Is This Too Rusty to Be Saved? (1 Viewer)

[Noahrob]

What rust? This is rust...

 

[DSRTRDR]

I have a pair of those stepboards if you need them, unrusted

 

[DivByZero]

Do you guys use fish oil much in the states? I use a spray on fish oil in a can on parts of the undercarriage and frame I want to add some extra protection to. It's great for spraying up inside the frame rails too. Obviously where you've already got a rust issue you want to get in there and clean it up, and ideally epoxy prime it or the like, but I think fish oil is a great, cheap and easy rust preventative.

 

[SaturnAscends]

Do you guys use fish oil much in the states? I use a spray on fish oil in a can on parts of the undercarriage and frame I want to add some extra protection to. It's great for spraying up inside the frame rails too. Obviously where you've already got a rust issue you want to get in there and clean it up, and ideally epoxy prime it or the like, but I think fish oil is a great, cheap and easy rust preventative.

I've never heard of fish oil. I'd imagine the smell would be pretty strong lol. I have heard of spraying used motor oil though.

I'm pretty paranoid about rust having owned Subarus and an OG Tacoma. I take it 80s don't have the same issues with the frame rotting from the inside out..

Also to the OP: the steel is mighty thick and sturdy under there. I bet it'd be 25 years before any major structural issues arise, if ever, even if you just did nothing. I could be wrong about that though; I've also heard you can only kill a Cruiser with rust.. anyway, you should be able to get it cleaned up in no time, good luck with it!

 

[cjoez13]

I wish mine was that clean, you can look at one of my threads to see how bad my underside is. I just finished doing the shocks, damper, knuckle rebuild, oil pan, gas pan. The oil and gas pan were rusted through.

I went through hell but I have experience drill/tapping stripped screws because working on guns a lot. Like others said, west coasters are afraid of touching anything with rust, they just don't know how to work on rusty things.

 

[Broski]

I wish mine was that clean, you can look at one of my threads to see how bad my underside is. I just finished doing the shocks, damper, knuckle rebuild, oil pan, gas pan. The oil and gas pan were rusted through.

I went through hell but I have experience drill/tapping stripped screws because working on guns a lot. Like others said, west coasters are afraid of touching anything with rust, they just don't know how to work on rusty things.

Why beat your self up if you don't have to. Sorry for your troubles

 

[cjoez13]

Why beat your self up if you don't have to. Sorry for your troubles

I agree but a $2,000 land cruiser is a $2,000 land cruiser..hard to pass up if the engine is good

 

[effjay80]

My 94 axles and undercarriage were in similar condition. Over several weeks thoroughly wire brushed all the flaking surface rust, thoroughly degreased everything, then applied several coats of Prep and POR15 . Looks like it did in 1994 2004 and as good as gonna get without pulling the axle. As others said you'll be surprised how solid everything is after you get the surface cleaned up. Good luck!

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Do you guys use fish oil much in the states?

No. We have bears that will eat our Cruisers if we coat them with fish oil.

 

[BILT4ME]

Do you guys use fish oil much in the states?

No, up here, we rub our sheep on them.

Bears don't like them as much......



FluidFilm or Woolwax


That way, after you get it applied, you start the truck and as it burns off the exhaust, it smells like burning mutton.

 

[SaturnAscends]

Corroseal is another good option after you've wire wheeled etc and before you do woolwax or fluid film. Its supposed to covert rust and prime the surface at the same time.

You can use a 360 degree spray wand to get inside the frame and hard to reach places.

 

[DivByZero]

No. We have bears that will eat our Cruisers if we coat them with fish oil.

Haha, didn't think of that! For some reason, the kangaroos aren't as interested.

I've never heard of fish oil. I'd imagine the smell would be pretty strong lol.

It does have quite a stink to it for the first day or two. After that the smell dissipates. It does a good job, because it seems to hang around for a long time, and somehow kind of "sets", giving a good coating without running off, and also without being too tacky and getting stuff stuck to it.

 

[Fairgame]

Do it properly and raise the body off the chassis. Sandblast and wipe in primer to fill the pitting, sand, and paint. Start from the bottom up. Repeat after 30 years.

 

[Deen HK]

Thanks everyone for the help. Goal is to remove the complete rear end before winter and get it squared away properly!

 

[Broski]

Thanks everyone for the help. Goal is to remove the complete rear end before winter and get it squared away properly!

A little elbow grease and some paint and bingo

 

[mudgudgeon]

Is This Too Rusty To Be Saved ?

I reckon, if you have to ask, then Yes!

Rust is a PITA!

Nothing more frustrating then spending an hour undoing a single fastener, not having any confidence the thread is still good, knowing you're gonna put a compromised fastener back in (because its a specialised bolt the dealership won't carry, and you need the cruiser back on the road), and still having another 11 fasteners to tackle to complete a 1 hour job.

 

[SaturnAscends]

I reckon, if you have to ask, then Yes!

Rust is a PITA!

Nothing more frustrating then spending an hour undoing a single fastener, not having any confidence the thread is still good, knowing you're gonna put a compromised fastener back in (because its a specialised bolt the dealership won't carry, and you need the cruiser back on the road), and still having another 11 fasteners to tackle to complete a 1 hour job.

I feel like in the US there's a different baseline as to what level of rust is acceptable. We're not spoiled by the fair Aussie climate lol, at least not in the north/midwest

 

[mudgudgeon]

I feel like in the US there's a different baseline as to what level of rust is acceptable. We're not spoiled by the fair Aussie climate lol, at least not in the north/midwest

No doubt. We still get rust issues.
90% of our population lives within 50 miles of our east coast.
We don't have any need for salt on roads, except rare occasions in the Alps.

Also, a lot of our cruisers will see time on beaches or launching boats in salt.

I've fixed enough rust, and dealt with enough of it generally to hate it. It makes simple jobs a chore

 

[SaturnAscends]

No doubt. We still get rust issues.
90% of our population lives within 50 miles of our east coast.
We don't have any need for salt on roads, except rare occasions in the Alps.

Also, a lot of our cruisers will see time on beaches or launching boats in salt.

I've fixed enough rust, and dealt with enough of it generally to hate it. It makes simple jobs a chore

Oh for sure I wouldn't disagree that it makes everything a major PITA, even routine diff services etc.

I didn't think of all the saltwater/salty air on the coasts though. I've only ever been to Tasmania haha

 

[Kabanstva]

Not bad at all IMO. Looks mainly cosmetic. Will break a bolt or two working on it but none of this is fatal or un-salvageable.