Is this 80 series safe to drive even though there’s a ton of rust? (1 Viewer)

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Oct 16, 2021
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Location
brooklyn, ny
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Hey all, New here so if this needs to get moved somewhere else admins help me out. Wanted to show a few pics of my undercarriage to get peoples opinions. I hear a lot of people talk about rust and how it destroys these cars i just bought this cruiser it’s a 80 series 1997 with a lift on it and i love driving it but i wanted peoples opinions on how bad this rust is for the northeast , i know there’s a higher tolerance for rust out here. Also if it’s worth salvaging and continuing to drive. If you have any recs of mechanics that do land cruiser tune ups in nyc, or upstate please also let me know. See pics below for the full carnage…

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Here’s more photos
View attachment 2813614Hey all, New here so if this needs to get moved somewhere else admins help me out. Wanted to show a few pics of my undercarriage to get peoples opinions. I hear a lot of people talk about rust and how it destroys these cars i just bought this cruiser it’s a 80 series 1997 with a lift on it and i love driving it but i wanted peoples opinions on how bad this rust is for the northeast , i know there’s a higher tolerance for rust out here. Also if it’s worth salvaging and continuing to drive. If you have any recs of mechanics that do land cruiser tune ups in nyc, or upstate please also let me know. See pics below for the full carnage…

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It's more than likely safe to drive. Not ideal obviously and you should definitely put a priority on attacking that to see how bad it is underneath the rust. Wire wheel some of the more structural areas to see.
 
Ok so best to maybe just sell it for parts or do you think it’s worth replacing certain things ? I’m new to my cruiser but I’ve definitely fallen in love I’m just worried it’s a danger to drive hah
 
That's pretty rough, even for an east coast truck. I would be concerned about the rear axle panhard mount.
:popcorn:
This will be a real east vs west "battle"

I grew up in Minnesota where rust never sleeps. I had more than 1 vehicle that was "powered by rust". Seemed normal to me.

Over three decades ago, I moved to California and couldn't believe all the old cars that still looked good.

In April I got my mega mileage LX450. Before I bought it I crawled under. I could not find so much as a flake of rust. Anywhere.

Re: The OP's vehicle, "rough" is a polite way to characterize it.:meh:
 
At a minimum wire wheel and brush to see how bad it is on the rear axle and frame. Some of that almost looks like you could poke a hole through it with a screwdriver. If it's not terrible then seal it with POR-15. It's going to absolutely suck if you have to remove bolts under there. The suspension ones are probably fine but anything else just go ahead and prepare to grind/drill/tap whatever you take apart. Mine had some rust on it but not to that extent and even it fought me the first time I removed most things underneath.
 
:popcorn:
This will be a real east vs west "battle"

I grew up in Minnesota where rust never sleeps. I had more than 1 vehicle that was "powered by rust". Seemed normal to me.

Over three decades ago, I moved to California and couldn't believe all the old cars that still looked good.

In April I got my mega mileage LX450. Before I bought it I crawled under. I could not find so much as a flake of rust. Anywhere.

Re: The OP's vehicle, "rough" is a polite way to characterize it.:meh:
Haha also grew up in Minnesota , considered flying somewhere else and driving back a less rusty cruiser…. I definitely think some of the rust can literally be picked off which isn’t a good sign, but hey like i said i grew up around rusty cars too but i just like this one so i finally took the time to notice the damage . Glad you found a good one
 
I have been toasting a lost brother with bourbon all day so my comments will seem a bit off color. The rust on your rig is not a lot for the east coast. Post more pics of the skirt that distracted me on on the third pic. Sorry for my behavior…..
 
I have been toasting a lost brother with bourbon all day so my comments will seem a bit off color. The rust on your rig is not a lot for the east coast. Post more pics of the skirt that distracted me on on the third pic. Sorry for my behavior…..
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No worries I’m a few beers deep, this is the worst of it on the skirt which is pretty bad it’s in the back where the majority of the rust is…
 
Nope. Drive it like you stole it. The biggest issue I have found on the “right coast” are structural. Check the rear/front mounts for the axle near the frame and anything that moves in a lateral line below the quarter panels. So far, your pictures show issues two years from now. Mind you, I am not a structural engineer nor a doctor…though I play both on television.

Pictures……
 
Nope. Drive it like you stole it. The biggest issue I have found on the “right coast” are structural. Check the rear/front mounts for the axle near the frame and anything that moves in a lateral line below the quarter panels. So far, your pictures show issues two years from now. Mind you, I am not a structural engineer nor a doctor…though I play both on television.

Pictures……
Haha I’ll get some better pictures and get back to you i appreciate the advice though i had a friend who’s a Mercedes mechanic who took one look at it and ran haha
 
Get under there with a big screwdriver or a body hammer and stab around for soft spots. Get an idea how thin it is at the thinnest and weld in patches if necessary. Then drench it in Fluid Film, Woolwax, or chain and bar oil mixed with melted wax.

This guy lives in New England and does a good job showing how to find and fix the bad spots. He clearly has a much higher threshold for "too far gone" than most:

 
Grease your balls!(knuckles)
Drive it and stew over what you plan to do.
 
Nope. Drive it like you stole it. The biggest issue I have found on the “right coast” are structural. Check the rear/front mounts for the axle near the frame and anything that moves in a lateral line below the quarter panels. So far, your pictures show issues two years from now. Mind you, I am not a structural engineer nor a doctor…though I play both on television.

Pictures……
Haha I’ll get some better pictures and get back to you i appreciate the advice though i had a friend who’s a Mercedes mechanic who took one look at it and got a little spooked about the frame rust
 
Undercoating in the future. But you're fine, safety wise in my opinion, drive it.
Wire brush and POR if you want...
 

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