Toyota body-on-frame design updates for rust?

I know Chevy has had issues with rocker panels rusting.

 

I have no experience with this but it caught my attention thinking of you guys that fight rust and road salt.

https://www.saltshift.com/en-us/products/salt-shift-chassis-flush?_pos=1&_psq=Chas&_ss=e&_v=1.0

 

Just thinking out loud, does anyone know of a frame hole plug kit for our 4Runners? Won't be a true fix but I think would minimize the amount of debris entering the frame.

 

I would try this!

 

Duct tape?

 

Not practical to handle a pressure washer or garden hose in the winter months when they actually put the road salt down. In the winter, I just run through an automatic touchless car wash with underbody sprayers when temps climb above freezing.

 

Don't car washes recycle the runoff water?

 

Yes, they typically have reverse osmosis and deionization systems to treat the runoff water. I never had any spotting from the automatic washes.

 

I have applied Fluid Film and now Wool Wax every fall. Frames on my 4Runner and Tacoma are still near perfect. I used to touch up in the spring but it was not really needed anymore.

I am in Maine so depending on local vs state roads the trucks see salt or salt/sand treatments on the roads.

 

Matt83, do you spray inside the frame holes?

 

Probably the most important step of this process is to apply either Blaster’s Surface Shield or Fluid Film (both are lanolin based) inside of every frame hole because rust from the inside-out is the worst!

The sooner you can apply it, the longer your frame/under carriage metals will last. Especially if you live in an area that is prone to salt like our rust belt. After your first two applications, then you can simply touch up areas where you may see a problem.

I would make that a priority

 

Agreed, that’s the way I see it. I wouldn’t remove any existing frame plugs because they would keep water out. But open holes should be sprayed inside them. I don’t live in rust belt (in SC) but I’m gonna treat inside frame holes then inspect everything visible annually. Trying to learn what is best applicator for inside holes without an air compressor. Looks like if you use the attachment tubes with nozzle on the end, and press the button straight down, the leakage is minimized at the nozzle connection.

 

Just spray where you can, use the wand, stuff creeps so be generous.

 

And make sure you cover well the areas you don't want this stuff. I started covering yesterday, reminds me of repainting the kitchen.

 

I wouldn’t waste my energy doing this.

 

ya rly

 

To each their own!

 

And here it is......if you prep right, you can be sure you don't spray in places where this stuff shouldn't be. If you don't spend the energy, well, quality will suffer.

 

A body shop highly recommended an SEM product that doesn't need to be painted/sealed but cannot be exposed to UV...

Rust Mort, Rust Shield or something... It can be sprayed inside the frame beams.

 

Dang, what a beautiful satin sheen. What product did you use? How was it applied?

I didn’t prep like you did. I just sprayed it towards what needed spraying. I even hit the exhaust bolts and flanges with a light coating so it acts like seasoning on a stee/cast iron pan. Stinks for a couple of heat cycles, but maybe it will let me remove exhaust bolts in the future. I only avoided moving rubber bits, like cv boots.

Edit: another option is to get a gallon bucket of the product and brush it on.

 

I used valuguard 104 and their gun. It took me a little while to practice on the correct setting, so I sprayed the skid plates first to just get practice, then I went to the other parts. The Viking garage guy from youtube was my reference for this job. He used the same product and I think it looks good.

 

I got to say, it does look good. I too watch Vikings Garage!

 

Whoah! Yeah, definitely need to prep like you did when using a solvent based/asphalt based undercoating like that! For some reason I thought you used a lanolin oil product like fluid film. For lanolin, taping everything off is almost counterproductive.

 

I just wanted to do this one time only! Cry once. I am sure all the lanolin products are great and easy to apply but you have to keep up with it and I felt like this one was a one time deal. Putting all the skid plates back was a biach though. I forgot all the little details on the spacers and it took me a while to line up everything, but everything is back in place and I really like the look of it. I'm tempted now to do it on the taco.

 

I wonder why nobody uses the old school rustproofing anymore. Back in the day when I bought Ford Ranger and Explorers of the 90s they would undercoat them at the dealer. Then I took off black specs off the paint. But it seems that under coating lasted

I read somewhere though most think that traps moisture; any other ideas ?

 

I remember getting that coating for an '88 Camry wagon. They even drilled holes in panels and filled them, leaving a rubber plug in place.

Rhino lining and other rubberized materials probably have carcinogens in them. Were catalytic converters around in 1988?

 

Lol! I know my '85 Supra had one.

 

Yeah, the zeibart and rubberized type coatings would eventually flake and create the potential to trap water between the coating and the frame.

 

It might be worth spraying inside the frame rails and crossmembers with a fluid film once the Valuguard sets up. It should only need to be done once because it wont wash out