Does this California truck have too much rust....? (PICTURES) (1 Viewer)

[bbloom]

Hey everyone, my truck is a California vehicle but was kept in the foothills for most of its life. The body is perfect, not a speck of corrosion but underneath has more rust than ive seen on a cruiser, im trying to figure out if this i going to cause problems for me down the road or if its just "surface rust" i can scrub off and treat. Seems to me all the parts under the truck are super heavy duty besides the break components and those dont look too badly affected. The front has more than the rear. What do you guys think?

PS, there is a ton of grease build up on my drivers side knuckle, am i due for a rebuild or should i top up the grease, clean it and see what happens?
thanks in advance everyone!

 

[Kernal]

Doesn't look bad at all, but could use some type of treatment. Check under the rear dust deflector where it mounts to the rear hatch, any rust stains? Was this vehicle driven/parked very close to the ocean?

The front axle needs a complete service to include inspection of the axle shafts looking for deep wear grooves from the axle seals as well as inspection of the CV joints (Birfs or Birfields) looking for excessive wear.

You can install new axle seals a bit deeper than the original seals which should decrease future leaks. The knuckles are also low on grease, another reason to do the complete front axle service.

Front Axle Rebuild - For FAQ

The following thread is compilation from forum members and other sources Please notify the moderators of additions, errors, tips or clarifications you think would help a novice take this on. The following thread is a culmination of posts and threads from many forum members including Semlin...

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[gummycarbs]

That passenger side knuckle is more worrying than the driver's side. Both need a rebuild, but the passenger side has a weird dry, rusted patch in the middle that might cause problems sealing against the wiper in the future.

 

[Rwhat]

Just because it’s from California doesn’t mean it hasn’t been driven at pismo beach. A lot of it looks like dust and dirt. This helps promote the light rust you see. I would pressure wash it and go from there. The front axle looks like that probably from trips up to the snow where gravel is spread on the roads.

 

[bhsdriller]

It wouldn't keep me from buying one

 

[bpenn1980]

Let that motor leak get a little worse and it'll rust proof the undercarriage!

 

[LandLocked93]

Hey everyone, my truck is a California vehicle but was kept in the foothills for most of its life. The body is perfect, not a speck of corrosion but underneath has more rust than ive seen on a cruiser, im trying to figure out if this i going to cause problems for me down the road or if its just "surface rust" i can scrub off and treat. Seems to me all the parts under the truck are super heavy duty besides the break components and those dont look too badly affected. The front has more than the rear. What do you guys think?

PS, there is a ton of grease build up on my drivers side knuckle, am i due for a rebuild or should i top up the grease, clean it and see what happens?
thanks in advance everyone!

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I see nothing but surface rust, a knuckle job, and ball polishing.
Handle it and roll.

 

[DivByZero]

For myself, I'd happily buy that, but I'd probably be on the lookout for a front diff housing at a good price and swap it out eventually. That's by far the worst bit I can see from the pics, but if you can drop in a rust free one you'll be in a really good place.

 

[fjbj40]

Rust??????

 

[jonheld]

Apparently you've never seen rust before.

 

[ToothDr]

Surface rust only it appears. Looks like an original steel spare tire rim. Unusual. Are the rest of the rims the same? Steel rims and not alloys came on a lot of what’s known as ”poverty pack” cruisers. Trucks with little to no options. They are sought after now.

 

[bbloom]

Thanks everyone! glad to hear its not too dire, will definitely get under there soon. Truck doesnt have the poverty pack, not sure where that wheel came from! thanks again for the help , you guys are the best as always!