[RustySnail]

I've been on the hunt for an FJ for a little over a month now and being from Michigan it's impossible to find rust free FJs. I have expanded my search about 500 miles out and I could go further if required but I still see frames with rust. Is it really a huge problem? Should I be so concerned about the rust? For example this truck from NY that I was thinking about. It seems prefect on paper, low miles, right price, right color and right options but when I got the owner to send me some underside photos of course there is rust.

He didn't get the best photos but I can already see that there is some rust. Some of the frame looks fine but some looks kinda bad.

My budget is around 23k and I want an FJ that I can keep around for a long time so condition is at least a little important. It will also be a DD for the foreseeable future. I've also sold my car, I got an offer I couldn't refuse, so the pressure is on to get to find an FJ soon. So I guess I need to understand how important is the rust issue on these trucks? From others on the forum I've been lead to believe that the rust issue is a big deal. Is it as bad as the Tacoma issues from around the same time? I was planning on walking on this FJ but should I? Am I overreacting?

 

[mikey]

Overreacting....some.

It looks pretty good to me.

 

[Little_Joe1]

Nothing in pictures that would deter me.
I am an advocate of Krown annually as a rust prevention if you are in an area that uses road chemicals.

I actually do full body/ frame in fall and just underbody/frame in spring.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[RustySnail]

Overreacting....some.

It looks pretty good to me.

Really? Maybe I have been to scared off from horror stories on here but I shouldn't be concerned about the cross beam in the last pic there?

This might be the best news I've had all week

 

[Murphy007]

The rust seems minor in the pics.

 

[Green Alien]

Keep looking,
It’s all to common to see new buyers posting pictures of rusted FJ’s asking if it’s too much rust. Trust your instincts, as typically if you have to ask it is.

In your last picture you can see a glimpse of what’s hiding under that freshly painted undercarriage.

Rust weakens the structural integrity of a vehicle, creates numerous problems with reliability and service. It’s almost always in far more areas than you can easily see. And destroys the resale value of a vehicle. FJ’s are known for reliability, performance, safety, resale & styling. Buying a badly rusted FJ basically removes all those qualities, less styling.

 

[Adrift]

I normally stay out of rust threads but here goes...

The "too much rust?" issue usually boils down to where you are. The northern US/Canada folks say meh, not so bad and the southern/southwest US folks say NO WAY. You have to consider what is available in your area or be willing to look and travel nationwide.

With that said, I would be leery of this FJ because it has been coated. There is rust you can see, but how much is covered? The last photo might be the best indicator as the coating has flaked off to show a lot of rust. Was the frame coated to hide the rust or was it a half hearted attempt to prevent more rust? Either way it's an unknown. Personally, I would prefer an uncoated truck so I can see what I'm dealing with.

 

[REEL-M-N]

Keep looking,
It’s all to common to see new buyers posting pictures of rusted FJ’s asking if it’s too much rust. Trust your instincts, as typically if you have to ask it is.

In your last picture you can see a glimpse of what’s hiding under that freshly painted undercarriage.
View attachment 1167025 Rust weakens the structural integrity of a vehicle, creates numerous problems with reliability and service. It’s almost always in far more areas than you can easily see. And destroys the resale value of a vehicle. FJ’s are known for reliability, performance, safety, resale & styling. Buying a badly rusted FJ basically removes all those qualities, less styling.

I agree with Norm356 on all of his points. The question I have is has anyone seen (Pictures or seen in person) a frame that has failed on a trail or otherwise. I know some folks have done a frame replacement. I have see a bunch of pics of unacceptable frame rust but no pictures of failures.


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[RustySnail]

I normally stay out of rust threads but here goes...

The "too much rust?" issue usually boils down to where you are. The northern US/Canada folks say meh, not so bad and the southern/southwest US folks say NO WAY. You have to consider what is available in your area or be willing to look and travel nationwide.

With that said, I would be leery of this FJ because it has been coated. There is rust you can see, but how much is covered? The last photo might be the best indicator as the coating has flaked off to show a lot of rust. Was the frame coated to hide the rust or was it a half hearted attempt to prevent more rust? Either way it's an unknown. Personally, I would prefer an uncoated truck so I can see what I'm dealing with.

I normally stay out of rust threads but here goes...

The "too much rust?" issue usually boils down to where you are. The northern US/Canada folks say meh, not so bad and the southern/southwest US folks say NO WAY. You have to consider what is available in your area or be willing to look and travel nationwide.

With that said, I would be leery of this FJ because it has been coated. There is rust you can see, but how much is covered? The last photo might be the best indicator as the coating has flaked off to show a lot of rust. Was the frame coated to hide the rust or was it a half hearted attempt to prevent more rust? Either way it's an unknown. Personally, I would prefer an uncoated truck so I can see what I'm dealing with.

Hey thanks for the info, the owner informed me that he had to frame armor coated when he bought the vehicle new and had it all under coated a few months ago. As a buyer from the rust belt I'm all to familiar with rusted out cars, you see them on the road everyday. I just don't know if the rust is mostly on the surface or if it's deeper.

 

[RustySnail]

I agree with Norm356 on all of his points. The question I have is has anyone seen (Pictures or seen in person) a frame that has failed on a trail or otherwise. I know some folks have done a frame replacement. I have see a bunch of pics of unacceptable frame rust but no pictures of failures.


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This is my real concern, I know rust is bad and unsightly and hurts the value of your car but if the frame is structurally sound still then it's not an issue.

 

[MikeS11222]

looks like they sprayed it with some sort of undercoating. All that should be removed if thats the case.

 

[norm356]

"and had it all under coated a few months ago"

from those photos, that means they sprayed black (unknown material) over the top of the badly rusted frame, hiding the rust and leaving it to fester behind whatever coating that is.

As Mike said, all of that should be removed to properly protect it.

 

[RustySnail]

looks like they sprayed it with some sort of undercoating. All that should be removed if thats the case.

The owner told me that he had to done a few months ago so it definitely is fresh. So if I dig back the undercoat I would mostly like just find a rusted out frame? That makes it real hard when I can't exactly see these cars in person so I have to rely on the owners pics and honesty.

 

[norm356]

"I have seen a bunch of pics of unacceptable frame rust but no pictures of failures." - there's one guy who posted here recently with a claimed 30k miles truck with photos of fatal rust through on the frame. A real shame because the owner said they'd babied it all these years, planning to keep forever, but never took care of the frame rust until it was too late.

 

[norm356]

"So if I dig back the undercoat I would mostly like just find a rusted out frame?"

from your final photo, that is what it looks like, yes: badly rusted frame with a slap-dash "sell me now" coat of black whathaveyou

 

[RustySnail]

"So if I dig back the undercoat I would mostly like just find a rusted out frame?"

from your final photo, that is what it looks like, yes: badly rusted frame with a slap-dash "sell me now" coat of black whathaveyou

That's a shame, definitely a walk then? That was my original gut reaction. The rust I could see was bad and that doesn't give me confidence that the rest of the frame was properly cared for.

 

[REEL-M-N]

"So if I dig back the undercoat I would mostly like just find a rusted out frame?"

from your final photo, that is what it looks like, yes: badly rusted frame with a slap-dash "sell me now" coat of black whathaveyou

"So if I dig back the undercoat I would mostly like just find a rusted out frame?"

from your final photo, that is what it looks like, yes: badly rusted frame with a slap-dash "sell me now" coat of black whathaveyou

"So if I dig back the undercoat I would mostly like just find a rusted out frame?"

from your final photo, that is what it looks like, yes: badly rusted frame with a slap-dash "sell me now" coat of black whathaveyou

I agree with Norm356. With all of the pics and knowledge of rust on the forum, I would think there is about 4 to 6 main (Structural) places where the rust always seems to form and are the biggest concern. My guess it would be where water / salt / road chemicals would gain access to the inside of the frame and settle. Looking at these areas (not everywhere) would determine the extent of the damage as we would have something to compare from FJ to FJ. I see holes drilled in the frame and to me that would cause a weak point but they are factory made the rust there would be a bigger concern than say a weld on the outside of a beam. My thought is to determine the areas, buy a bora scope (They are fairly inexpensive and some attach to your phone) take a peek inside the frame and decide buy or pass. It may be the best $100.00 spent. Yes, there is rust in other areas and (water / salt / chemicals) it even makes it up into the engine on the belts and this is a concern but not as much as the frame in my opinion.

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[MikeS11222]

If you are that unsure and unable to see the vehicle, then pass. That undercoating sh!t is the devil

 

[RustySnail]

I agree with Norm356. With all of the pics and knowledge of rust on the forum, I would think there is about 4 to 6 main (Structural) places where the rust always seems to form and are the biggest concern. My guess it would be where water / salt / road chemicals would gain access to the inside of the frame and settle. Looking at these areas (not everywhere) would determine the extent of the damage as we would have something to compare from FJ to FJ. I see holes drilled in the frame and to me that would cause a weak point but they are factory made the rust there would be a bigger concern than say a weld on the outside of a beam. My thought is to determine the areas, buy a bora scope (They are fairly inexpensive and some attach to your phone) take a peek inside the frame and decide buy or pass. It may be the best $100.00 spent. Yes, there is rust in other areas and (water / salt / chemicals) it even makes it up into the engine on the belts and this is a concern but not as much as the frame in my opinion.

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Wow okay that's a lot, do you know if there is a diagram or picture of these areas of most concern?

 

[REEL-M-N]

Wow okay that's a lot, do you know if there is a diagram or picture of these areas of most concern?

I wish I did, I have only had my FJ for about 3 years (Florida) and my rust was minor. As I have followed the Forum the same question comes up over and over again. The potential buyer posts random pics of the underside / frame on the forum and asks should I buy or not. I wish it was that easy. My hope is some of the long timers or folks in the rust belt can point us (my last post) in the right direction.

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