Greetings to all! This Old Dog needs to learn some new tricks.

Hello All,

I go by the handle of OldDog1932, and this is my first try at joining a truck forum of knowledgeable Toyota Tundra owners.

My question: I just discovered after lifting up the vinyl pickup bed liner that there are rust holes in the bed. There are a few cancer spots have eaten through the bed, and they occur at the contact points at the struts where the bed is bolted down. Are there methods, perhaps shown in You Tube videos, or in this forum, that can suggest ways of repairing these cancer spots without having to remove the entire truck bed and fenders from the frame? Or am I faced with having to go all the way and remove the entire truck bed?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Looking to get to know some of you folks. I live here in Missouri, and it still remains a friendly state where people still make eye contact and say "hello," especially in farm country.

Thanks again,

OldDog1932

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)! I'm definitely not qualified to answer this, but I would think it would be a lot less trouble, and possibly less costly, to just replace the bed. You might be able to find one in a salvage yard.

 

I’d definitely replace the bed, have the bottom of the bed coated with a rust preventative spray, then have a spray in bed liner applied. The problem with the vinyl liners is that the conceal damage, allow moisture in between the liner and bed and in my experience, allow things to slide all over the bed unless secured very well.
I’d bet it’s less expensive to replace it anyway.

 

Welcome neighbor! OKC here. Sounds like time for a custom flatbed if you can't find an affordable factory bed. A used service body might be available too, but harder to find for a Tundra

 

Welcome from also in Missouri! My truck had the drop-in liner too and had similar rust holes in the bed. Sorry to hear you are dealing with it. Removing the bed is really not that involved, though. It’s just the six bed bolts, removing the tail light assemblies, and unplugging the lights from them. With the bed off it is pretty easy to cut the rust out and weld in some patches. That’s what I did with mine about five years ago and it has held up well ever since. Check out this post I made to document my repairs: https://www.tundras.com/threads/blacksheep’s-notebook-customizing-my-daily-driver.77279/#post-1986683

Edit: my welds in that post are NOT pretty. It was my first ever attempt at welding and I used a cheap flux core welder on the thin sheet metal of the bed. But with primer and paint it has held up to time and use.

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Welcome from Texas!