1st gen Ranger rustproofing tips and tricks

[MISWFL]

Any specific areas that need extra attention? Best products for home applications? California truck will be used in Michigan during the winter a bit.

 

[Uncle Gump]

NOOOO!!!

Michigan will kill it...

 

[J_D43]

Drip rails tend to rust pretty commonly on these trucks, luckily they're hidden from sight if they begin to rust so a little sanding and a shot of primer and no one knows the difference.
Of course its hard to tell how much preventative maintenance will do on a steel body truck in the north

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Oil/wax based rustproofing is best. Get the whole underside sprayed. Down inside the doors too. Cab corners, up in the wheel arches. DIY, probably go with Fluid Film. May need to recoat every year if you’re in the rust belt in winter.

Do NOT, not ever, not in a million years, go with a rubberized or asphalt based undercoat. Unless you want rot to move at the speed of a forest fire under a 30 mph wind.

 

[MISWFL]

Drip rails tend to rust pretty commonly on these trucks, luckily they're hidden from sight if they begin to rust so a little sanding and a shot of primer and no one knows the difference.
Of course its hard to tell how much preventative maintenance will do on a steel body truck in the north

Where are those? Lower body pinch welds, like the bottom of the rockers?

 

[MISWFL]

NOOOO!!!

Michigan will kill it...

It's not a pristine truck and I'll be rust proofing the undercarriage beforehand. It won't be used all winter, probably just at the beginning of winter.

 

[RobWigglezz]

I fluid film pretty much everything. Inside the door drains, inside the fenders, inside the bed supports. Make sure you clean out the door drains and bed supports first so you don't trap a bunch of crap. I use about 3 cans to cover everything

 

[J_D43]

Where are those? Lower body pinch welds, like the bottom of the rockers?

Theyre the small pieces that overhang off the roof over the doors on your truck

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

will be used in Michigan during the winter a bit.

RIP to another first gen.

You will not stop rust.

You will not completely prevent rust, the metallurgy is not there.

Rust will form like a cancer, and eventually return the truck to the earth.

The only hope is to not use the truck when there is salt, however slight, on the roads. This is why I own a GM, for November thru April driving.

Fluids and oils and sprays will slow the progress, but once rust starts, it never stops, and it never sleeps.

 

[MISWFL]

RIP to another first gen.

You will not stop rust.

You will not completely prevent rust, the metallurgy is not there.

Rust will form like a cancer, and eventually return the truck to the earth.

The only hope is to not use the truck when there is salt, however slight, on the roads. This is why I own a GM, for November thru April driving.

Fluids and oils and sprays will slow the progress, but once rust starts, it never stops, and it never sleeps.

I hope that's not true. I've heard people use used oil motor & gear oil and spray the undercarriage every year with good results. There's also some cosmoline stuff you can spray as well. Do you mean because the metal wasn't galvanized when it was made?

I haven't seen the truck yet or even any other pics of the outside, but I doubt it's a very nice truck. I'd prefer an extra/king/super cab because I've got long legs and like to sit far back. I'm not into 4WDs because I'm not into off road driving. The only use for me would be a bit of winter driving in Michigan. Another issue is even fixed up, auto or manual transmission, it's not worth much. Probably not enough to justify my cost to get a bonded title, and get it running. Let alone to sell and buy something else either AWD or 4WD. Just the cost to get a paint job is probably more than it's worth as an automatic. I already have an old Datsun king cab that's 2WD. Seems like the Ranger would be a good beater truck, as the Datsun isn't very practical for hauling or towing. A 1983 Ranger would be ideal because of Michigan's registration scheme. 1983 was the last year that registration goes by weight vs MSRP.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I hope that's not true. I've heard people use oil motor and gear oil and spray the undercarriage every year with good results. There's also some cosmoline stuff you can spray as well. Do you mean because the metal wasn't galvanized when it was made?

Some not all of the truck is galvanized. Galvanizing is also a coating, it only slows rust. Old galvanized windmills, grain bins and roof sheeting all rust... and they are not even in the salt being pummeled by road debris.

 

[RobWigglezz]

I live in Michigan also. Yes, the salt in the winter is bad. But New York has it double as bad because they spray the roads in the summer to keep the dust down with calcium chloride.

A lot of people, me included, don't have a summer and winter vehicle so we just have to do the best we can.

Just keep the areas clean that hold dirt and debris, and rinse the underside with a hot water pressure washer at a car was after a drive in the salt slush.

 

[MISWFL]

I live in Michigan also. Yes, the salt in the winter is bad. But New York has it double as bad because they spray the roads in the summer to keep the dust down with calcium chloride.

A lot of people, me included, don't have a summer and winter vehicle so we just have to do the best we can.

Just keep the areas clean that hold dirt and debris, and rinse the underside with a hot water pressure washer at a car was after a drive in the salt slush.

I was thinking of doing the car wash thing as well, but doing some research I found out they all use recycled water because it's required by law or regulation. I'd want to test their water during the winter after a big storm to see how salty the water is. They supposedly filter and RO the used water, but who knows how well they maintain their stuff.

You don't use anything like FF or Woolwax?

 

[RobWigglezz]

I was thinking of doing the car wash thing as well, but doing some research I found out they all use recycled water because it's required by law or regulation. I'd want to test their water during the winter after a big storm to see how salty the water is. They supposedly filter and RO the used water, but who knows how well they maintain their stuff.

You don't use anything like FF or Woolwax?

Yea I fluid film everything. And I didn't know that about car washes. Luckily we have an electric pressure washer at work that we hook up to hot water during the winter.