I have an 04 extended cab that i have done some extensive rust prevention/clean up on. The rear corners of the cab had started rusting I only noticed when i was polishing the lund bars, I eneded up getting duplicolor black and did a few light covers of paint on the rear corners of the cab and along the bottom seams where the body and the floor pan meet. I also took the duplicolor and took the tail gate off, the bottom seam on the bottom inside corner started to rust and show seperation. the duplicolor did a great job of stopping the rust in the tracks. I then went and took rubberized paint and sprayed the frame inside of the bumpers and any other underbody part i could find that was okay to be painted to prevent future issues. While i was under the truck i noticed the stock exhaust was rusting pretty bad and looked like crap, I went and got some matte black 2000 degree engine paint and sprayed the exhaust system. The entire trucks underbody has been pretty much touched with aftermarket paint! I live in indiana where in the winter time the roads are done with salt. The biggest thing a ford truck owner can do is wash thier trucks as much as possible espessially if you live in an area where salt levels are high such as states next to the ocean or trucks that are in salt covered roads during the winter months. The underbody of your truck needs to be inspected frequently. You can questimate the amount of rust your exterior is getting by how bad the underbody looks.

 

in my 04 i started Fluid Film three years ago on the door bottoms and the tailgate. Doors are beautiful but the inner tailgate has started to pop paint and chunks of rust are everywhere. My frame is still factory perfect all i do i clean any rust that apperars put rust converter on it and paint her with normal flat black paint. My cab and bed supports get sanded, wire brushed, then rust converter, then rust encapsulator paint. Its been two years and my truck is now Ford tuff...... unless Eastwoods rust paint stops working

Eastwood Rust Converter - Convert Rust in One Step
Rust Encapsulator - Paint Over Rust - Stop Rust and Corrosion

 

heres my cab after two years of using the Eastwood rust paints, its holding up better then the factory junk. I also painted my cab step brackets with both products and they look brand spankin new also, the powder coat on them must have been so thin because it didnt last two months of summer rains when i first installed them.

 

That does look like new. Do you buy those products online or can you get them at say home depo?

 

You did a lot of work there. I am sure that will take care of any future problems.

This might sound wierd, but there is some surface rust on everything under my truck but every piece of the body is perfect. The truck could have been repainted but iv had it for 3years and havnt noticed any bubbled paint. Im just wanting to black out the frame and slow the future rust down some. The one problem I have is iv had the truck in some mud before. There is some mud shoved up in some tight places. Like between the gas tank and frame. There are fuel lines in there that try to keep the mud stuck. I'm going to have a heck of a time pressure washing in there lol.

 

has anyone used the Rustoleum undercoating in the spraycan? It kinda has a rubbery feel when dry and it looks like it might be good, but I don't know anyone who's tried it.

 

Rattle-can undercoating is OK for touch ups, but having it sprayed on is a better choice for a larger area. Money seems pretty close too. Most reputable shops acid wash, rinse, and dry, before they apply.

Tyvek suits can be had pretty cheap,in the paint dept at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Eye and respiratory protection are a good idea too.

 

Im just starting this project myself. Is there any access to cab corners inside the truck to do any preventive maintenance?

 

I've been pouring oil in the doors, and any body panels I find with the rubber plugs. It drips out sometimes, but the folded welded seams are all full of oil, and thats where the bad rust comes from .

 

[QUOTE=parkland;12128300]I've been pouring oil in the doors, and any body panels I find with the rubber plugs. It drips out sometimes, but the folded welded seams are all full of oil, and thats where the bad rust comes from .[/QUOT
Gear oil? The only thing that makes me hesitant to pour gear oil in the doors is the smell.

 

i use the Dupicolor bedliner in a spray can and yes its okish but its nowhere near as good as the Eastwood stuff im using now. I know Eastwood just made their own rubberized undercoating and im gonna try that next on my 1977 F150 im trying to redo

Eastwood Rubberized Rust Encapsulator Undercoating - Black Aerosol

 

[quote=FordGuy85;12128846]just engine oil, havent smelled it yet.

 

In the past I used to go to Wallyworld and get 2 cases of the spray on white lithium grease. I would cover everything under the truck in the stuff and it seemed to hold up ok. Not the most cost effective method but it works!

 

I like the engine oil because it seeps right into cracks and stuff, you can even see it "seep" a layer over metal, it just seems to soak into everything.

 

Think im going to pour some in my rockers and my door bottoms now that you mention it. The salt has really taken its toll on my truck and my rockers are starting to show it. My frame has surface rust allover but still has some black paint on it. I think I'm going to use a combo of things to slow down the rust, oil and fluid film the rockers, corroseal the frame as well as fluid film for the tight spots. It seems in Chicago they put down 2 inches of salt for snow flurries.