Wheel Well Rust
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From: Quad Cities, IA
Wheel Well Rust
I just got to thinking about the rust that happens to all our beloved trucks over the rear wheel wells...
I was looking at my '85 today and was thinking at how my front fenders were still brand-new looking, despite 23 years worth of road salt... I was wondering why the rears take it so hard, but the fronts seem to stay nice. Then it hit me... The front ones have the plastic splash-guards over them to keep the water from getting all over inside the engine bay! The rear wheels usually don't have anything on them at all to keep water/salt/grime from slinging up off the tires and collecting in there.
When I get around to replacing the really worn out bed on my truck, I think I'm going to get some plastic sheeting to stick in there to try and reduce this effect from happening to my new bed. I figure if it helps on the front wheels, maybe it'll help for the rear.
The worst that happens is I waste a few bucks on the plastic sheeting and the screws to hold it in place... Any of you guys see anything wrong with my theory?
I was looking at my '85 today and was thinking at how my front fenders were still brand-new looking, despite 23 years worth of road salt... I was wondering why the rears take it so hard, but the fronts seem to stay nice. Then it hit me... The front ones have the plastic splash-guards over them to keep the water from getting all over inside the engine bay! The rear wheels usually don't have anything on them at all to keep water/salt/grime from slinging up off the tires and collecting in there.
When I get around to replacing the really worn out bed on my truck, I think I'm going to get some plastic sheeting to stick in there to try and reduce this effect from happening to my new bed. I figure if it helps on the front wheels, maybe it'll help for the rear.
The worst that happens is I waste a few bucks on the plastic sheeting and the screws to hold it in place... Any of you guys see anything wrong with my theory?
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Virginia Beach
Wouldn't that trap moisture between the metal, and the plastic? That'd be rust waiting to happen. I'd paint/seal/undercoat it.
My '85 is a rustbucket too. Over and behind both front wheels(but not the rear- go figure), bottom rear of the fender, door sills, cab extentions, back seat mount/floor area(super cab), and bottom of the bed by the bumper. I'm just patching it up as best I can, and rolling it for a while.
My '85 is a rustbucket too. Over and behind both front wheels(but not the rear- go figure), bottom rear of the fender, door sills, cab extentions, back seat mount/floor area(super cab), and bottom of the bed by the bumper. I'm just patching it up as best I can, and rolling it for a while.
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From: Virginia
I am surprised your front fenders are in good shape. A lot of them rust out too.
Till I got enough money to buy new ones, I had to take that foam in a can stuff and fill the front fenders in. I then took a hacksaw blade and trimmed the foam, and then painted it with primer. I had to do this, because in wet weather and slushy snow, the tires would throw water through the holes in the fenders up into the engine compartment, and the engine would start to missfire.
Till I got enough money to buy new ones, I had to take that foam in a can stuff and fill the front fenders in. I then took a hacksaw blade and trimmed the foam, and then painted it with primer. I had to do this, because in wet weather and slushy snow, the tires would throw water through the holes in the fenders up into the engine compartment, and the engine would start to missfire.
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From: Quad Cities, IA
Good points, you guys. I had figured it was the plastic pieces that helped with the rust, since the front fenders are only rusty on my '89 where the water collected under the chrome trim... The '85's front fenders are almost perfect (one has a dent, but that's from hitting a full trash can at 30mph).
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From: Milltown, NJ
There ARE rear well plastic pieces for the '80 - '86 F trucks.
They come in two pieces and are screwed into the well. My '80 has them and when I noticed the left side/rear piece missing I got a replacement off a '85 that was in the bone yard.
They do not cover the entire well area though, a 12"X12" area is unprotected. Go figure!?!?
They come in two pieces and are screwed into the well. My '80 has them and when I noticed the left side/rear piece missing I got a replacement off a '85 that was in the bone yard.
They do not cover the entire well area though, a 12"X12" area is unprotected. Go figure!?!?
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From: Quad Cities, IA
You know, it's funny you should mention that.
I just got done removing my nasty rusty plugged up muffler a little while ago, and noticed that my truck *DOES* have some plastic shielding under there, but like you said it's in two pieces. The center area where it's not covering is where my bed has rust... The parts where the plastic pieces are, however, are fairly rust-free. Probably just a coincidence, though...
I just got done removing my nasty rusty plugged up muffler a little while ago, and noticed that my truck *DOES* have some plastic shielding under there, but like you said it's in two pieces. The center area where it's not covering is where my bed has rust... The parts where the plastic pieces are, however, are fairly rust-free. Probably just a coincidence, though...
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Virginia Beach
Originally Posted by Franklin2
I am surprised your front fenders are in good shape. A lot of them rust out too.
Originally Posted by Franklin2
Till I got enough money to buy new ones, I had to take that foam in a can stuff and fill the front fenders in. I then took a hacksaw blade and trimmed the foam, and then painted it with primer.
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From: Quad Cities, IA
Originally Posted by Big_kid
I wonder if they were replaced already?
I think part of what kept this truck in decent shape is, it sat most of it's life in a barn. It was used to haul stuff around on a farm in eastern Iowa in the winters, and sat the rest of the year. Only had 73k original miles upon purchase, a touch under 75k now.
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