Rust on my 2024 Tacoma

[Riley_monthule]

Was washing the truck today and noticed there's already some pretty good frame rust starting. I know it's just surface rust but keep in mind this truck is less than a year old and has 11k miles on it. I love th new boxed frame as it's wayyyy stiffer than the 3rd gen and it's cool they put rust proofing inside the frame from the factory but as you can see they don't do it on the outside haha.

This is very odd to me because I don't think it's been long enough for the paint to already been worn away or eaten through and I haven't scraped this area up at all so either it somehow got scraped up or it just didn't come with paint on it. I didn't notice this until after I installed the SXTH element exhaust as the stock muffler was blocking sight to this area.

Some things to note. I live in the absolute worse conditions for rust. small mountain town with a bunch of tourists so the town dumps salt on the road. After cleaning my truck I'll literally have piles of salt on my rock sliders once I get home from the car wash it's crazy. Also even when it's not storming the snow is melting meaning on every single drive the underside of the truck gets soaked. It doesn't get much worse so I was expecting rust and to treat it as I go but just didn't expect it to look this bad this fast.

Is this surprising to you guys or are the people who live in the rust belt used to a new truck rusting like this after only a couple months? Luckily I just bought a winter beater to commute in so the truck will only be used when i need it and washed all the time lol.

 

[franklewtie]

I removed a bolt from the bed rail as I installed a bed cover and discovered it already rusted after only a few weeks.

 

[Riley_monthule]

I removed a bolt from the bed rail as I installed a bed cover and discovered it already rusted after only a few weeks.

That makes sense to me. Those will come from the factory rusted just because they're unfinished parts and water likes to sit in those areas.

 

[FishTaco]

I'm from Las Vegas but moved to Asheville, NC. (Small mountain touristy town) So I'm just learning about this rust life. We just had snow so I guess I need to spray under the truck after each snow lol.
Vegas doesn't have this so it's all been new to me lol

 

[redhead_jesss]

What a miss for them to treat the inside of the frame and not the outside ! Im guessing the snow and salt probably does play a role but still a bummer for it to be happening so soon! I'll have to check mine and see if I have anything. I replaced my exhaust a few months ago and don't recall seeing anything but I'm also in SoCal and haven't even gotten the chance to see snow this last (almost) year of owning the truck

 

[rustytaco]

Hmm. Haven't seen too many issues like this yet. Is it possible that some rocks got kicked up in there? I know you've hit a good amount of trails. Either way, shouldn't be happening. Looks like it was a scratch or something that exposed the bare metal. Idk how they could miss a big part like that during automated painting.

 

[Riley_monthule]

I'm from Las Vegas but moved to Asheville, NC. (Small mountain touristy town) So I'm just learning about this rust life. We just had snow so I guess I need to spray under the truck after each snow lol.
Vegas doesn't have this so it's all been new to me lol

Yeah washing the underside of the truck after evey time they put salt on the roads is best. You can also get your truck undercoated with a lanolin based product. This is the most protective solution.

 

[Riley_monthule]

What a miss for them to treat the inside of the frame and not the outside ! Im guessing the snow and salt probably does play a role but still a bummer for it to be happening so soon! I'll have to check mine and see if I have anything. I replaced my exhaust a few months ago and don't recall seeing anything but I'm also in SoCal and haven't even gotten the chance to see snow this last (almost) year of owning the truck

Yeah I get it. The wax protection is super messy if you have to work on the truck and has to be applied yearly but I wish it was an option at my dealer. No where around here offers undercoating even though it's salty as hell haha

 

[FishTaco]

Yeah washing the underside of the truck after evey time they put salt on the roads is best. You can also get your truck undercoated with a lanolin based product. This is the most protective solution.

Thanks . I never knew that was a thing. I will look right now and see where I can find it.
Clementine(my truck) is still young and pretty and I'd like to keep her that way lol

 

[Riley_monthule]

Thanks . I never knew that was a thing. I will look right now and see where I can find it.
Clementine(my truck) is still young and pretty and I'd like to keep her that way lol

Of course! Yup exactly wanna keep her rust free. The product they usually use is called woolwax or fluid film and it's a wax based undercoat not paint.