How much rust is too much?
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How much rust is too much?
I've been poking around my truck, and I just keep finding more and more rust on it. The bed is shot, I've already lined up a few possible replacements. The doors are rusted through in the corners, and I've got replacements lined up for those as well. That brings me to the cab, it's not in very great shape either, and I can't just go out and get a new one since Supercabs aren't that common. Here's some pics I took today, I'm hoping that this isn't gonna be the rust that causes the truck to end up parted out.
This is the pass. side cab corner, the driver side looks about the same. Most of it was previously bondo'ed.
Door sill area of the pass. side. The driver side is solid here.
The drip rails, rusted like this on both sides.
And this is the part I'm most worried about, since a cab corner replacement won't fix this I don't think. This is under the driver side, just forward of the rear cab mount. And it looks like it's moving into a structural part of the cab mount.
This is the pass. side cab corner, the driver side looks about the same. Most of it was previously bondo'ed.
Door sill area of the pass. side. The driver side is solid here.
The drip rails, rusted like this on both sides.
And this is the part I'm most worried about, since a cab corner replacement won't fix this I don't think. This is under the driver side, just forward of the rear cab mount. And it looks like it's moving into a structural part of the cab mount.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: West Virginia
cab corners and door sills are weld in, you should be able to soda or sandblast the sills and have enough material left to use a thin layer of high quality filler, and the underside is the underside, so since its not visible to the eye there should be no problem getting a piece of sheet metal bent, cutting out as far back as necessary to get all the rust, and welding in the replacement piece. If youre worried about rigidity use a thicket piece of metal or just weld in a piece of angle iron to support that crossmember.
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2001
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From: Rhode Island
everything metal is fixable, just comes down to ability, time and money!
My First supercab was as bad if not worse than yours, However I was able to find a better starting point. Better... well that is some what a lie. The donor supercab was structually better than the cab I started with but!!
I ended up replacing...
Both front cab mounts
Both front floors
Both rear cab corners
Pass Front Dog leg
Patched the floor behind the front seat mounts
Ohhh and this week I replaced the roof skin. FUN!
Man I love New England!!!
My First supercab was as bad if not worse than yours, However I was able to find a better starting point. Better... well that is some what a lie. The donor supercab was structually better than the cab I started with but!!
I ended up replacing...
Both front cab mounts
Both front floors
Both rear cab corners
Pass Front Dog leg
Patched the floor behind the front seat mounts
Ohhh and this week I replaced the roof skin. FUN!
Man I love New England!!!
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,322
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From: Rhode Island
Ohhh and the drip rail behind the supercab window... Big surprise with this one for me! it turns out this part is actually bolted to the cab. Yup BOLTED! with no ACCESS!!!! So if you do need to change this without changing your roof skin, or drilling holes into the interior sheet metal, or having Friggin gumbie arms... GOOD LUCK!
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Thanks guys, I'm glad it isn't too far gone. Looking at that part underneath it was daunting. But I have a welder, and skill. Just don't have any experience with body work yet, so this is gonna be a fun learning process.
And that drip rail, just sand the edges and body fill it then?
And that drip rail, just sand the edges and body fill it then?
Cranky Old Guy
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,562
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From: Raphine, Virginia
Make sure to kill the rust with Ospho etc first. I'd clean as much as possible and use something like All-Metal for filler. If you don't kill it, it'll be back within a year.
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I'll take my grinder too it and see how it works, then be sure to kill it with something. I don't really have access to a sandblaster.
I just found that Rockauto sells cab corners, and they're a lot cheaper than LMC Truck. Does anyone know if there is a quality difference? I'm tempted to go ahead and order them up.
I just found that Rockauto sells cab corners, and they're a lot cheaper than LMC Truck. Does anyone know if there is a quality difference? I'm tempted to go ahead and order them up.
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2001
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From: Rhode Island
I say go Dennis-Carpenter when you cant find the parts elsewhere. I have purchased several parts from DC in the past with mixed results.
The Cab corners (which are almost exact duplicates of the no longer available stock ones)were damn near spot on in apperance and fitment, but the floor pans I got from them were the same ones that everyone eles sells. Hell all they did was re-label the imported part number! Door seals were great from DC.
I have picked up cab corners from LMC and they were decent, but as with everything else you will need to make them fit!
Ive picked up body parts for my 56 f100 from rock and they were much better than LMC's as the first one I bought from LMC wasnt the greatest patch panel I have ever seen!
Good luck, And remember that every company will have one part better than another IMO!
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Waterloo IL
For patch panels I would say Tabco is the best. Made in the USA with original thickness steel. Too bad they dont have full body panels. I put a Tabco floor board in my truck and it is EXCELLENT!
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Well I just called up Tabco and ordered from them. Got two cab corners, and a rocker and door pillar for the passenger side. I'm nervous about getting this welded on, but I think my Lincoln 140 should be able to do it without blowing through.