frame paint, rusty black potato chips

[jeffb]

1 thing i noticed last weekend while self performing some obligatory maintenance was how badly my frame is rusting. any of you guys have similar observations? as i plan to keep my 00 tundra another 6 yrs or so i am wondering if i should get in there with a wire brush and try to re prime some of these areas. in 6 yrs she really does age in the hidden zones

[v8Toilet]

You should! I do it every year or two too keep it looking new.

[Hugemoose]

About a year ago I took a wire brush to some spots on the frame, then sanded it a bit and sprayed Flat Black Rust-o-lium (sp?) on the rails. Unfortunatly it didn't hold up very well and has all but rusted through. I remember hearing about some sort of paint that actually stops the rust from forming, but i don't remember the name and I think it was rather expensive per quart. Or maybe some simply undercoating that you can get in a spray can would work.

[CT-Tundra]

The best, truly rust-bonding frame paint is POR-15. I've used it on frame-up projects and it's the best. Most of the 'rust paint' stuff you could buy at a hardware store is very rubberized and mearly hides the rust.

[ICON]

Eastwood Company: Auto Tools, Body Repair, Classic Car Restoration, House of Kolor Paint, Powder Coating

Eastwood also claims to have a very good chasis system, which i've never used personally so i can't give actual feedback on this product but have used their products w/mixed reviews. Their black self-etching primer wasn't as tough as other primers i've used but their grey self-primer seems to hold up much, much better. Don't know why. Their paints are pretty good though. I never used POR 15 either, which i was thinking of using one of them on the frame of my tundra since it's starting to look pretty rusty under there. I believe, either por 15 or eastwood's needs a top coat afterwards due to potential damage from UV light.

[cookiemech]

I used POR-15 extensively on an old Mercedes-Benz that I repaired, and it really does what it claims. You need to knock off any loose scale that has formed (wire brush and putty knife) and then simply Paint Over Rust (get it?). The product is very thin (water-like) and cures to a slick, extremely hard finish, and it does last. After several years, I saw no evidence of rust recurring.

You only need to top-coat it if it will be in a visible area, and this is not a product you'd use on a fender anyway. UV will damage its finish, but it is only a cosmetic issue (believe it will turn gray rather than black).

I think POR-15 (or Eastwood's equivalent; check prices because these are probably identical products) would be ideal for this application.

[v8Toilet]

POR-15 Sounds like a good product but at $100 a gallon it's too expensive. The Rustoleum probably didn't well because it wasn't designed to be painted over rusty metal. To stop the rust you need phosphoric acid to chemically treat it and then you need a good alkyd primer like Rustoleums rusty metal primer to put over the treated rusty metal and then you can use their flat black paint. I've used this formula before on a restoration project and it worked great.

[Market525]

I too am concerned about frame surface rust on my 00 Tundra. Any other owners out there with similar problems as the trucks used in the salt belt areas age? I'd planned on keeping the truck, but now have started to second guess.

Thanks, Steve

[Hi Volt]

surface rust is really not too serious on a frame. The real trouble comes in when you try to cover it over with paint or undercoating without removing the rust first. Simply coating over it actually speeds up corrosion. Another concern is corners and seams that collect dirt and salt. Again the rust is covered up and corrosion accerates. A good pressure wash of the frame from time to time will help keep these areas clean.

Ever notice rust bubbling up through a paint job ? Again the rust wasn't removed properly and continued to grow under the paint, covering makes it worse.

By all means clean off the rust and paint, I am not suggesting you drive around a rusty truck, but don't worry about a little surface rust your truc=k will last a long time.

[pashark]

I was just informed during a state safety inspection that there is "significant" rust on the frame of my 2000 Tundra. Is this common with Toyota's or just this vehicle?

I heard a rumor that Toyota was using scrap steel that was below grade at one point in time. Any truth to this? If so, when was this happening?

I am very disappointed in this vehicle. Up til now it didn't live up to the "full size" truck advertisement (I have had issues with the brakes and suspension), but at least it was good for a light duty truck. Now, with "significant" rust, I am looking to purchase a truck at least 10 years prior to plan.

[LifeTech]

Living in any coastal region or winter salted roads requires very periodic Pressure wash or hose was at the very least. I do this once per week in bad weather. YU jsut cant keep the undercarriage too clean in my opinion. Some vehicles will rust faster than others no matter what yu do.When I get my new vehicle I use a rubberized undercoat at all sensitive rustable areas and I prevent the problems from arising down the road. I will usually buy a case of the 3M. It's the best. A messy job but is great insurance. This has had proven results in my last 7 vehicles.LT

[2XOverhead]

Not an expert but I'm questioning how big an issue this really is. Or is this just another issue overly conscientious owners worry about. (Not that over conscientiousness is a bad thing. I'm guilty just the same. In the end, better safe than sorry.)

[Market525]

As the owner of a 2000 model Tundra, and living in Maine, I assure you it is a big issue. I see you're in California Rich29, so I don't imagine you have to worry too much!

[DevinSixtySeven]

I've used POR, undercoat, basic Rustoleum and their rust reformer product over the years...

POR works best, is most expensive, requires the most prep and doesn't bond if you don't prep well.

Dunno about 3M but the undercoats I've tried in the past are porous enough to allow moisture through. You'll find the rust later when you scrape it off for one reason or another.

Basic Rustoleum doesn't work well, it soaks oil and abrades off easily. If it's bare metal, use primer first.

Rustoleum primer and rust reformer work well enough as long as you use a couple coats, then top coat with something. For the price and ease of use, it beats POR if the problem is minor.

For large rusted areas and metal sandwiches where you can't tell if there's rust between the plates, use POR. For sandwiches, goop the stuff on, around and in as much as possible, it is gap filling, penetrating, and will act as a bond between layers. It's great for protecting joints between frame rails and crossmembers. Remember it's not a paint, it's a chemical and makes a very strong bond to prepped and rusted metal, also because of this keep in mind if you get any around a bolt, it almost always penetrates the threads and that bolt will never, ever come out once the POR dries.

-Sean

[reddddneck]

I live in the Mtns of North Carolina, MY 2000 Tundra frame near the rear suspension is rusted almost through the frame. I wash it frequently through the winter months but the salt brime must eat pretty quick. This should be with the Tacomas rust issue.