Well i'm only 17 so my truck is all i can afford at the moment. This is going to be me when i see the first rust on the outside of my truck

 

Undercoating goes a long way to to slow the rust down... I had ziebart rust proof mine a couple of years ago when the truck was new and after two NY winters there's no rust on the under side of my truck. I made sure the rear wheels got blasted with undercoat right at the seam! So time will tell, hopefully it'll last for a LONG time.

 

I got my '02 back in January of '05. It had already been through a few Illinois winters when I got it, and it was an off lease vehicle, so you can guess how it was taken care of. I drove it in the next few winters through 2009. It was getting some undercarriage scale so I cleaned that up and used POR-15 on it. I noticed, at the time, that other SD's were rusting around the wheel wells, so I checked mine out. Nothing had started, but that foam was present. I shot some spray grease in the access holes and there hasn't been a sign of rust since. I started using fluid film last year, and there hasn't been any sign of rust forming. I try to keep it in the garage in the winter, but it gets real muddy in the pits at the track in the summer, and there's a bunch of calcium in that stuff, so it still gets exposed to corrosive materials. I've got to try to keep this thing as long as possible, even though that new 6.7 is impressive!

 

Thats exactly what my face looked like when i have to get mine repaired lol, im only 18 so im in the same boat, i hope what i do in the spring will prevent it from getting bad again..

 

I tried to do this on a preventative basis when I replaced my bed. However, it didn't work. I turned the bed upside down and painted it with por 15 in all the cross bars and cracks. Still rusting at rub points and connections. The por 15 didn't soak into the cracks because the metal had been primered. You would have to strip the bed down for it to work right. If it's already rusting you may have a chance.

I hate rust and believe it can be prevented. My entire rear half of the frame has been stripped and coated with 3 layers of por 15 and is doing well. It's a very durable finish when it's allowed to get into the pores of the metal. My rear axle is the same. Wish I could find the time/place to pull the cab and do the front but it's so much more work. The front of the frame isn't too bad since it's been under coated but under the cab rockers and the frame there is rust, and I need to address it ASAP.

 

I spray waste oil on the entire undercarriage of our trucks that have to go out in the salt. Works great!

 

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

 

Im in the exact sameposition on the front end, my girlfriend finaly gets her license in thespring so I wont need a car to get around.

I was going to take it to bare metal do 2-3 coats of Por-15 and then a coat of bedliner because its cheap and possibly some black paint.

 

I've seen my brother and father take their brand new vehicles and try to paint the undersides before they use them. It really only delays the inevitable. That Por stuff seems like the way to go if you want to do that. For me, and I'm sure most, I wont keep a vehicle for more than 5-7 years and if I can keep the major areas like door bottoms, rear cab, fenders, hood, tailgate and those other problem areas somewhat protected then I'm ok with that. Or if I keep the vehicle just deal with it rusting a bit. Living in the rust belt is just a rediculous battle with these elements. You either need to garage your vehicle during the winter or love to perform extensive yearly pre-winter maintenance. I'm trying fluid film in the spots listed above and hope it will slow it down. Until I get another winter beater the truck is going to be at the mercy of the salty roads. I'm not sure it's any of Ford's fault that metal rusts and to create a vehcile that doesn't rust would cost a fortune. Remember, moisture works its way into a microscopic crack in the paint, freezes, and then enlarges that crack allowing the corrosive salt to eat away at the metal. So blame it on the freeze thaw cycles. I hate watching my vehicle rust too. But living here where salt is spread like it's free, not much you can do.

 

I agree that its impossible to win, I figured that if i can stop it for alittle while and then do ityou again every fewother years then why not try atleast. I meanhave ill obviouslyhave use the fluid film the and everything every winter other but iI cant hurt, I've also seen pictures of spots that people have to used Por-15 on and 5 years later it still looks new. Now I know it also depends on where you live as well. Im also OCD with my truck lol.

 

Sorry for the jumbled up words its my phones stupid spell check

 

I used to be. I still like it washed and cleaned up but its just a truck. I'll do what I can to preserve it but I've got better things to do then spend an entire day every week washing, waxing, vacuuming, etc... Yes it looks so much better shiny rather than covered in waterspots from the rain, but again it's a hunk of metal that I'm sure I'll be either trading in or selling 5 years from now. If I can acquire another commuter car (mine was totaled by some moron hitting it in front of my house) then the sheet metal would last longer. But i'd still probably be trading/selling it anyways.

 

Gotta love horrible drivers...some kid hit me in school while I was parked in a spot. He was trying to pull in next to me an overshot, the truck was fine though just a scuff on the plastic on my bumper. But yeah I've slowly become less OCD im still a clean freak with it however.

 

Well I did get under my 06' F-350 today,,,after 2 or so months from the last time I sprayed it with drain oil,,,the underside of the truck looked great, no new crusty growth all looked under control,,,this time lowered the spare tire(man who was the Brainiac that OK'd the spare tire key design,,, had to remove the tube that guides the key/handle in,, to clean the dirt away to wind back up) sprayed bed/frame/etc above spare tire, inside rear bumper, Bed and cab, frame etc right upto the front axel,,,wont do it again until next summer,,,,I am thinking this will work !!!

Oh and another thing to check,,,those Rubber Gaskets at the door bottoms,,,,NOT GOOD !!,,the paint was crusted and loose on pass door,,,CHECK THEM OUT PEOPLE,,I yanked them off,,,sprayed the hec out of the door bottoms with the Drain oil !! keep and eye on them,,,,RUST NEVER SLEEPS !!

 

So yesterday I drilled 2(two) 1/2" size holes on the inside of each door bottom spacing rather equal,, to spray oil into the center and whole door bottom,,,they do have a couple drain holes but not towards the center !

The steel on these doors are pretty thin,,,wont take long at all for the Rust Termites to chow through them,,,,Check your inside door bottoms people,,,that Rubber Gasket Holds the moister/salt etc,,,Not Good !!