Got Rust? (1 Viewer)

[Carp]

Land Cruiser newbie here. I've been reading Mud for over a year now, and have been looking for a 60/62 for the past few months. I've got the search narrowed down to a few Cruisers which I need to check out. As a preface, I live in SC, and my search is limited to local (2hrs or closer) away.

My questions today focus mainly on rust on these trucks. I know that frame rust is bad and I will stay away from trucks with that. However, how many of your trucks have body rust? Is one kind of rust (rocker, quarter, wheel well, tailgate, etc) worse than another kind? I imagine that roof/gutter rust is pretty bad, but that's a guess.

I think most of the rust I'm looking at is paint bubbling, small area rust, not gaping hole rust.

Thanks in advance!

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Body seams, as a rule of thumb, are bad areas to get rust because of the difficulty of fixing them. Rain gutters, windshield frame, rear windows, etc. Body panels such as front fenders, tailgate and doors are easier to fix because they are bolt off / on fixes.

 

[cfdlighthouse]

rear quarters, wheel wheels, rear fender, tailgate lipand bottom quarter, i had a few spots on the top of the liftgate, door drip edges, roof gutters, rear frame crossmember where it bolts to rear bumper, inner rear frame channel support, and some on the rocker panels. Some guys have had rust around the winshield and cowl, and many have issues with the A and B posts near the roof line. all that is able to be fixed for the most part. Stay away from the heavy frame stuff it is a cancer that without frame off you will have trouble stoping. Any bubbling paint is evidence of a poor previous repair and a small buble is usually indicative of a much larger spot underneath.

 

[RockDoc]

If you are looking to have the cruiser long term, stay away with anything that has rust (with the exception of easily swapped panels as TJP pointed out), an make rust proofing a priority after you get it. Once rust starts up, stopping it is going to take A LOT of effort. (see Mr. lighthouses build-up thread in his sig line) If you are looking for a trail beater, well, that's a different story.

And yes, I have rust

 

[Carp]

Thanks for the responses!

If you are looking to have the cruiser long term, ... If you are looking for a trail beater, well, that's a different story.

I forgot to mention the truck's goal. I plan to have this as a 3rd vehicle that is used for Lowe's/HomeDepot trips, camping trips, tailgating and a good trail truck. What I don't know is if I'll have this truck 5 years or 50 years.

 

[effjay60]

pick up the carpet in the cargo area and check the floor behind the wheel wells. This is my worst rust area, a hole about 3" by 4"

 

[Heartworm]

I know this is a contrary thought, but you will spend about the same money fixing up a rusted body as you would flying a red-eye to the West Coast and driving back a rust free one. Unfortunately, it takes having all the money "upfront" to do this. If you go this route, it would be important to have a knowledgeable cruiserhead out west confirm that the rig is in good shape of course.

 

[Texx]

If you want rust free, I wouldn't look to any coast. Texas is what you want. And no, not a spec of rust on my 89, of course.

 

[Carp]

Thanks for the comments, all. I would love to find a rust free cruiser in my price range, and bring it back home, but that may not be in the cards. How much rust would keep you from buying a truck that you were looking at? Remember, I'm in an area where rust is present but not overtaking, like the northeast.

Thanks!

 

[Heartworm]

Yeah, Texx is right, get him to find you one and fly out to Texas and get it. You will gain at least two years and several thousand dollars in hassle if you get a rust free one. Trust me... if you want something to use for more than a year or so.

 

[High Desert]

If you want rust free, I wouldn't look to any coast. Texas is what you want. And no, not a spec of rust on my 89, of course.

When I lived in Texas there was this Beach along what was called, the "Gulf of Mexico" I think the shore line of that beach is as long as the coastal shore line of Oregon..

 

[Texx]

Yep, but that's over 500 miles from here....we get 9 inches annual rainfall....Texas is a BIG state, remember? El Paso is closer to california than it is to Dallas!

 

[High Desert]

Yep, but that's over 500 miles from here....we get 9 inches annual rainfall....Texas is a BIG state, remember? El Paso is closer to california than it is to Dallas!

I moved reply to CHIT CHAT cause that's probably where my blather belongs , I,m just running on about the fact that rigs travel to different places from other places You got to look at each individual rig, no guarantees a El Paso rig didn't spend a couple winters of college in New Jersey, anyway.. I moved it to Chit Chat ...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/chit-chat-section/215663-texas-rust-free-state.html

EDIT: I moved it to chit chat..and I'm getting what I deserve...uh..what were we talking about here?