battle against salt...

[Redneck Youth]

what are some things i can do to keep my truck body from getting rusty this winter season, wisconsin winters are some of the best at eating vehicles alive... after pretty much restoring the body on my Ranger id really like to keep it that way as long as possible... however i need it this winter because of its 4 wheel drive... any ideas welcome and appreciated!!

 

[Mark_88]

The bottom, as in the frame and under the cab and the firewall are the critical points...if you didn't rework the frame and coat it then you should do that ASAP...the firewall is hard to do without removing the cab completely or removing the engine (the cab is easier to remove since it's only six bolts and a few other connectors) but it is worth every minute of effort...

Having the truck oiled by a professional who knows Rangers is the next best thing...if you give the under side a good look you will probably find the coating is breaking away in many key areas...if it isn't then you're a bit ahead...but that needs to come off entirely at some point and redo the protection with an epoxy sealer at the base and work up from there with a good rust paint or similar...

Maybe get it up on a hoist and inspect it...use a screwdriver or scraper and go at the weak spots...if you find any rusted through take care of it now before it becomes something that requires much more work...

Anyway...there is a thread about under coatings in the Exterior section that has many good suggestions...

 

[ZMan]

I would suggest getting "Honey Coat", it comes in an aerosol and is made by Crest. Its real runny and will get in spaces you can't get with normal undercoating. You could also try used motor oil and use a pump sprayer. Keep in mind its not the open areas you need to protect, its the SEAMS, everywhere there is a spot weld, everywhere 2 panels meet.

There really is no guaranteed way to stop rust though. If I were you I'd find a beater for winter if you really want to save all that work you put into your truck.

 

[Redneck Youth]

the thing is it had already taken 17 years of wisconsin winters by the time i got it, and this is my first truck... it is in spectacular condition overall as far as i'm concerned for being as old as it is and being in WI... but on the bright side i love drifting in town in winter...

 

[Redneck Youth]

i looked up the honey coat stuff and it looks pretty sweet. might give it a try, Thanks

 

[YossarianLives]

no matter what you do it will always be a losing battle. I spent the last couple days under my truck doing some spot work. basically I applied Rustoleum Rust Reformer and then coated with with rubberized undercoating. I did the best I could but there's still some questionable areas. Salt sucks sometimes!

 

[Redneck Youth]

i would honestly rather drive on ice everywhere i go than drive my beloved truck in the salt... and they use WAY WAY too much in my area... as my dad always said, "You can never stop it, only slow it down"

 

[det107]

I recall a guy who used to give his truck an undercoating of linseed oil every year. He had his own compressor & spray can-

 

[a31ford]

Any of you "older" memebers remember the older cars and trucks ? (mid 50's and down) the road breather (Pre PCV valve) would literally coat the underside of the car or truck, with a film of oil, dust and dirt would stick to it, and harden, BUT, the frame of most of these cars or trucks would be (though dirty) in great shape !! I have many pre 55 stuff on the farm, and I think one of them has a lower rocker rusted out, (far side away from the breather tube, go figure, least oil........

Greg

54 Pontiac 4 door
56 Buick 4 door
57 Chev 1 ton with a hoist
66 Chev 1/2 ton "custom cab"
73 Chev 6500 tilt cab 427 and an alison 5 speed
79 Chev Van20
80 Cutlass Supreme 2 door

and the newer stuff, Suburban, C1500, Ranger, MH, etc.

 

[koda6966]

Do what I do. Drive something else in the winter.

Although sometimes money doesn't allow for it, I understand. But a $400 beater will last you quite a few months if you don't ram everywhere. And if you have derby's in your area, your all set.

 

[jdmzach]

The very best thing you can do is invest in some rubberized undercoating in the big spray cans, put your truck on a lift and get to work doing the whole frame and underside of the truck, minus moving parts like the ujoints, brakes and obvious things like that. Do the control arms, bottom of the truck, rearend, frame, everything you can, and do at least 2 coats of it. You can also use the spray in bedliner stuff on the underside of the body and on the frame but i wouldnt spray that on the control arms or anything else because it gets pretty stiff and hard when it cures, the rubberized stuff doesnt get that hard and still has some flex to it when it drys and either one protects from rust better than anything else i have tried. I live in the rust belt, in central ky and have done this to every vehicle i have owned since i realized what the road salt was doing to a nissan 4x4 truck i had years ago, and it has helped my trucks stay clean over the years very well, i highly reccomend it. you can pick up either one of those at your local auto parts store, especially advance auto and autozone or oreilleys.

 

[mitch4x4]

I use rust check that comes in a can. Looks like a brownish gew and barely drips. I COAT anything I own and go find a nice dusty dirt road and the dirt prevents it from just washing off. I would not recommend the rubberized undercoating that drys unless you have ZERO rust you are putting the undercoating over.

 

[Andy D]

I recall a guy who used to give his truck an undercoating of linseed oil every year. He had his own compressor & spray can-

I'm trying linseed oil on the frame rails and under side of the body. It takes a while to dry. It is supposed to create an air tight coat. I scrubbed the heaviest rust off and started brushing the stuff on. That was this spring. It is still there

 

[Snoranger]

Any of you "older" memebers remember the older cars and trucks ? (mid 50's and down) the road breather (Pre PCV valve) would literally coat the underside of the car or truck, with a film of oil, dust and dirt would stick to it, and harden, BUT, the frame of most of these cars or trucks would be (though dirty) in great shape !! I have many pre 55 stuff on the farm, and I think one of them has a lower rocker rusted out, (far side away from the breather tube, go figure, least oil........

The small leak (now fixed) from my trans cooler seems to have accomplished the same thing.

 

[Mark_88]

Maybe just loosen off the valve covers and drive really fast for a few hours (replace oil in engine as needed)...my transmission will never rust...I hope...

I say remove the bed and do what you can with a wire wheel or grinder (easy on those things though)...shot blast would be the best, but the price goes up considerably for that depending on who does it...if you get ambitious later you could do the front portion of the frame by removing the cab and doing the underside of it as well as the tops of the frame rails that are impossible to get at without removing something...