Hello!

So I have recently purchased an 01' Excursion. It is very nice, I've already been getting compliments on it, but it is not perfect. The inner rockers have rusted pretty bad, and so has the outer at the rear where it meets the dog leg, which is also a bit rotted. You can't see any of this really, other than the passenger running board sagging a bit at the back. I hope to have this repaired at some some time next year, but right now it is not a major concern. What is, and very annoying, is I don't have the driver's side running board. This annoys me very much personally, and plus I think it not having it looks bad, plus it makes it much more difficult to get in and out of. Finding one is proving to be quite difficult, so if anyone on here has one, or knows where I can find one, let me know. I live in Central IL, but would travel.

Any experience with fixing the rust? I'll upload pics when I get decent ones, but the outer rocker from the middle of the rear doors to the front seems solid, but pretty much gone from middle of rear doors to about an inch or two up the rear wheel arch. The inner rockers are rough, but as long as the running boards are tight, I don't care how rough they look, I can sand them down and be fine with that. Right now all the mounts for passenger are solid, but has detached above the rear most one. Looks like it is opposite for front, all mounts are solid except the front most one. It doesn't seem anyone makes a patch panel for the wheel arch. Overall, I think it's pretty nice for just shy of 190k, seems well taken care of, just fallen victim to salt, I have seen some much much rustier, it is only because I am OCD with rust/paint it bothers me.

 

 

Congratulations and welcome to the forum. I had nerf bars on mine when I got it. There wasn't anything wrong with them except with my kids there was a risk that their foot could slip past over the open back side in wet weather. I got these and I really like them but they don't have a built-in light like factory ones. https://www.realtruck.com/ionic-black-61-series-running-boards/611090-iat-3075.html?utm_campaign=product_ads&utm_source=goog le&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=999043&cparam=415425 0&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_4D_6K6m3gIVRLnACh28zwUZEAQYAS ABEgImVfD_BwE

 

sorry that was the wrong link, these are the running boards I ordered and are seen on my Ex. Very nice and non-skid surface.
https://runningboardwarehouse.com/ionic-factory-style-running-boards-3800903075.html​​​​​​

 

Welcome to the EX forum!
Nice looking wagon there, I have always like that blue the best.
There are a few rust repair threads active currently, lots of good pictures and info to fuel your repair plan.
What engine does your EX have?

 

It has the 5.4L, looked at another one in the light green an 00' with the V-10, but this one was a bit cheaper and nicer overall. I can tell the 5.4L is not as powerful, but it is fine for me. It will be towing a camper eventually but it is only about 4,000 so this should be more than enough plus it has been maintained very well and runs super smooth. It has good power though, it can merge no problem, and feels boatloads more powerful than my 5.3L Yukon XL, although it did have over 250k I'll be sure to check those threads out, any advice on other things I should look out for?

 

They do look pretty nice, and sweet truck. I'd have to paint to match, but decent price on them too. Most junkyards around me give running boards for like $20-$30, but only found one Excursion and the boards had already been taken. Haven't even been able to find any on the CL or such, so not sure what someone would ask for one, I was thinking maybe $50 or so? Just to have something for the near future, would probably want to fix the rust before I buy brand new boards, but will for sure keep the link, thank you.

 

 

Junkyard availability is rough, I've only found two, one so rusty the body cladding was falling off, and the other the same as mine maybe a bit worse. I might try doing something myself...

I'm already planning to sand down the rust, I'm not home this weekend, I'll take some pics when I get the chance, but seeing as all this almost all this metal is hidden behind the body cladding or the rockers where you can't see it, I'm tempted to try bondoing myself, I figure I can't make it worse? I'd sand it down, knock out the dead metal, then spray it, then give it a go with the metal mesh and filler. It's a 17 year old truck, it doesn't have to be perfect. Too ambitious though? Really my main goal is just to try and keep it from getting worse and spreading to visible areas. I've never had rust repaired though, but I'm figuring this would be at least $1500 worth of work, but that is just a guess, it seems to be hard to tell from other people on the internet. I can paint it myself, I just have zero welding/metal skills. I know it's hard to guess with no images, I'll take some Monday morning

 

If it’s typical rocker panel rust all the material that needs to be removed can be done so by drilling Out the spot welds and a cut off wheel or sawzall. The new parts spot weld back in place but I bet you could pop rivet it in good enough to then drive to a shop and have them do the welding. Then paint away.

without removing all the rusted metal, covering it in bondo isn’t going to stop it.

Search this forum, Several members have done it.

 

Check my build thread to see some remedies for rusted rear rockers/doglegs.

Nice truck! Hope it gives you many happy miles, kinda cool to see a 5.4 too, you don't see many of those in the Limited trim package.

 

Yes, I noticed that, maybe special ordered? It has every option for the limited trim I believe, tow mirrors, back-up sensors... It's still a great motor, plus it gets better mpg than the 6.8, I'm averaging nearly 12



Not the best pictures, my phone kinda stinks, interior is sweet, no rips in the leather, even the wheel is mint. And I haven't even properly waxed or polished it yet.