Is frame rot inevitable?

ive been shopping for a gen 1 for a few weeks now. I have been taking a lot of time to understand many of the things detailed in the buyers guide sticky. I’ve come across some with lots of rust, some with practically none. I know there are things suggested to help prevent it, but I’ve also seen folks on here say that it occurs from the inside out. That being suggested, is it going to happen eventually no matter what you do to prevent it? Is it just a matter of slowing it down or can it be stopped with the proper treatment? It’s made question even buying one at all. Some insight would be helpful..thanks!

 

If the frame was treated with some sort of oil every year starting when the truck was new, there probably wouldnt be much rust at all even in the Northeast.

Buy a rust free truck from the southwest and you wont have to worry either.

 

It's only a matter of slowing it down.

 

How would one treat the frame with some sort of oil? Just spray it down from underneath? Are there company's that do such a thing? And what about under coating? What is the thought on that?

 

Fluid film

 

Fluid film is the oil/grease that I use. Can be bought in spray cans from Napa. Spray it every September.

Krown is the only company that uses an oil based product to my knowledge. Zeibart and others like them use a hard, rubber like undercoating that does nothing but hide moisture and make rust look pretty while it rots your vehicle away.

 

i would think that if you CUT OFF the oxygen (which it needs to oxidize & breed), it would stop it?
since water has oxygen in it it must be water tight seal it up good!?

stay clear of the ziebart type stuff, I have seen a few videos on that when mechanics need to get in and repair stuff (suspension,etc.) and its not pretty!

i certainly do not want my doors drilled! do you put the FF inside the doors?
what method is used to do that?
the bumper innards are relatively easily to spray it seems but I am not sure about doors!
and the bumper may wash out relatively easily?

also i just bot a wand to attach and do the 360 like you or someone said to do

 

My truck came from Central Texas never saw Winter Chemicals .

Since it was not sold in a Winter weather State I never worried about trying to get the Truck any attention from Toyota as it was in the buy back and Crush years .

About the third winter it needed some attention.

If one keeps after things I can`t see any problems.

I will say where I made new sections for the frame the new steel is holding up fine with just paint

 

even basic rain water will rot it! unless the underbody carwash i use has that winter crap in their system still?
its the dead of summer (i see no winter) and i have flash rust all over where i remove the defective paint!
i have to buy another chemical to immediately apply to stop the flash and it zinc coats it

 

bare metal will rust ANYWHERE just from the humidity. Even in the AZ desert bare metal rusts. That flash rust you are so worried about is thinner than a coat of primer, and it will come off with a brillo pad or steel wool.

If you expose bare metal, throw some primer on it, then paint it.

 

thanks! i just breathed a big sigh of relief
i did not have the proper products on hand
but they have been ordered

 

I have some square tube from various projects sitting outside (thin wall stuff I used for a gate). It's been sitting out there, some of it for a few years. It looks absolutely terrible, solid rust, but just a light sanding takes care of it. and I wouldn't hesitate to use it again.

 

Is frame rot inevitable? NO, it can be prevented

But first of all, what causes frame rot is repeated exposure to a corrosive agent, like winter salt and chemicals. This is why you mostly see trucks and cars with badly rusted and rotted undercarriages from cold climate areas where winter salt and chemicals are used. This crap is extremely corrosive and any unprotected steel will turn to swiss cheese in a matter of years (paint offers no protection as it will eat through it). Any vehicle, no matter the manufacturer, will rust to crap if left exposed to the winter salt and chemicals.

The answer to this problem is rustproofing. Of course, it is best to start rustproofing when there isn't any rust yet or surface/minimal rust only. If there is rust already, it will require wirebrushing, treatment with rust converter, a good coat of paint to seal everything off, then rustproofing. But if it is already badly rusted and crusted up bad, there's no point in rustproofing as it will be like putting a bandaid on a gangrenous wound.

The most important thing about rustproofing is to do the frame both INSIDE and OUT and to do it EVERY YEAR, as it tends to wear off over time. If you want do do it youself, Fluid Film is an excellent product for this purpose, especially with the 360 wand to do the hard-to-reach areas and the inside of the frame

But remember that if you live in a place where winter salt and chemicals are used, you have two options:
A. Don't drive the vehicle during winter
B. If you have to drive it during winter, rustproof every year before winter season

 

Only a matter of slowing it down. However, buying one with no rust is a safe bet. Itll be a long while until it rusts badly.

I recommend actually painting the frame if you're going to be doing any 'froadin. Fluid film and similar products will cause dirt to cake up if you go with that for rust protection

 

So I just got my new 2019 tacoma and had it undercoated with Ziebart. I live in Michigan so I know it will eventually rot but did I screw myself and speed up the process? Or is it still better than nothing at all?

If I did shoot myself in the foot, what would be everyone's recommendation

 

What kind of Warranty did Ziebart give you.

I had a Truck done back in the seventies they drilled holes and sprayed it every place

I had thought they were long gone not that i really looked

 

One of the benefits of using Fluid Film (or other Lanolin based product) is that it's safe to spray onto your rubber and plastic parts on the truck. In fact it will keep them from dry rotting. Petroleum based products like "WD 40 Long Term Corrosion Inhibitor", while an excellent product, should never be sprayed on rubber parts. The big drawback to FF and even most petroleum based products to me, is that it makes working on anything on the underside of the truck such a messy job, unless you power wash all of the undercoating off of what your going to be working on first.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXvl9nt57Kg

Good news- your foot is bleeding but it will heal. BAD NEWS- your new truck will rot under that shiny blackness for sure, some mechanics refuse to work an anything thats been Ziefckt and you will be reminded of this every 12 months when you go get Ziefckt to keep the WARRANTY. Do not keep this truck over 2 years.

 

https://youtu.be/QiIym5JiMOc