Stack of new frames behind Toyota dealer.

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This afternoon, I noticed a three stacks of brand new frames, each stack had four frames. This was in behind a fairly large Toyota dealer.

Are these still for the Tacoma frame issue? Or has there been something new that I missed out on?
 
I very much doubt dealerships are capable of doing complete body and drivetrain transfers , it would be to time consuming
 
Originally Posted By: heyu
I very much doubt dealerships are capable of doing complete body and drivetrain transfers , it would be to time consuming


They can and they do
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: heyu
I very much doubt dealerships are capable of doing complete body and drivetrain transfers , it would be to time consuming


They can and they do


+1 mine has done many of them.
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: heyu
I very much doubt dealerships are capable of doing complete body and drivetrain transfers , it would be to time consuming


They can and they do


+1 mine has done many of them.
They absolutely can. The body shops replace frame rails all day long, my dad has done body work and frame repair/ sections of frame rails being replaced since the 80's. My family has done it since the 50's, doesn't take a rocket scientist.
 
I spoke in detail with a local mechanic at Toyota, he said that they get them done in 16 hours. They bust everything off the old frame, have kits from Toyota for almost everything else new like brake lines and bolts so the just break it all down.... Literally. He says the wiring harness are on back order and worries that means they'll be poorer quality rush jobs. So folks are probably just being careful to not get in accidents with weak frames. I took a photo of the plethora of waiting frames behind a dealer, waiting. Hey they're eve pre salted!

Now I know some will say..."But hey, at least Toyota is trying." I'm not arguing with that but c'mon they knew well enough from how their early cars rotted out like nothing many years ago what climates these were being sent to. I'm not saying there isn't a life span to a frame but hey....do some research.

Here's the eye candy...mr. Toyoda can be real proud of his efficiencies.


 
The frames that rusted prematurely on Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia models were improperly made by Dana Corp, for Toyota.
 
Originally Posted By: tony1679
What model year Tundras were affected? My mom just bought a 2000....


That year.

My parents truck had this frame change done. Amazingly there is not a single ill effect of the transfer in the 2-3 years that have passed. Not a rattle/creak whatever. Amazing IMHO.

They got the exhaust and timing belt done when transfer was done for basically parts price + 1hr labor since everyone was open.

This is what drove them to the dealer who handed them a brand new Camry for 4 months as loaner. One guy was dedicated at dealership to it and very planned in parts and procedure. That led to a backup as I believe it took close to a week to perform each one.

 
The Toyota dealers up here always have a few pickups in various stages of frame replacement. I just took my moms Rav4 in for an oil change Saturday and they had about half a dozen out back, should have taken a picture.

For some reason Toyota still can't figure out how to rust proof a pickup. Or the Rav4 for some reason the rear sub frame is rotting out.
 
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Originally Posted By: 02SE
The frames that rusted prematurely on Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia models were improperly made by Dana Corp, for Toyota.


Toyota didn't specify that they be protected against corrosion, so Dana holdings didn't make them as such.
 
Here's what I saw. 13 frames, stacked up behind the Toyota dealership.

And MADE IN MEXICO, no less.


IMG_20150322_165844954_HDR_zpssorak4n5.jpg


IMG_20150322_165927792_HDR_zps13p5zamj.jpg
 
I can say that I have NEVER sold a frame. I have quoted a few to body shops for accidents, but once a truck gets to that point, it is a total.

We do cab offs all the time on 6.0 and 6.4 Super Dutys. The only bad thing is if a customer manages to wander back to the shop to get something out of their truck and they see the cab in the air. They tend to freak out a bit.
 
We have sold frames to body shops, but it's definitely unusual. Like one or two a year. GM truck frames list for about $3500-$4500.

They are a logistical nightmare and we'd actually rather not sell them because of the associated headaches just getting them from the manufacturer and then to the customer.
 
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Those Mexican made frames don't look like they have any corrosion protection either.


Was thinking the same thing... already rust on the welds there
crazy2.gif
 
A neighbor of mine is a Tech at a local Toyota dealership. Some years ago we had a conversation about this. They were doing these frame swaps all the time then, and he mentioned they had jigs and special tools made up to get the job done pretty quickly. Like said above, I believe he said 2 Techs get it done in a day. 16hrs labor.

Rust or not, there's not many manufacturers that would step up to the plate like this. The best they'd do is some type of band-aid fix at best.
 
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