Notices
2017 - 2022 Super Duty The 2017-2022 Ford F250, F350, F450, F550 & F600 Super Duty Pickup and Chassis Cab
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: CARiD

Boxed frames and road salt.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 25, 2019 | 05:35 PM
  #1  
zeroo's Avatar
zeroo
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 620
Boxed frames and road salt.

I go to car washes during the winter with good undercarriage sprays but with the boxed frames we have now I wonder if it will happen increase frame rust from inside out. We don’t have the winter as bad as some but it’s still salty around here. Not really anything you can do about it, just curious what the long term will be. I’ve seen Chevy/gmc’s in pretty bad shape in less than 10 years.
 
Reply
Old May 25, 2019 | 10:28 PM
  #2  
HRTKD's Avatar
HRTKD
Hotshot
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,693
Likes: 12,818
From: Wyoming
Club FTE Gold Member
My '07 Nissan Titan had a boxed frame. No issues after 10 years of ownership. I'm still active on the Titan forum. If there was a major problem I would have heard about it. Has Ford implemented a different coating method on their frame than Nissan did? Beats me.
 
Reply
Old May 25, 2019 | 10:30 PM
  #3  
Mkos1980's Avatar
Mkos1980
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 909
Likes: 18
Cousins 05 f150 boxed frame was all rusted out. Deemed not safe and sold for parts. Body was super clean but under carriage was gone...
 
Reply
Old May 25, 2019 | 11:39 PM
  #4  
Ian123's Avatar
Ian123
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 0
From: Virginia beach, VA
Probably will have some long term effect if the salt actually manages to get up in there, but like you said there's nothing you can do about it so why worry...

I recently made the mistake of taking my truck to the beach, cleaned the suspension real good but I can't get the sand off the frame now. It sucks but it was a lesson learned.
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 01:58 AM
  #5  
Louisville Joe's Avatar
Louisville Joe
Fleet Mechanic
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 198
If the boxed frame is designed right with enough drain holes should last as long as anything else. Personally I like that wax goo that GM dips their frames in. Messy but never dries and is easy to touch up. Sometimes dirt and sand does stick to it but it doesn't hurt anything. Pressure washer turned down low usually cleans it pretty good if you are careful.
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 06:51 AM
  #6  
2018f250stx's Avatar
2018f250stx
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 119
Likes: 1
From: Norwalk ohio
This was my first winter with my sd , I sprayed the frame with fluid film in the fall. Just looked yesterday it still looks new a year later
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 07:40 AM
  #7  
zeroo's Avatar
zeroo
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 620
Originally Posted by HRTKD
My '07 Nissan Titan had a boxed frame. No issues after 10 years of ownership. I'm still active on the Titan forum. If there was a major problem I would have heard about it. Has Ford implemented a different coating method on their frame than Nissan did? Beats me.
we had an 07 extera and the rust was horrible, but to be fair it just and was only driven by my wife on snow days. I could kick myself in the butt for not catching on quicker but I think most of that could have been avoided.
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 07:42 AM
  #8  
zeroo's Avatar
zeroo
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 620
Originally Posted by Louisville Joe
If the boxed frame is designed right with enough drain holes should last as long as anything else. Personally I like that wax goo that GM dips their frames in. Messy but never dries and is easy to touch up. Sometimes dirt and sand does stick to it but it doesn't hurt anything. Pressure washer turned down low usually cleans it pretty good if you are careful.
ford used to use that. when my 97 was new you couldn't grab the frame without getting black on your hands.
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
story-2

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-4

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-5

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
story-8

2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

 Joe Kucinski
Old May 26, 2019 | 07:43 AM
  #9  
zeroo's Avatar
zeroo
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 620
Originally Posted by 2018f250stx
This was my first winter with my sd , I sprayed the frame with fluid film in the fall. Just looked yesterday it still looks new a year later
the exterior of the frame isn't the issue.
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 08:19 AM
  #10  
jimzpsd's Avatar
jimzpsd
Cargo Master
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,426
Likes: 726
From: Wisconsin
Club FTE Silver Member

Originally Posted by zeroo
the exterior of the frame isn't the issue.
I think he means if you get the kit, you can spray inside the entire frames interior. Thats what I did just for this reason......inside and out.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/FLUID-FILM-...6fa72c08a719f9
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 08:28 AM
  #11  
zeroo's Avatar
zeroo
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 620
good ideal.
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 08:44 AM
  #12  
speakerfritz's Avatar
speakerfritz
Hotshot
10 Year Member
Community Builder
Community Influencer
Liked
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 14,256
Likes: 2,181
There are a few holes in the frame.....power wash with salt away
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 12:32 PM
  #13  
FractureCritical's Avatar
FractureCritical
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 568
Likes: 2
Ford does not hot dip galvanize the frames. They use their BS e-coat primer dip. The frame is gonna rot either way, but will rot faster for the closed box shape. Just like a Tacoma.
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 01:28 PM
  #14  
Adam R's Avatar
Adam R
More Turbo
10 Year Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 618
Likes: 69
Originally Posted by FractureCritical
Ford does not hot dip galvanize the frames. They use their BS e-coat primer dip. The frame is gonna rot either way, but will rot faster for the closed box shape. Just like a Tacoma.
Honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about it. My 20 year old Landcruiser with 250,000+ miles has spent it's life in Colorado, Ohio, and Virginia where plenty of salt is used on the roads. It has a boxed frame and zero issues so far. Now my 1984 Toyota pickup, that frame looks like swiss cheese and I finally had to take that truck off the road. But Toyota never delivered that frame with any rust protection. Going forward, I'll pick up some Fluid Film for my remaining vehicles (including the F-350 I have on order) this summer and treat the undersides and inside/outside of the frame. That should help ensure I get 20+ of years of good service out of my vehicles.
 
Reply
Old May 26, 2019 | 02:48 PM
  #15  
zeroo's Avatar
zeroo
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,368
Likes: 620
Fluid film lasts that long with one application?
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:46 AM.

story-0
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-1
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-3
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-4
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-5
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-7
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

Slideshow: 10 most surprising Ford truck options/features in 2026.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:17:22


VIEW MORE