I've got an '09 ranger SC/shortbed automatic 4x4 with a couple questions. I'm in this vehicle b/c my F-150 started rusting away on me, and my local mechanic started saying things like it was time to think about a new truck b/c he couldn't see what was holding the F-150 together..
First it was a rear spring mount, then a gas tank strap, then the radiator mounts, last straw was the front clips. Vehicle had 146,000 and some rust on the tailgate. The driver door rusted through the bottom so it was two sep. pieces down there. This was a 98, 2WD manual that had routine maint. performed on it and seemed to be otherwise in good shape.
So now I have a 4x4, smaller truck, and I'm reading about a lot of posts saying that undercoating is unnecessary, etc. and yet my previous truck didn't seem to last very long.
What steps can I take to keep the ranger in good shape for longer..?
Does it snow much where you are? Salt will absolutely kill your truck. My dad always taught me to only drive on salted roads when really necessary, and go slow and take the unsalted back roads/side streets when you can. And then, a few days after the snow melts away and the salt starts getting off of the road, wash your undercarriage WELL. Especially behind the wheels.
We don't undercoat, we just get a few cans of semi-gloss black spray paint and go to town. Paint everything. Not only will it look good, it'll help protect. I won't try to tell you that's the magic bullet, but it's part of a bigger "truck preservation" plan.
Do you do a lot of 4wd/mudding? When the mud gets caked on your frame, it stays wet underneath, and that's an open invitation for rust. Also, do you keep a lot of junk in your bed? Same idea. Keep the corners washed out.
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1991 F-150 XLT Lariat, 5.0L, 5-speed, 99k miles
1998 Ranger XLT Flareside, 3.0L, 5-speed, 153k miles
Take it to a self serve car wash, and rinse the under side regularly, especially in the wheel wells. Use a hose, and flush out the doors, make sure that the door drains are open and kept clear of leaves, etc.
If you rinse with fresh water, you will get rid of the salt that causes most of the corrosion to start. If you drive on gravel roads a lot, you will get a lot of gravel nicks in the paint, and corrosion will start where the paint is gone. Some undercoatings would help deflect the stones and prevent chips, but the old tarry looking stuff hid the one chip you didn't see, and eventually the rust would spread under the areas that never got chipped and you would have major rust. It's better to use one of the more transparent coatings if you want to add some chip protection.
Most times you get rapid corrosion, the vehicle was driven in areas where the streets are salted, and is left with a rime of salt all over after it dries out. If you have that condition, get it rinsed off as quickly as possible.
tom
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It's not how hard you work, it's how much you get done. Simplificate and add lightness
I live in the midwest - lots of snow, lots of salt. Guess that was probably my achilles heel. Never paid much attention to getting the road gunk off. That will change!
Not an off-roader, I got 4WD because I was tired of getting stuck in my (flat gravel) driveway a couple days out of the winter every year. Ice sure, but also late in the season when there's a layer of slush over everything. Don't keep much of anything in the bed; new truck will be getting one of those under rail bedliners in a few days just to be sure to keep it clean.
I put a lot of highway miles on - 60+ miles every day, 400+ miles/week adds up to 100k in a hurry. Guess I'm glad Ford covers me for the 1st 100k but I got to 146k on the last round, I would like this "little truck" to get farther.
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.
Anyone notice better mpg with a tonneau vs without, or a topper?
Keep it clean, there's an easy way to do that, (don't drive the truck keep it in the garage under a cover) and there's a harder way to do it.
My 2001 Ranger has a fiberglass bed which makes it less rust prone.
The mpg issue would be helped by keeping the tires properly inflated, I got this right from the top, the head man, the guy with all the answers but no money, OBAMA.
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