the dealership maintenance and recall records to see what all it's had done. May be helpful for you.

That frame looks really clean to me, like, what I'd find down here. It may even be cleaner than mine. It's totally possible the seller and prior owners never had it in a rust belt state, or didn't drive it during road salt months. Generally it looks good, almost too good if you're deep in the rust belt, and I'm naturally suspicious, so the fact the spare tire carrier crossmember is so shiny raised my eyebrow. Maybe get a mirror and check what the back side looks like?

Tapping on metal is one of many methods out there to check also. But based on pics above, I'd have no real concerns.

 

Yeah I wouldn’t sweat that too much man, looks about like mine that I bought in Texas, you should ask for the vin and see where it’s been.

 

Looks good

 

Looks good to me. Nice color!

 

Looks like it was painted originally by the contrast in the lower portion on the frame compared to the upper. Other than that it looks fine.

Check for any rust coming through from the bottom of the bed under any bed liner.

 

Looks like you found a good one. Little rust on the diff cover and underside of the bed is a good indicator as well. Like FirstGenVol mentioned, look at the frame reinforcement bracket, rust seems to build up and cause the two plates to buckle away from each other. Mine are way worse so I don't think you need be concerned. But if you point it our it may help with negotiations.

Here's a thread for comparison.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/frame-bracket-rust.95349/#post-2414616

 

I will say, the truck is nicely optioned. Looks like it has LSD, tow pkg, 4wd, Limited? (rear bumper paint matched), looks like aftermarket billies, not sure that muffler-back exhaust is stock? Anyway, I'm assuming based on the other options, it's probably leather, steering wheel controls, and all the other stuff folks usually want.

 

That frame looks really good to me. It is in better shape than probably >90% of the first gen Tundras on the road.

 

Thank you folks for the great feedback and tips! I'll certainly see if I can get the vin to check out its history and will be bringing some extra tools to go check it out and poke around this weekend. I'd be pretty happy if it works out to pick it up as I'm fairly sure it has spent its whole life in Montana... unlike my Taco that began it's life in Pennsylvania and has fought that rusty upbringing ever since

 

I know on the 00-03 trucks that if the mounting points for the spare tire crossmember are not too rusty that they can just replace the crossmember and be done with it. Did the 05 trucks ever have the limited service campaign? Maybe just the spare tire crossmember was replaced at some point?

Otherwise all things considered that frame looks like it could clean up real nice as long as that's something that OP is willing to do.

 

Thats nothing. Nice truck.

 

That's what mine looked like when I bought it...but then I found this rust on the driver's side under the wheel well:




Apparently a common spot. Check there too!

 

That's exactly why it's so critical to not go by pictures alone. Great pics @w666

 

Thank you all for the excellent input! Unfortunately the fella sold the truck before I could drive down to look at it last weekend (and only told me a few days later)... but I'm keeping my eyes peeled for the next one and this thread will be invaluable for where to look for rust! I'll update if I find the right truck.

 

Well I tracked down a great truck a couple of weeks ago and just got it back from a thorough once-over at the local Toyota specialists (not the dealership) with a very clean bill of health. Ended up having to fly to Boise to pick it up then drive it home to Montana, but I got a 2006 with no rust whatsoever on the frame/undercarraige, 124k miles, just a bit of dirt/dust in the nooks and crannies. It seems real well cared for and came with a handful of upgrades I was already leaning towards (2" lift, ride-rite airbags, trailer brake controller, topper, and real AT 10-ply tires). My wife and I look forward to a long happy ownership.


Thanks community of Tundras.com - I'll be digigng in deeper with tips and pointers over the next couple years as I toss a few more upgrades on the truck (hopefully a Hellwiig anti-sway bar and FWC style camper)!