Need some advice - is this surface rust or something worse? (1 Viewer)

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Connecticut
First post so be gentle - looking at a 40th Anniversary to purchase but it lives in the Northeast. In the collective experience of the group, does this undercarriage rust look like it is manageable, or fatal? Would appreciate thoughts. Thanks.
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Pretty typical for a 21 year old truck in the salt.
Honestly, I've had enough of rusty trucks. I picked up my LX450 in Phoenix and it was spotless.
Having worked on a rusty truck for years, I would walk away.
 
Thanks. Trying to do a cost-benefit analysis here. The cost to transport a rust free truck from out west all the way across country to me is about $1500 minimum. Can something like this be treated for an amount in that range or is it just a headache that will continue to cost money? Whatever I get and wherever from, I will have the undercarriage treated as well.
 
Rust is the gift that keeps on giving. Any kind of treatment you do will only slow the process, not stop it. People will give you all sorts of ideas on how to treat this kind of rust, but you need to take into account the amount of time and labor involved. And after all that, the truck will continue to rust. It will not stop, it will only slow.
Every nut and bolt on this truck is already corroded, so anything that you work on will take 4-5 times the amount of labor. You will get good at using a torch and you will buy penetrating liquids by the gallon. You will need to have a good stock of OEM bolts because each one you touch will snap, and you will need a set of left hand drill bits and extractors. That should be part of your factoring as well.
 
I've definitely seen worse--I don't think that one is a lost cause at all. But as @jonheld mentioned, the real cost is in aggravation, not dollars.

If you get a clean one shipped from the SW, please promise not to drive it in the winter. I hate the thought of rust free rigs being brought to the NW to die a slow painful death :eek:
 
I've definitely seen worse--I don't think that one is a lost cause at all. But as @jonheld mentioned, the real cost is in aggravation, not dollars.

If you get a clean one shipped from the SW, please promise not to drive it in the winter. I hate the thought of rust free rigs being brought to the NW to die a slow painful death :eek:


I know , I know....but that is indeed the purpose - I do promise to get whatever I purchase, sprayed with Line-X or Waxoyl or an equivalent!
 
^^^
Yep. What he said.
I flew out to Phoenix to see the truck in person before purchasing it and I drove it back to Jersey. It was a great road trip and well worth my time.
My brother recently picked up a 2011 LX570 from the same area and it looked showroom new underneath.
 
I know , I know....but that is indeed the purpose - I do promise to get whatever I purchase, sprayed with Line-X or Waxoyl or an equivalent!

Get a 4runner!
 
I know , I know....but that is indeed the purpose - I do promise to get whatever I purchase, sprayed with Line-X or Waxoyl or an equivalent!
I use Fluid Film every October. Spray everything from tip to tail. It's my daily driver and she's still rust free.
 
If one has an internet service subscription and PC with enough leisure in life to begin to think about owning a gas guzzling two decades+ old truck, one can afford to purchase a rust-free 80.
 
I live in MN so i know something about what rusty vehicles look like ;)

The rust doesn't look fatal, by that i mean you can poke a hole thru the frame then i'd stay away from that. This one do show a bit more rust than i would care for considering that the front of the truck has lots of surface rust. Normally, you'd see the rust at the back of the truck where the salt tends to accumulate. This one showing rust at the front means the PO has never bothered washing underneath the truck. Check out the bushings as well, they're dry rotten.

Also the 80 frames seem pretty good with rust resistance, I haven't seen one yet that i'd worry about driving. For the right price, and if you have the time and good eye-protection glasses, and understand what you are dealing with then that truck is good.

If you expecting to bring it to show quality, then get a truck from rust-free territory. Fly and drive it back home too :)
 
Had not heard of that before but looks interesting. What does that run you, may I ask?
It's about $50/gallon. I use a paint sprayer and my compressor. It takes around 2 hours from set up to clean up in my driveway.
 
I live in MN so i know something about what rusty vehicles look like ;)

The rust doesn't look fatal, by that i mean you can poke a hole thru the frame then i'd stay away from that. This one do show a bit more rust than i would care for considering that the front of the truck has lots of surface rust. Normally, you'd see the rust at the back of the truck where the salt tends to accumulate. This one showing rust at the front means the PO has never bothered washing underneath the truck. Check out the bushings as well, they're dry rotten.

Also the 80 frames seem pretty good with rust resistance, I haven't seen one yet that i'd worry about driving. For the right price, and if you have the time and good eye-protection glasses, and understand what you are dealing with then that truck is good.

If you expecting to bring it to show quality, then get a truck from rust-free territory. Fly and drive it back home too :)


This is incredibly helpful -- thank you!
 
I've fought rust before but not on a toyota. I'd never invest in anything that was covered in it because of the reasons mentioned above. The biggest issue was that every fastener was a bastard to deal with.
 
unlocked and rusty. how is the inside and how many miles? thats a 2 to 3K truck to me.


immaculate otherwise and mechanically is in great shape (although I note bushing issue identified above). It really is the rust that is holding me up. 160K miles.
 

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