Ultimate Rust / Undercarriage Thread (5 Viewers)

[AutumnWanderer]

Hey guys, just bought my first LC for a (decent(ish)) deal, i love it but i'm on the fence whether or not i want to sell it.

What would be the best plan of action to fix up that rust hole in the frame? Cut it out and weld in a new panel?

Thinking about going under there one day and POR15ing everything i can get my hands on. I already bought a gallon of the stuff.

 

[TXLX007]

I would take a drill with wire brush attachment to it first.

 

[AutumnWanderer]

yeah, but i gotta close up that hole and get rid of whatever's behind it first...

 

[TXLX007]

Ideally you would be able to clean out all that all the rust and get it treated with the POR15. Then possibly weld on a substantial reinforcement plate?

I think changing out that crossmember would be substantial work and may affect the build overall.

 

[AutumnWanderer]

oh i wouldn't cut out the entire crossmember, but cutting out as much of the rust i can and welding in a plate the same shape.

like so.

 

[JZelnick]

Would appreciate some input on this undercarriage. Currently shopping for a daily driver for my significant other. Looking at an early model LX that has very low miles, great asking price, and is my favorite color (green, which is quite rare). Despite living in NJ, I have bought all my cars from the South and the West, and preserve them with Fluid Film. Ih8rust and a biyearly application works surprisingly well.

This Cruiser seems to have a POR15 or similar coating applied liberally as well as a replaced exhaust. I don't have any experience working on trucks with this coating and scared of what I could uncover down the road (frame rusted through?). It seems like it had a ton of corrosion and was corrected, but the price, mileage and color are tempting...

What're your thoughts? Should I hold out for another rig?

Undercarriage 2

• JZelnick
• Aug 16, 2018

Undercarriage 3

• JZelnick
• Aug 16, 2018

Undercarriage 4

• JZelnick
• Aug 16, 2018

Undercarriage 1

• JZelnick
• Aug 16, 2018

 

[greygooser]

Hey all. My first post, hope this is the right place. Bought a 2000 LC from an Auto Auction for a few thousand knowing I'd have to put some work into it. A few body trim issues but the engine is in great shape. Didn't get to look underneath. Please look at the photos in my imgur album and let me know if I'm screwed. I read RampantWolf's frame swap thread. I don't have the capability/facility to do that, but if I could find a frame I'd pay someone to swap it.

Imgur

 

[AutumnWanderer]

That's really badly rusted, the body mounts look really thin and flaky. I'd definitely look into getting a frame swapped.

 

[TXLX007]

Send it...
Shame to see a rig go down like that. Looks like it was left in salt water for a few years. I wouldn't spend another cent on it. Use it till something breaks and then part it out.

 

[jayday]

sub'd

 

[MountaineerLC]

With the exception of the cross member, that rust doesn't look bad at all, IMO. However, I'm from the salt belt and not a "rust-o-phobe" like many on this forum.

 

[bentonrover]

Rust belt areas make real mechanics lol

 

[ranma21]

Rust belt areas make real mechanics lol

That for sure!!

 

[wyattroa]

Pretty sure I will be picking up this 2005 LX 470 with 180k on it

 

[Kabanstva]

Wow that looks brand new ^^^

 

[jayday]

I wonder if Toyota realizes what the percentage of their flagship landcruisers 100s that are now in salvage yards due to rust? I sold my 80 series to a friend, which was a extremely well maintained 94, and bought a 99 100 series that seemed ok. Have since realized that salvage yards are full of 100s with the same rust areas. I know I am not the first, won't be the last. I have come across a lot like mine. Maintained , but rotten rear crossmembers, front swaybar link/frame rot. Oh well. Being an 80 series owner I believed that landcruisers were the workhorses of the world. 100 series that I bought used? Not so much.. 75 percent of this vehicle is in amazing shape, the other 25 has failed. Mechanics agree. Salvage yards in the northeast are full of running 100 series cruisers that have rusted frames. Look at insurance auction sites weekly, running 100s that are totaled because of rust. Too bad, I love cruisers. Too bad the reliability is gone.

 

[2002TLCyes]

I wonder if Toyota realizes what the percentage of their flagship landcruisers 100s that are now in salvage yards due to rust? I sold my 80 series to a friend, which was a extremely well maintained 94, and bought a 99 100 series that seemed ok. Have since realized that salvage yards are full of 100s with the same rust areas. I know I am not the first, won't be the last. I have come across a lot like mine. Maintained , but rotten rear crossmembers, front swaybar link/frame rot. Oh well. Being an 80 series owner I believed that landcruisers were the workhorses of the world. 100 series that I bought used? Not so much.. 75 percent of this vehicle is in amazing shape, the other 25 has failed. Mechanics agree. Salvage yards in the northeast are full of running 100 series cruisers that have rusted frames. Look at insurance auction sites weekly, running 100s that are totaled because of rust. Too bad, I love cruisers. Too bad the reliability is gone.

I agree 100%. Fanaticism causes some people to somehow be blinded to all of the rust and other problems that these vehicles have. Not saying they're not great cars, because relative to the others on the market, they are still be some of the best. But that whole "designed to last 25 years" thing is so utterly bogus. Any car can be made to last 25 years if you replace every single part on it. Doesn't take but to glimpse at this forum to see just how many different kinds of problems land cruiser owners face - some that leave them stranded in the middle of the road with not even the slightest clue because of some electrical gremlin hiding under the hood. But yeah, the rust is a very embarrassing problem that these cars have. I think in 20 years we'll be seeing more of the older style cruisers than we will of these 100 series.

 

[hickuptruck]

I agree 100%. Fanaticism causes some people to somehow be blinded to all of the rust and other problems that these vehicles have. Not saying they're not great cars, because relative to the others on the market, they are still be some of the best. But that whole "designed to last 25 years" thing is so utterly bogus. Any car can be made to last 25 years if you replace every single part on it. Doesn't take but to glimpse at this forum to see just how many different kinds of problems land cruiser owners face - some that leave them stranded in the middle of the road with not even the slightest clue because of some electrical gremlin hiding under the hood. But yeah, the rust is a very embarrassing problem that these cars have. I think in 20 years we'll be seeing more of the older style cruisers than we will of these 100 series.

Rust or no rust, that designed for 25 years saying on a Land Cruiser is absolute BS, with you on that one. Glad I'm not the only one saying it.

Looking at only rust and all other problems aside on the 100, there are several design issues from factory like: ac drains right onto the ledge of the sway bar mount, rocker drains that are so small a zip tie doesn't even fit causing them to be blocked, blocked fender drain, frame drains being extremely small and dirt getting blocked.

I'm a cruiser fanatic don't get me wrong, but by no means that 25 year thing is true, even rust aside.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

I agree 100%. Fanaticism causes some people to somehow be blinded to all of the rust and other problems that these vehicles have. Not saying they're not great cars, because relative to the others on the market, they are still be some of the best. But that whole "designed to last 25 years" thing is so utterly bogus. Any car can be made to last 25 years if you replace every single part on it. Doesn't take but to glimpse at this forum to see just how many different kinds of problems land cruiser owners face - some that leave them stranded in the middle of the road with not even the slightest clue because of some electrical gremlin hiding under the hood. But yeah, the rust is a very embarrassing problem that these cars have. I think in 20 years we'll be seeing more of the older style cruisers than we will of these 100 series.

I share a lot of you sentiments. The engine, transfer case and rear differential are pretty much unkillable but everything else seems to go around 200k miles. Think about most common failures: Control Arms (all 4), front diff, steering rack, AHC globes, ignition key cylinder. And that doesn't include the common consumables such as alternator, radiator, brakes, bearings etc.

As for the rust, Toyota doesn't seem to know how to make their frames last in rust belt. I am not sure why but even the newer Toyota's seem to suffer with rust problems more than other makes, including domestic US products.

 

[rampantwolf]

When I first purchased the ‘98 TLC I called the dealer to ask about any TSB’s. There was one on the frame because of rusting. The dealer did complete replacements during that time. However, that technical service bulletin had expired 1-2 years earlier.

I can see the points of rusting is usually at all the welds, hardware (screws and bolts of dissimilar metal) locations and the rocker panels due to blocked in inadequate drainage channels.

Long story short, we are basically done prepping the unibody for epoxy primer and paint.

The rust wasn’t as bad as I initially thought after having removed all the undercoating and seam sealer. In hind sight I think I would just have POR-15 the chassis and undercarriage and called it a day but since all of y’all are waiting to see this build finish I can’t disappoint. I was hoping to have it done by HIH this June because we will be in Buena Vista, CO dropping of our girls at summer camp at the day before HIH. We missed the registration period doh!

Stay tuned and I’ll post up new pics in my build thread this weekend of the incremental progress.

I have ordered additional sound deadening runner butyl mat and sound absorbing foam for the interior to arrive tomorrow. Thy should be fun.