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Greetings,
I'm new to F150s.....
I need to get a truck for a couple of projects that will take about 2-3 years and maybe 10K miles.
I'm looking at a rather clean interior 2002 F150 Super Cab 4wd XLT with liner and shell. 115K miles. Originates from NY.
Came to California this year.
Body has SOME rust along the lower panels....nothing hugely noticeable.
Paint has bubbles but no breakthroughs....yet.
However, the underside, frame, wheel hubs, diffs,shock tubes, etc are pretty rusty.
The vehicle will at times carry 2 kids.
I'm reasonably well versed in cars....mainly 70's european and recent japanese. No idea on trucks, Ford or otherwise.
My questions are:
What are typical life spans for east coast trucks?
How rusty is too rusty for a expected 2-3 year weekend work truck.
The asking price is $4900/BO.
I'm confident that <$4000 takes it.
Shall I consider or move on?
Thanks in advance.
Cheers!!
Rust is a fact of life in the north east, further north, the worse it is. look at the core support for rust. look at the bed stringers, and look at the cab mounts. and look at the frame..... where I live we have rust issues, but rarely have frame rust,,,unless a truck has been in service for 15 years or better. since you live in California, the truck should last. (Beause its not being driven in salt)
check the frame area under the bed, above the rear axle area. Tires seem to throw salt in that area if you live in that environment. Couple trucks on this site have had holes rot thru the frame... not common, but seen a couple.. More common is the rust/ salt attacks the brake lines and you can have a failure - NO BRAKES... brake line runs inside the C frame on drivers side. Look specifically from the drivers seat area to the rear axle. I had a blowout of the line between the frame and gas tank, about a foot from the rear axle where steel line connects to the jumper hose (to the axle). Also look at the line that runs left to right across the rear axle. ........ Rocker panels below the doors are a very common place for rust out. Open the door and look at area where you step into the cab. See if it is up to that area yet.
Rust is a fact of life in the north east, further north, the worse it is. look at the core support for rust. look at the bed stringers, and look at the cab mounts. and look at the frame..... where I live we have rust issues, but rarely have frame rust,,,unless a truck has been in service for 15 years or better. since you live in California, the truck should last. (Beause its not being driven in salt)
He nailed it. Look at the front body mounts near the radiator, those go first here in the NE followed by the rear cab body mounts.
Brake lines will need to be replaced at the 10 year mark or your asking for it. I live in NH and got my truck from FL it's the only way to get a nice truck up here. There are PLENTY of 10 year old trucks in junkyards due purely to rust issues around here; it's a crying shame.
A lot of the rust issues depends on where it came from here in NY. I am in upstate near Lake Ontario and road salt is used during the winters like it is going out of style, plus we receive on average 110" of snow each winter. Downstate near NYC, they do not get as much snow so I assume that they use less salt.
Now my '01 has over 165K miles on it and the driver side rocker is shot along with the bed floor and it is a daily driver. Otherwise, it is in decent shape for its age and the guys before me covered about all of the areas of concerns. Good luck.
On the upside, it just passed CA Smog and is registered until Aug '16.
A/C blows ambient air.
Interior clean.
Drives strong.....albeit muffler leak, so sounds like a very big VW bug.
Tranny and brakes seem fine.
4wd H and L seem fine.
Oil leaks around seals....no biggie.
Hard to tell about condition of bed as there is a liner.
Only real unknown is what I never see in cars/trucks around here....RUST.
To me, this has a "truckload".......but maybe a this truckload is average for its origin.
What do you think?
Cheers!!
Yep, welcome to the NE! Typical truck for up here.
- Bed crossmembers actualy look pretty good.
- Leaf spring mounts look good and the shackles don't look too bad either.
- Bed mounts are close to shot and a couple heavy loads may cause them to buckle (on the bed side not the frame side).
- Obviously the rockers are shot but still in the "easy" repair status as the sides are in good shape and its a simple cut and straight patch.
- Looks like the CV on the pass side is beginning to leak.
- Exhaust is a cut out and replace job, no biggie.
- Steering box area of frame, while not pretty is solid.
- Lines are tough to gauge with a picture. I wouldn't worry too much about the fuel lines but you want to replace the brake lines if they look like the fuel lines in those pictures.
- Didnt see any pic's of the gas tank straps but those go pretty quick too so beware.
Only other thing I don't see is the front body mounts near the radiator. These are the areas that go FIRST so you want to check them out very closely and I don't see any pictures of them.
Yep, welcome to the NE! Typical truck for up here.
- Bed crossmembers actualy look pretty good.
- Leaf spring mounts look good and the shackles don't look too bad either.
- Bed mounts are close to shot and a couple heavy loads may cause them to buckle (on the bed side not the frame side).
- Obviously the rockers are shot but still in the "easy" repair status as the sides are in good shape and its a simple cut and straight patch.
- Looks like the CV on the pass side is beginning to leak.
- Exhaust is a cut out and replace job, no biggie.
- Steering box area of frame, while not pretty is solid.
- Lines are tough to gauge with a picture. I wouldn't worry too much about the fuel lines but you want to replace the brake lines if they look like the fuel lines in those pictures.
- Didnt see any pic's of the gas tank straps but those go pretty quick too so beware.
Only other thing I don't see is the front body mounts near the radiator. These are the areas that go FIRST so you want to check them out very closely and I don't see any pictures of them.
I agree. and the brake line to the back brakes is between the gas tank and frame, its not terribly difficult to replace, but I would look at it and have it replaced----I just replaced mine and this truck is in better shape than mine is
Regarding the gas tank straps, Ford had a recall on them here in the NE a few years ago so they may have already been replaced under the recall. One drawback if they have not been replaced... it may cause the gas tank to leak. Been there.... done that.... ended up with a $650 repair bill for a new tank including installation. Now my old tank had already been leaking some and the new straps did not cover exactly where the old ones were.
Otherwise, the truck looks to be in great overall shape.
08-30-2015, 08:12 PM
it's the only way to get a nice truck up here. There are PLENTY of 10 year old trucks in junkyards due purely to rust issues around here; it's a crying shame.
