80 Series body rust locations and pics

[retlaw]

For buyers wondering about body rust.

1997 LX 450 with 205,000 mi in the rust belt.

My rusted areas included:

Lower rear quarter panels, including body mount.
Inner and outer rocker panels (rear end).
Rear hatch window (under and around window gasket).
Engine bay wheel arch.
2nd row seat seatbelt attachment bolt in wheel well.
Roof rack bolt holes.
Mine didn't have one but I've seen rear deflector mount rust on others.
Front edge of hood.
Windshield (under and around gasket)
Lower door seams.

.

 

[jonheld]

Yea, I always get a bit of a chuckle when folks from the west post pictures of what they consider "rust".

 

[HDJ80L]

Very important to have decent underbody coating/wax on chassis, underbody, cavities and to maintain it regularely when driving on salt roads before the rust spreads too far, which hardly anybody did in time. Mine was professionally done by the original owner but I still found some body rust under the rear mud guards, where dirt and moisture collected for many years. Definitely one spot I'd insist on checking before buying another one, also to regularely check and keep clean.

 

[CharlieS]

The mainly rust free 80 I picked up in Denver a couple of years ago had holes in the second row seat belt anchor locations - rusting through the wheel arch, and holes forming at the back of the passenger wheel arch. The other location where it was starting (and I think I caught it in time) was the spot on the drivers side floor where the heel of the left foot would rest just at the base of the dead pedal.

 

[effjay80]

So is the rust a function of the salt being dumped on the roads or the higher humidity and endless weeks of cloudiness? Or both?

The Rust Map

The Rust Map - a community sourced map of the severity of vehicle corrosion/rust in the United States. This can help answer the questions: Where do cars rust in the us? Where can I find a rust free car? What states have the worst rust? Where in the US do cars not rust? Where do cars rust the...

www.therustmap.com

 

[jonheld]

I picked up my LX450 in Phoenix, and I shipped the seller a case of Fluid Film spray cans.
The morning after in a hotel parking lot I sprayed the crap out of everything. Used all 12 cans before driving back east.
She gets yearly FF treatments every October in my driveway. Still looks pretty good underneath.
Undercarriage Protection Thoughts, Woolwax, Fluid Film? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/undercarriage-protection-thoughts-woolwax-fluid-film.1293816/post-15690465

 

[Kernal]

^^^This^^^

The worst frame rust I've seen on an 80 Series was on a FZJ80 (also) from Pennsylvania, the steel of the frame was delaminating (layers of steel coming apart) like pages of a book. That 80 ended up in a Southern US State (with lax safety inspections) at an Auction most likely because it wouldn't have passed the inspection up North.

Definitely need to apply some type of rust proofing to a Rust Belt (salted road) vehicle before the first winter. There's a dealer up north (if the buyer want's it done) who will flatbed the new vehicle to a shop (Zeibart chain) to be treat/protected before it's driven anywhere then flat-bedded back to the dealership before delivery to the customer.

 

[Batameez]

Being from NJ I've looked at a lot of rusty 80s. I've seen all these areas rust out, but these pics are definitely the most extreme I've seen so far.

 

[Batameez]

^^^This^^^

The worst frame rust I've seen on an 80 Series was on a FZJ80 (also) from Pennsylvania, the steel of the frame was delaminating (layers of steel coming apart) like pages of a book. That 80 ended up in a Southern US State (with lax safety inspections) at an Auction most likely because it wouldn't have passed the inspection up North.

Definitely need to apply some type of rust proofing to a Rust Belt (salted road) vehicle before the first winter. There's a dealer up north (if the buyer want's it done) who will flatbed the new vehicle to a shop (Zeibart chain) to be treat/protected before it's driven anywhere then flat-bedded back to the dealership before delivery to the customer.

Believe or not, NJ can and will pass rotted out frames all day long. But a check engine light? You're cooked.

There's a shop up here that can repair trucks like that white one in the other thread without issue. They grind everything down, fabricate and weld in patches that would make you believe no one was there, and then coat the frame followed by lanolin wax. Brake lines as well and they can do everything to repair body rust short of filler and paint.

 

[Kernal]

Yes, in the Rust Belt there are body shops who will take on the job of cutting out and repairing rust, but in the South
forget about it, they don't know how and won't take the time to learn.

 

[duece71]

The mainly rust free 80 I picked up in Denver a couple of years ago had holes in the second row seat belt anchor locations - rusting through the wheel arch, and holes forming at the back of the passenger wheel arch. The other location where it was starting (and I think I caught it in time) was the spot on the drivers side floor where the heel of the left foot would rest just at the base of the dead pedal.

I had a bad patch under the drivers side floor, heel of right foot. Got it repaired by a body shop. Strangely, the left side (passenger) didn’t have anything. Fluid Film big time every summer now, followed by a drive down a dusty road.

 

[Blackstone2015]

Very important to have decent underbody coating/wax on chassis, underbody, cavities and to maintain it regularely when driving on salt roads before the rust spreads too far, which hardly anybody did in time. Mine was professionally done by the original owner but I still found some body rust under the rear mud guards, where dirt and moisture collected for many years. Definitely one spot I'd insist on checking before buying another one, also to regularely check and keep clean.

What you think of this

 

[Batameez]

Not concours d'elegance quality but can be restored. Looks like there's some exhaust mount work ahead of you. Looks like someone is too cool for catalytic converters. I wonder how that 1FZ runs.

 

[Blackstone2015]

Not concours d'elegance quality but can be restored. Looks like there's some exhaust mount work ahead of you. Looks like someone is too cool for catalytic converters. I wonder how that 1FZ runs.

Was running ok , but loud noise due to exhaust leak,

 

[BTLSHP]

Ok, I am interested in this. I have a mostly garage stored 1994 that is being handed to my daughter from her 90 year old grandfather. In the process, it is moving to Denver where it will again live in a garage.

The other day a tech at Toyota pointed out that in the rear wheel wells much of the original coating of plasticy material is gone and he suggested I clean the area and get some Waxoyl to coat them as protection for stone chips and rust.

This photo is simply a generic view of the underside of the truck. No one has expressed much concern over the level of rust, but I am careful removing small bolts and start with PB Blaster.

 

[HDJ80L]

Wouldn't hurt to treat that as long as the metal is still good. There are various products out there, wax, grease, bitumen based.

I recoated the rear axle and wheel wells over the winter with Dinitrol products (not sure if available in US but surely there's comparable stuff). We used that on heavy military trucks as additional rust protection from factory back when I worked in that industry.

It was a two-layer process, after cleaning (washing, ideally dry ice blasting) and removing surface rust (air needle scaler works great for that) the first layer is a thin, brownish penetrating oil

The second layer then is a thicker bitumen/wax based coat as a protective layer on top which dries up but stays elastic

 

[BTLSHP]

I have read about Dinitrol's products, probably beyond my application tools/skills but really good. None of the small metal like ABS brackets is in any way compromised. I have to try for a bit of simplicity here.

 

[Batameez]

Spray it with Fluid Film, call it a day. Nowadays that's called "patina".

 

[Hornd]

I'd Spray Mine no matter where I lived.
I buy the 5 Gallon Pail now since my Neighbors always asking me to spray theirs - Summit Racing had best Price last time.
All you need is a Compressor and some Junk Clothes.

After 1st Application you only need the Touch up the Areas not covered Previously.

FF has Literally saved my Rig in Ohio.

DO ALL CHASSIS WORK BEFORE SPRAYING. I have made this mistake many times and you end up covered in Black Grease.
Wear a Long Sleeve Shirt and Keep it for Work under Rig.

**View attachment 3904565View attachment 3904567Brake Cleaner (or gas) cleans it off Anything you need to remove, but it will make a Mess.

View attachment 3904565
View attachment 3904567

 

[duece71]

I'd Spray Mine no matter where I lived.
I buy the 5 Gallon Pail now since my Neighbors always asking me to spray theirs - Summit Racing had best Price last time.
All you need is a Compressor and some Junk Clothes.

After 1st Application you only need the Touch up the Areas not covered Previously.

FF has Literally saved my Rig in Ohio.

DO ALL CHASSIS WORK BEFORE SPRAYING. I have made this mistake many times and you end up covered in Black Grease.
Wear a Long Sleeve Shirt and Keep it for Work under Rig.

**View attachment 3904565View attachment 3904567Brake Cleaner (or gas) cleans it off Anything you need to remove, but it will make a Mess.

View attachment 3904565
View attachment 3904567

I use the amber version myself and then I find a dusty road to drive down. The stuff works great.