When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
It's almost time for a "new" truck...I've been looking for an F350 reg or ext cab(no 250)...2015 to 2019...hopefully under 50,000 miles. I reside in northeast Ohio...winters and rust are a problem up here. I'm trying for a 2017+ but the prices are still insane for a used vehicle. 250's are so much cheaper but I want the capacity.
So I've seen several 2015-2016 Fords, and the undersides are already starting to rust...extensively...floor panels and inner rockers with significant surface rust. I decided to look at some GMC's and Chevy's of the same vintage...no rust.
My 2005 F250 had the usual bed rust when I replaced the bed before I sold it, but I never treated the undersides and it didn't look like some of the newer trucks I'm seeing. Now that I know how to treat a truck so the rust doesn't take hold I'd buy a clean 2015-16 steel truck but they seem non-existent up here.
From what I’ve seen, rust is just part of owning a Ford. I’ve had Mazdas and nissans that didn’t have a spot of rust on them after 300k miles and 15 years. Every single Ford I own or have owned has major rust issues. Only complaint I’ve got with them though.
My 2005 F-350 has been between Alaska and Oregon its whole life and doesn't have rust...there is an "undercoating" type product on the underbody that is quite old (original?) and coming loose in some areas exposing clean metal and/or shiny paint. Good luck, Russ
Living in the Rust Belt makes ALL vehicles rust, not just Fords. When I had my 96 F250, I had it oiled every year at Carwell Products and that kept it clean. They would spray the outer underneath the truck as well as under the hood with the wiring/connecters as well. They drilled into the door jambs of the truck and shot inside the rockers and cab. Lots of people back in the day where impressed with how clean my truck was. I plowed with that truck and as soon as it was dry on the road, I would drive it into a drive in car wash and spray the bottom. It stayed pretty clean but that was before they used the liquid deicing products they use now.
When I bought my 16, against my better judgement, I had the dealer do the Ziebart undercoating on mine. But I still had the Carwell done anyway. I have been getting it done every year since. There is minor rust but not a lot. I look every year under the truck and paint it the few spots with Magnet Paint's Chassis Saver. I have minor rust on the lower rocker panels along the pinch weld. They have notoriously lighter coats of paint on them from what I've heard. I'm going to do a thread in the 6.7 section of how I will take care of them before winter. It involves Chassis saver paint and MonstaLiner from Magnet Paints also.
If you want to make a vehicle last in the Rust Belt, You need an oil based product like Carwell applied every year. That is MHO. This product creeps and crawls and gets into all crevices and areas. Especially now since liquid deicers are being used which not only cling to the roads better, they also cling to vehicles underneath better than the old rock salt. It also doesn't hurt to blast off the underneath in the drive in carwash booths and the regular drive through carwashes. Some people get their vehicles sprayed underneath with Fluid Film. There's another product service in my area called Rust Kote.
Living in the Rust Belt makes ALL vehicles rust, not just Fords. When I had my 96 F250, I had it oiled every year at Carwell Products and that kept it clean. They would spray the outer underneath the truck as well as under the hood with the wiring/connecters as well. They drilled into the door jambs of the truck and shot inside the rockers and cab. Lots of people back in the day where impressed with how clean my truck was. I plowed with that truck and as soon as it was dry on the road, I would drive it into a drive in car wash and spray the bottom. It stayed pretty clean but that was before they used the liquid deicing products they use now.
When I bought my 16, against my better judgement, I had the dealer do the Ziebart undercoating on mine. But I still had the Carwell done anyway. I have been getting it done every year since. There is minor rust but not a lot. I look every year under the truck and paint it the few spots with Magnet Paint's Chassis Saver. I have minor rust on the lower rocker panels along the pinch weld. They have notoriously lighter coats of paint on them from what I've heard. I'm going to do a thread in the 6.7 section of how I will take care of them before winter. It involves Chassis saver paint and MonstaLiner from Magnet Paints also.
If you want to make a vehicle last in the Rust Belt, You need an oil based product like Carwell applied every year. That is MHO. This product creeps and crawls and gets into all crevices and areas. Especially now since liquid deicers are being used which not only cling to the roads better, they also cling to vehicles underneath better than the old rock salt. It also doesn't hurt to blast off the underneath in the drive in carwash booths and the regular drive through carwashes. Some people get their vehicles sprayed underneath with Fluid Film. There's another product service in my area called Rust Kote.
Haha thanks...Richards garage is about 2 mile from me.
Between fluid film and SEM cavity wax I feel like I can prolong a truck from rusting indefinitely...I just am concerned Ford did a worse job on their metal treatment in 2014 and up than they did back in '05 because what I'm seeing lately I don't like. Similar year GM's appear far better at not rusting with no underbody treatment.
Fluid Film is good stuff no doubt. I believe that Eastwood makes a wax like stuff for inside body panels. I just like the fact that a product like Carwell is designed to creep and crawl into all places. Plus when they spray under the hood, they spray the batteries as well and I see no corrosion on the factory battery hold down bars that a lot of guys mention in the 6.7 section. I also use NOCO NCP2 oil based battery terminal protector.
Purchase a truck NOT pre-rotted from the rust/rot belt. Shop for southern or western dry trucks.
Then find a Krown or Corrosion Free dealer and get it salved up (treated) from the get-go. LPS3 and Fluid Film are ok too. But read up.
Why would anybody drive a new $60+K truck off the lot directly into the salt with zero protection? You'll get 5 years before it falls apart.
Nothing else works. Do not do the rustproofing which applies the black tar-like driveway sealer substance to the underside. It actually holds the rot and water in then rots upward...ask how I know.
Purchase the FOMOCO rear fender well liners.
Here is my 2011 just after its annual Krown application. I live in the rust belt. The truck has 88K on it.
Don't wash it until the spring when the salts gone.
The only negative is if you don't drive the truck much it can get slimy when working on the chassis. A 1/2 dozen passes through a good car wash helps.
It's designed to somewhat dissipate and it is water-soluble. Thus the annual reapplication for the 10 year rot through warranty.
Purchase a truck NOT pre-rotted from the rust/rot belt. Shop for southern or western dry trucks.
Then find a Krown or Corrosion Free dealer and get it salved up (treated) from the get-go. LPS3 and Fluid Film are ok too. But read up.
Why would anybody drive a new $60+K truck off the lot directly into the salt with zero protection? You'll get 5 years before it falls apart.
Nothing else works. Do not do the rustproofing which applies the black tar-like driveway sealer substance to the underside. It actually holds the rot and water in then rots upward...ask how I know.
Purchase the FOMOCO rear fender well liners.
Here is my 2011 just after its annual Krown application. I live in the rust belt. The truck has 88K on it.
Don't wash it until the spring when the salts gone.
The only negative is if you don't drive the truck much it can get slimy when working on the chassis. A 1/2 dozen passes through a good car wash helps.
It's designed to somewhat dissipate and it is water-soluble. Thus the annual reapplication for the 10 year rot through warranty.
I've heard before that Krown is the Canadian version of Carwell Products. My truck looks exactly like that when they spray mine. Red oil creeping and a crawling. I get mine done once a year also. That's what I have to buy this year are the Ford rear wheel well covers. I'm going to MonstaLiner the wells first, then install the liners. Great pics.
