Rust
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Rust
90 F-350
Frame and many other underbody parts are rusting/scaling badly. This happened on my 87 F-250 and my fathers 88 F150 also. Is anybody else experiencing this? What have you done to slow/prevent this from happening? Do any of the rust converter solutions work?
Thanks,
5ass
Frame and many other underbody parts are rusting/scaling badly. This happened on my 87 F-250 and my fathers 88 F150 also. Is anybody else experiencing this? What have you done to slow/prevent this from happening? Do any of the rust converter solutions work?
Thanks,
5ass
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From: charlotte, nc
there is a product called "ospho" thatcan be found in the ACE hardware and online, it supposidly turns rust back into metal using some complicated chemical method, or new body parts are allways there to get.
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Originally Posted by slash31938
new body parts are allways there to get.
Thanks,
5ass
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From: green bay, WI
I'm not real sold on the rust convertor products. To me your best bet is to blast away all rust and apply a good epoxy primer and paint. Yes its true, rust is always fighting to come back. Your best bet is to get rid of it and cross your fingers. After the work is done, keep the undercarriage clean of road salt, mud packed tight, ect.
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Joined: May 2003
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From: Harrisonburg, VA
my 95 has the same problems as well, I have a few pics in my gallery of it. Everything is so rusty under mine such as the frame, oil pan, shock mounts, coil and leaf spring perches, exhaust hangers, it's a nightmare. I only have one hanger holding up the exhaust and I'm taking it to get all new hangers and mounts put on in the next couple of days. We have a sand blaster at work and if it holds up a year or two I'm going to do a body off restoration and sand blast the chassis and recoat everything. I've heard it is a common problem for 87-96 but some years more than others, my dad's 87 f150 is clean underneath with no rust.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: New Jersey
I had started a thread a while back with pictures of my rusty frame, and what I did about it. Ospho worked fine for me, dispite the surface rust being what I considered "severe" in many places. But it wasn't through, which is where rust converters are useless. Also, my frame was structurally "okay" (not perfect, but okay) so Ospho worked fine for my needs.
If I had holes, tears, cracks and rips I'd either replace the frame with a junkyard frame in better condition, or just bite the bullet and make one out of 1/4" thick C-Channel, or weld patches over the rusty bits. I've done the patching method before and it does work if do it correctly.
If I had holes, tears, cracks and rips I'd either replace the frame with a junkyard frame in better condition, or just bite the bullet and make one out of 1/4" thick C-Channel, or weld patches over the rusty bits. I've done the patching method before and it does work if do it correctly.
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From: Harrisonburg, VA
I remember your writeup frederic and you did a fine job 
also when you weld on a frame like that and there is a special way to do it (I should know the term of this but I can't think of it right now) you have to be careful to not weaken it. Our welder at work was explaining to me that he used to weld on truck frames at one of his previous jobs and he basically said to spread the weld out and not concentrate it on one spot and he gave me the term for it but that was a long time ago. I'm pretty sure mine is solid enough to where I can just blast it and not have to patch anything. I think someone tried to cover it up at least one time but now the paint is flaking off and all this rust is underneath the paint.
also when you weld on a frame like that and there is a special way to do it (I should know the term of this but I can't think of it right now) you have to be careful to not weaken it. Our welder at work was explaining to me that he used to weld on truck frames at one of his previous jobs and he basically said to spread the weld out and not concentrate it on one spot and he gave me the term for it but that was a long time ago. I'm pretty sure mine is solid enough to where I can just blast it and not have to patch anything. I think someone tried to cover it up at least one time but now the paint is flaking off and all this rust is underneath the paint.
Post Fiend
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From: New Jersey
I've never worried about "dabbing" where you would lay a bead for say, an inch, skip two inches, lay another one in bead, skip two, etc, then go back and lay another inch bead after the first, etc. I don't know what it's called, a friend of mine calls it "dabbing" so I do for lack of a better term.
But on a frame, which can be 1/4" thick and sometimes more, I've never worried about it. If the patch area is large enough (or a frame splice!) I'd fire up the oxy/acetelyne torch and heat the area to stress relieve the weld and surrounding material.
It also depends on the welding process used. Some methods keep the heat very localized around the weld (Tig for example), and others have so much current the heat travels very far through the metal.
I wouldn't weld on the compessed steel frames, which the newer trucks (Superduty) have... that requires training, and specialized techniques I imagine.
But on a frame, which can be 1/4" thick and sometimes more, I've never worried about it. If the patch area is large enough (or a frame splice!) I'd fire up the oxy/acetelyne torch and heat the area to stress relieve the weld and surrounding material.
It also depends on the welding process used. Some methods keep the heat very localized around the weld (Tig for example), and others have so much current the heat travels very far through the metal.
I wouldn't weld on the compessed steel frames, which the newer trucks (Superduty) have... that requires training, and specialized techniques I imagine.
Elder User
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From: Harrisonburg, VA
dabbing is actually called stitch welding. What I was referring too is taking a piece of steel that is shaped like a really wide "v" where you would start at the bottom of the piece and work up to the center then back down the other side, that way you spread your heat out everywhere and not concentrating it into one spot. I might just go ahead and see if how much trouble it would be to get him to box the frame. At least that way I won't have to worry about soft spots.
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Eastwood has a product called rust encapsulator that would work you can order it on line at www.eastwood.com , or there is an other product called por-15. I have used both and they both work. All you have to do is remove any loose rust with a wire brush and than paint right over the remaining rust.
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frederic, how would one go about welding onto the cab corners. I have one cab corner that is particularly bad (basically theres the frame, then an expty spot, then the rusted part of the frame just attached at one end) and i've been wanting to do something about it. My grandpa used to be the head welder for GM. So I should have access to whatever kind of torch I need.
What kind of metal, what kind of torch, and how would I go about doing this. Thanks
~Matt
What kind of metal, what kind of torch, and how would I go about doing this. Thanks
~Matt
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