Hello,

Daughters boyfriend has a 2001 F250 with only 15k miles. Looks great on the outside, Rusty underneith. It was used a little as a plow truck.

Sheet metal is not very rusty.

Heavy rust on drive shafts and bed supports where they meet the frame. Various areas on the frame are rusty but not too bad.

One rusty brake line will need to be replaced.

I had given him a can of Fluid Film to slow down the oxidation and that has helped. Also gave him a can of rust encapsulating paint to try.

What is the best way to address the heavy rust on the bed supports? Does the bed have to come off? Not all of the bracket points are soft.

Any other recommendations are welcome.

Thanks.

 

2001 15k.....Should be pristine!!

 

I am betting the truck sat a lot after plowing and didnt get cleansed by driving on rainy days. Sounds like road salt. I would use the POR 15 system.

 

I have spent about 6 months descaling the underside of my truck since it has originated from the North East. Tried POR-15 and it did not have the desired results. Went with Eastwoods Rust treatment and encapsulator, this stuff seems to do the trick. Not saying POR is bad just that I did not have any luck with it.

 

Time to rid of that. I bet it wasn't lightly used plow it more like they were commercial plow lot near salt road.

I will not keep like that. First thing he will face is NIGHTMARE OF ELECTRIC gremlin, rot aluminum, rot exhaust, everything rot from plow snow.

I had 95 F250 with plow that was first day to now that I bought with 70K miles back in 09 and sold in 1 year with 89K miles. MONEY PIT.

Once salt get in everything you DONE. It eat wiring harness/ connectors.

 

I have a similar problem but my truck has never plowed or at least as I can tell. It does seem to have some evidence of being used as a commercial tow rig and the box of my truck is gone and strangely enough right under the driver side marker light on the roof. The frame and undercarriage is rusty but nothing horrible like frame rot or anything. Its kind of a shame, 02 with 235,000 miles; starts and runs better than my company's 99 super duty with only 60,000 miles.

 

20,000 miles and rusting to death...DISGRACEFUL !! | Facebook

 

While my '01 is just slightly rusty underneath at 45K miles, it is 11 years old and lives in the salt belt. And I use it a LOT during winter, and on salty roads.

My '74 highboy, at 10 years old, had major rot above the windshield and doors, the doors themselves, front fenders, bed was hanging on by a thread, you name it.

 

the paint wont work unless you clean it down to good metal and get the rust dust off, you're wasting your time unless you get the flakes off at least. from the looks of it he just painted over the crud the way it was.

a friend of mine and I replaced his supports on the bed with some heavier metal, then painted it. the best thing you can do is remove the rust, replace too-far-gone parts and paint them.

clean it up real good, and paint paint paint! lots of it!

I'll be doing my bed on the 29th

EDIT: It's also just a matter of time before it rots through the wheel wells and shows too. It happens on almost every ford on the rust belt. If you do end up pulling the bed off i HIGHLY recommend putting a lot of attention into this area, it looks like a nice truck and some attention there will go a long way. Remove this foam insulation if you can.

 

Wow SnowHo! That's a major problem! My condolences. I only have 17K and live in Minnesota, and its not at all that bad. Certainly not good, but definitely not in your class! Maybe your state uses a really nasty road salt?

 

Rose, I spent 4 days with a die grinder with 2" grinding disks and wire wheel knocking down the rust followed by a gallon of super clean and pressure washer. Then wax and grease remover as per the directions of the chassis saver manufacturer.
The pictures were taken after the 1st coat, more to follow...I'm working as fast as I can..Ohh and the metal was that BAD !!

 

Looking over our plow truck the other day I see the cast iron engine block is rotting away. Never saw a motor rot...

My 89 honda civic looks great underneath. Undercoating is a great thing, I wish ford would use it!

 

I have an 04 and just hit 80k last week and my bed has already rotted out and i just had it fixed about 2 months ago but unfortunatley i dont have the resources to get anything done about my rust before winter comes this year but starting spring next year in going right at it exactly how Rose Clifford is. Like Rose i was going to coat the underside with bedliner anduse POR-15 or Eastwood converter on my driveshaft , axles etc.

 

I'm cutting the heads off my bed bolts when i get home, i'm not even going to bother trying to remove them, next weekend it comes off and the remediation begins

 

Rust sucks!