'05 Tacoma Frame Swap - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

feerocknok · 02-13-2009, 02:04 AM

Thought I'd cross-post this from a local forum for the people that may enjoy it. It's warranty work that a guy in the club is doing for the Toyota dealership he works for in town.

Quote:

Ok, gunna be a puss and not make a big write up on this, here is a link to all the pictures I have taken from yesterday and today.

Swapping the frame out of a 2005 Tacoma as the left motor mount welded to the frame punched into the frame and the motor dropped a couple inches causing some nasty fan noise on the fan shroud in reverse.

http://bendmxpeditions.com/files/frame%20job/

Mudinman is the Handle Bar Moustache guy, there is 2 pics of me looking like a freakin retard fat guy in my work clothes and a few other dudes I work with.

I don't have the patience to write up a big review, all said, let me know what you think.

I will have the front a-arms and shit back on in the morning and the cab back on by noon I hope. Hope to be done with the whole job by tomorrow night if not friday morning. Few things to do after all done, alignment and hope to god no leaks in brakes, fuel system and by all mean the EVAP system. Hate that shit.

Peace

Quote:

welders are not the determining factor, Toyota is. They said no welding, we send frame is what happened, and I got the job, Yay Me

LowDown · 02-13-2009, 06:06 AM

How is the VIN handled? Is the cab VIN stamped into the new frame?

RanchoToytrucks · 02-13-2009, 09:10 AM

Looks like a new frame from Toyota.

If you install a used frame it HAS to be the same year or newer.

Take the recipt from the wrecking yard to the DMV and they "Blue Tag" the old VIN into the new (used) frame.

The New frames say "RDOT" on them as being a DOT approved replacement.

justinh · 02-13-2009, 05:11 PM

So was it warrantied? There is about 5-6 members on TTORA that have had the same issue, some have had it warrantied with no issues while others were told to pound sand. One of them took them to arbitration and won but had already had his frame repaired by a 3rd party.

Sometime in 2006 or 2007 Toyota added a plate on the frame behind the motor mount that wasn't present on the 2005 trucks but all of the trucks that have failed have had poor welding on the motormount, the weld wasn't placed at the joint.

feerocknok · 02-14-2009, 12:41 AM

This particular dealership was instructed by Toyota to replace the frame and Toyota is footing the bill.
I was curious about the VIN as well! He's not sure so he told me he'd look into it. Toyota was not alright with them, or anyone else, welding on the frame.

oddball4x4 · 02-16-2009, 08:37 PM

I guess Toyota thought it made more sense to eat the labor and cost of the frame than to just buy the truck back. Thats quite an undertaking

02-13-2009, 09:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
RanchoToytrucks Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Member # 103612 Location: Rancho Cordova under the welding hood Posts: 290	Looks like a new frame from Toyota. If you install a used frame it HAS to be the same year or newer. Take the recipt from the wrecking yard to the DMV and they "Blue Tag" the old VIN into the new (used) frame. The New frames say "RDOT" on them as being a DOT approved replacement. __________________ [COLOR="RoyalBlue"][SIZE="4"]NEED A JOB?? MY LAST DAY WITH RTT WILL BE ON THE 25TH. I NEED TO FILL MY POSITION, PM ME IF YOU ARE IN THE SACRAMENTO AREA AND LOOKING FOR WORK[/SIZE][/COLOR] [SIZE="2"][COLOR="Yellow"]NEED A 3.4L SWAP?? PM ME FOR DETAILS[/COLOR][/SIZE] [SIZE="2"][COLOR="Red"]10% discount for all Pirate4X4 members[/COLOR][/SIZE] [url]www.ranchotoyotatruckparts.com[/url] [COLOR="SeaGreen"][/COLOR] [url]www.myspace.com/ranchotoytrucks[/url] [COLOR="Green"]TELLICO RALLY POST #829[/COLOR]

02-13-2009, 05:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
justinh Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Member # 10602 Location: atlanta/chino hills Posts: 255	So was it warrantied? There is about 5-6 members on TTORA that have had the same issue, some have had it warrantied with no issues while others were told to pound sand. One of them took them to arbitration and won but had already had his frame repaired by a 3rd party. Sometime in 2006 or 2007 Toyota added a plate on the frame behind the motor mount that wasn't present on the 2005 trucks but all of the trucks that have failed have had poor welding on the motormount, the weld wasn't placed at the joint. Last edited by justinh; 02-13-2009 at 05:12 PM.

02-14-2009, 12:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
feerocknok Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Member # 77384 Location: Bend, OR Posts: 113	This particular dealership was instructed by Toyota to replace the frame and Toyota is footing the bill. I was curious about the VIN as well! He's not sure so he told me he'd look into it. Toyota was not alright with them, or anyone else, welding on the frame. __________________ '86 Jeep MJ Doors are for the weak.

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02-13-2009, 06:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
LowDown Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Member # 129493 Location: Severn, MD Posts: 361	How is the VIN handled? Is the cab VIN stamped into the new frame?

02-16-2009, 08:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
oddball4x4 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Member # 37294 Location: Applegate Posts: 130	I guess Toyota thought it made more sense to eat the labor and cost of the frame than to just buy the truck back. Thats quite an undertaking