I have a 1999 F-250 SD approx. 190,000 miles V-10 rust is horrible!!! Cab corners are gone, doors front and back drivers side bottoms shot, probably could be fixed..Bed well the floor has large holes and is getting worse, above wheel wells, yep holes there too, tailgate-got a replacement in a different color from a friend, painting it now, as the previous one fell off after the last load of hay.. what do I do guys? I love the truck even though I have went through 3 sets of hub bearings in the past 6 years, btw what causes them to leak fluid out behind the cap onto the rim?? --other then being defective new I'm at a loss..So my question...keep it and fix it or let her go? How many more miles can I expect out of it?

 

I would have to say keep it and run it until it wont move anymore under it's own power and needs something major. May just want to leave it the way it is and get something else to DD unless you need a truck every day. Get an old stang or F-body to play with. Keep it running for as little as you can afford and put the cash aside for a newer truck down the road if you don't want a stang or F-body or anything else. Patch it up Frankenstein style with a welder and some cheap tin. Put some corrosion protection on the new tin and paint the out side. That is what I would do. Good luck with it.

 

Money wise, I'm sure it costs more to fix it the right way then it's worth. So either fix it cheap and live with it, or start looking for something newer. Also, where are you buying your hubs from?

 

Yeah, fixing it the "right" way (sending it to a body shop) will be very expensive. However, you might be able to find some body parts for a decent price at junkyards or on craigslist. Cab corners will take some work, but if you do some reading up on it, you could do a halfway decent job on those yourself and not spend too much money. Get a cheap paint job done some place like Maaco, it certainly won't look brand new again but it will look decent for quite a while. If the bed is shot, throw a flatbed on it.

 

What you may want to consider is that these trucks are designed so that the cab is easily removed to gain access to the engine.

Big deal, you say. What does that have to do with my issue?

Well, if you can find a truck (same wheelbase and cab configuration) with a dead engine but a decent cab, you could swap the cabs pretty easily.

 

Good point, a cab swap is certainly an option. Only problem is that the average person doesn't have the equipment needed to lift the cab. I suppose it could probably be rented though.

 

If money is not (necessarily) an issue, in other words, if you can afford a new or newer truck, now may be the time to get into something new or newer. It sounds like you may be nickel and dimeing this one to no end. I know you get attached to something that has been good over the years, but getting into the updated/upgraded truck may be the best thing at this point.

 

Drive it until the rust gets so bad you get a ticket for littering - for dropping pieces of rust all over the road

Seriously though, I was at that point with my highboy - and I scrapped it. Pulled the engine and the good body parts I had put on recently and got rid of the rest.

In your case though, it might be worth getting a replacement cab and bed. But that's up to you.

 

can't see the pics? anyway, I used to have a Bronco that had the common rust problems on the tailgate and fenders, I got pretty creative with a rivet gun and some diamond plate..

 

Krewat is wise.

Trucks for work are disposable. Use it up and part it then crush the rest.

Use the time to save and locate a replacement at LEISURE so you get the best deal for your hard-earned money!

In the North, bodies rot off. In the South, engines and drivetrains eventually wear out but there are many more trucks. The money you may save driving down to get a good vehicle can be considerable.

 

Cab swap would bring up VIN issues.

 

So long as the cab has a title to go with it it's normally not a problem, but rusty trucks are rarely worth saving because everything else rusts too.

Cab swaps can be done with basic tools such as wood blocks, 4x4s, and an engine hoist but "good cabs come from good trucks" in most cases. Just don't bother unless you have CHEAP organ donors. I worked at a used car lot and we did lots of "make one out of two or three" but it's typically a major money loser for someone who isn't set up with the gear and personal connections to make it easy and cheap.

Never call a truck "her". They aren't human, they don't think and they can't care about you. Relate to machines as disposable tools of which you are the master. The folks I know who get the most USE out of trucks treat them like toilet paper. I keep trucks a long time, but if I lived where they will rust heavily then that would make no sense because vehicles are a depreciating investment and rust is a one-way trip to destruction.

The flatbed idea isn't bad if you put useful sides on it. When the truck finally dies you can cut off the flatbed and transplant it to the next truck.

This is America. There are tens of million of trucks. They are cheap to replace in this down economy.

 

Well I apprieciate all the input, I will probably drive it as long as I can while looking for another one to replace it, hadn't thought about diamond plate but thats a great idea, I'm pretty good at body work so I may fix it up a little for a better trade in have even been thinking about rhino lining the bottom part Thanks guys

 

Got the last one from Advance Auto here in town, I figure it's been on the truck maybe 3 months and last night I noticed the fluid coming out onto the rim, a little grumble when I'm driving but I rarely go far, have a new one for the other side in the garage but if they are all gonna leak I'm thinking about taking it back, the only thing that makes it noticable is the bounce when hitting the brakes hard, and no it's not ball joints...just replaced them too

 

I would keep the truck as long as possible IF the frame is in good shape and body, engine mounts ect. are in good shape. Just make sure the truck is safe.
In the mean time, save for a nice down payment on a newer truck.