I was under my truck over the weekend and noticed some bad rust on the frame just behind the rear wheels (same amount of rust on both side of truck). I want to make a plate and weld it to the frame to prevent future problems. I want to clean the area up with the grinder and use some rust stop and then weld the plate on. my question is , what all do I need to disconnect inorder to weld without burning the electrical system to the truck? Any pointers and help is very appreciated.Thanks.

 

Disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery is not a bad idea, in any case. To be the safest, be sure to place the grounding clamp of the welder as close to your welding work as you reasonably can, on somthing substantial (like a nearby part of the frame), to reduce the electrical path, and create a much better weld joint.

 

thank you for the help. I'll try to get some pics of the before and after.

 

Just found the following and I qualify.

Toyota had begun receiving a few reports from customers that excessive corrosion was occurring on the frames of some older Tacoma pickups, specifically 1995 to 2000 models. The Japanese automaker determined that during this half decade of production, some Taco frames may not have received the kind of corrosion protection from the factory that's needed to withstand harsh climes, especially ones where salt is used to deice roadways. While there is no recall and Toyota says that the number of instances where it has found rust go beyond the surface of the frame to penetrate the metal is small, the automaker is pulling an unorthodox move and doing something about anyway.

Toyota is extending the rust perforation warranty on all 1995-2000 Tacoma pickups, some 813,000 units, to 15 years from the original date of purchase, AND you don't have to be the original owner, or the second or the third even. Anyone who owns a Tacoma from this era and finds rust perforation on the frame can have his or her truck officially inspected for rust damage, in which case Toyota will either repair or buy back the truck regardless of its condition. Owners will start receiving letters by mid-March, and those who don't can visit a dealership for a free inspection.

 

Note they say "perforation" - your frame has to be completely rusted through to qualify.