Finally got my welder and my yota in the same place so im gonna tackle some frame issues in the upcoming months.
I am doing patches right below the rear of the cab where the frame seems to catch and hold debris. Can i drill out drain holes in these spots so Im not dealing with the same problem very soon after the repair? I drive through a lot of mud when it rains or snows and i dont have time to hose the truck down ever time it gets dirty. How do others handle this issue?

And how hard would it be to pull the cab? I have no lifts or garage but i could fab something. Ive got plenty of space and no neighbors to complain.

 

Hey swampedout, check out my build thread. I had to repair that same area. Crap accumulated in there for who knows how long and eventually rotted it out. I don't see why you couldn't put a few drain holes in-there are holes all over the frame. I removed the bed and fuel tank-left the cab in place.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f197...thread-305994/

 

Thanks! Ive actually looked at your build many times already. Its one of the threads that convinced me not to sell this truck and fix the frame myself.
ill upload some pictures of the carnage.

i think i ordered those same tail lights from thailand too, with all the tape on them

 

Awesome! You just have to go for it! I've been learning as I go through this whole process.

Enjoy the ride and take lots of pictures!

 

Keep them on the small side if you do drill, most of the vertical force is supported by the top and bottom channel of the frame. That's why most holes you see are in the middle of sides,where not subject to compression or tension loads, or in top or bottom in non structurally important places. If you want rust proofing see here - https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f123...waxoyl-298491/

 

I drilled out the drain holes (in the bottom) to about 1/2" on both my 83 and 04 Taco. My 83 had one rust hole on the inside close to the exhaust, that I suspect had something to do with exhaust leakage into the frame. All the side holes on the outside of the frame I filled in when I repaired that hole. I kept some of the inside hole to spray in rust preventative.

I mentioned the Taco cause the first thing I did when I brought it home brand new (25KM's) was to drill out the drain holes to 1/2". I then duct taped up those mentioned side holes and sprayed that asphalt undercoating over the taped up areas and then sprayed about 5 or 6 cans of "Rust Check" undercoating in the inside frame holes. Later during the frame recall, the dealer said I had the best frame they seen. They had it for a week and I didn't know why and was assuming the worse. Apparently some guys from Toyota Canada came to see what I had done and that was the hold up! I used tape because I didn't want to burn any paint off the inside.

Every year I spray several cans into both trucks until the undercoating generously runs out of the drains.

I could never figure out why Toyota put those big holes in the side of the frame to let in lots of crap, and just a few tiny holes in the bottom to drain it?!

 

1/2" sounds like a good size. Enough to let the dirt drain out.
Whats your spray method?

 

And smart thinking to be preventative with the Taco. My orher yota is a T100 which luckily has a clean frame but I bought it after the frame recall deadline so I would have been out of luck if any issue popped up after I bought it.

With the 80, I knew it had rust when I bought it.

 

Just the aerosol cans and a longer piece of the 'plastic straw' that comes with the can. I believe its 1/16" pneumatic tubing that followed me home from work one day!

Yup I nipped that Taco rust in the bud because of the hole in the 83's frame. I even sprayed inside the upper and lower control arms and under the carpet. That was on top of getting it 'professionally' oil undercoated twice a year. I did something like 'Krown' or 'Rust Check' in the spring (apparently the best time to do it) and then some sort of 'no drip' just before salt season when I was back east. I'd always tell these guys to do inside the frame, and for sure the no drip guy would because he'd spray it outside behind his body shop where you could watch.

 

Just the aerosol cans and a longer piece of the 'plastic straw' that comes with the can. I believe its 1/16" pneumatic tubing that followed me home from work one day!

Yup I nipped that Taco rust in the bud because of the hole in the 83's frame. I even sprayed inside the upper and lower control arms and under the carpet. That was on top of getting it 'professionally' oil undercoated twice a year. I did something like 'Krown' or 'Rust Check' in the spring (apparently the best time to do it) and then some sort of 'no drip' just before salt season when I was back east.

You got me why this double posted 45 minutes later missing a sentence!

 

Ok. I have the semblance of a plan. Im hoping to get this fixed this winter. Its really good to hear tips from everyone whos already tackled this project.
when I first realized the extent of the rust I was crest fallen but now I see its all fixable.
lets see if I still feel the same way once I start cutting.
Im going to pull the bed and Im thinking 1" body lift while im in there. Ive always been against BLs but the extra inch seems to help putting on sliders and accessing things like trans bolts. Plus I can stuff bigger tires and hit the malls in style!
Then a flatbed/utility bed once I can save up for some steel.

 

[QUOTE=swampedout;52435391Plus I can stuff bigger tires and hit the malls in style!.[/QUOTE]

Right beside the Hummers with the baby seats!!!

 

I see people who commute in their Hummer2s everyday. There are some things I may never understand.