Tacoma Lives

[Brown]

After much throught and checking the want ads for used trucks i finnaly decied to give repairing my rusted frame a shot. Wheni last left off the truck failed insepction due to frame rot in front of the shackles, both sides.

i ended up removing the bed, gas tank and two cross membsrs to really be able to get to the problem areas. WIth the bed off i discoverd some holes in the frame above the passenger side rear tire.

I orderd some 1/8" steel plate, had a channel the size of the frame made and set out cutting out the really bad sections of the frame, welded in the new channel sections and then wlded some fish plates across the new channels to re-box in the sections of the frame on both sides that were bad. The i welded some plates tothe side and underside of hte frame above the reas tie, passenger side. It feels very solid now. Last night I prepped it for Por 15, which i will apply tonight. After it dries i have to re-installt he cross members, gas tank, rear bumber and tow bar and then take it back to the gas station for an inspection. If it passes i'm good to go. If not I get out the torch and pull a Paulie on it.

I'm hopeing to buy myslef a couple of years to be done with college payments and then i can buy something nice!!

[rob711]

Try calling Toyota. They had a buy back program. They gave me 15gs for my 2000 tacoma in 2010, which I put down on a tundra. Still have the tundra but I miss the Tacoma. They also sent a letter to inspect my wife's 2003 sequoia, I know two people who had frames replaced. I think you can put the vin in the toyota website. Good luck, and it's a great little truck.
Rob

[ObnoxiousBlue]

Man, I am SERIOUSLY jealous of your ambition. Despite how much I tease (and will continue to tease) about your lack of a solid, and running [note "and] Volkswagen.

Did you take photos? If like to see how this sucker came apart lol

[Raj]

Did you take photos?

X2 Ken!

Love how you tackle what most wouldnt even dream of!

[Brown]

Try calling Toyota. They had a buy back program. They gave me 15gs for my 2000 tacoma in 2010, which I put down on a tundra. Still have the tundra but I miss the Tacoma. They also sent a letter to inspect my wife's 2003 sequoia, I know two people who had frames replaced. I think you can put the vin in the toyota website. Good luck, and it's a great little truck.
Rob

its a 98 and they told me I missed the 15 year warrantee extension. I wrote a ton of emails and the answer was always the same NO!!!

I took a bunch of pictures just have to get them entered . For some reason the photo attchment has not been working for me.

I take it tomorrow to get it inspected so we'll see if all my work paid off. I went over the entire frame with Por 15 and it makes it look great. How structurally sound it is who knows!!

[rob711]

Balls! Well despite the rotten frame it's still a great truck.. I miss mine.

[Brown]

Finished putting the truck together last night and dropped it off to be inspected! Kept my fingers crossed they would approve of my repair.

Got the call this morning that the repair looked great....but the check engine light was on and it came back as an oxygen sensor issue! Normally I would figure this problem out myself but I'm going up to Buffalo to pick my daughter up and will be away for four days so my wife needs a vehicle. I let the garage figure it out and fix it!

Well one O2 sensor later and $440 lighter the truck is done! $440 to replace 1 O2 sensor are you kidding me?

$165 for the sensor which I could buy online from Rockauto,com for $48 and 2 hours labor $198 to remove the old one and install the new one!

I understand they need to make a living, but that is outrageous!