New Guy Same Ole Rust Question

[RunKlub]

Location

United States

Good afternoon,

I’ve been lurking in the shadows for a while now, but I’ve finally officially joined .... I’ve been passively searching for a 100 Series, and a 2007 recently popped up on my radar.

The catch? It’s an Ohio vehicle. I know, I know—the "R" word . Coming from a 2013 Armada that spent its life in South Carolina & Georgia, my eyes aren't quite calibrated to the "acceptable level " of corrosion yet. Based on some of the older threads here, this looks like it might be within a manageable range, but I’d love the collective wisdom of this group.

Below is a link to the dealer video
2007 Undercarriage Video

Thank you,

 

[Super77]

Hard to tell much from that video. What’s your question?

 

[Zuberg]

Welcome to the forum! There's definitely rust. Hard to tell from the video whether it's been undercoated or not.

Pictures of the usual trouble spots (front passenger side sway bar frame mount and rear driverside frame crossmember, rear wheel arches, etc) would help.

Whether it's acceptable or not depends on your goals/plans for the truck. Rusty trucks are usually cheaper up front, but more expensive (time & money) long term.

 

[RunKlub]

Hard to tell much from that video. What’s your question?

Hard to tell much from that video. What’s your question?

The heavy corrosion areas appear to be at the cab mounting bracket and the only other area with "significant" collection appear to be two cross members , and it looks to be surface level/ minimal. Looking to see if anyone sees anything more than that, specifically anything so damnng that they would recommend punting before I put resources into traveling to investigate further. (380 miles or travel)

 

[Super77]

The video does not tell much of a story. The body mounts might be worth getting some close-up photos. Surface rust is normal, but red flags = areas that are flaking like phyllo dough, have holes or have heavy rust on welds, or rust-seized bolts.

Rust is just one factor to consider (mechanical, maintenance, accident history, cosmetic …) but if you live outside the salt belt, rust is what you’ll see every time you look under this truck, and not others in your area. Will you regret that?

 

[Super77]

Hard to tell from the video whether it's been undercoated or not.

Yeah, investigate this. Professional pre-emptive coating can prevent rust. Post-coating can just hide it. A “naked” frame is easier to assess.

 

[RunKlub]

The video does not tell much of a story. The body mounts might be worth getting some close-up photos. Surface rust is normal, but red flags = areas that are flaking like phyllo dough, have holes or have heavy rust on welds, or rust-seized bolts.

Rust is just one factor to consider (mechanical, maintenance, accident history, cosmetic …) but if you live outside the salt belt, rust is what you’ll see every time you look under this truck, and not others in your area. Will you regret that?

I've been combing through the service records, and they are in pretty good order. If the service records were trash, I wouldn't be this deep into the rabbit hole, freezing that video every few seconds, trying to assess. I've asked for more pictures, preferably with it on the lift. Naturally, they've quit responding to me, so I'm probably at the pivot point on this one.

Thank you for your insight.

 

[Seanshine]

I have a 99 in Pennsylvania. The real question here is price and what you plan to do with it. Mine is for sure rusty and nothing I do will stop that. It has fixed lifespan. But I paid $5000 for it many years ago. I’ve got it where I want it, but I know it’s going to eventually rust out on me. For $5000 and the years and time I have had and will have with some preventative maintenance, it’s worth it. It all comes down to the cost vs benefit. Rust isn’t going to stop you from using it for years. You’re more likely going to encounter some other issue. For me it was the alternator failing and overcharging the clerical and wreaking havoc. Almost 200k miles now.

 

[Landman2000]

Good afternoon,

I’ve been lurking in the shadows for a while now, but I’ve finally officially joined .... I’ve been passively searching for a 100 Series, and a 2007 recently popped up on my radar.

The catch? It’s an Ohio vehicle. I know, I know—the "R" word . Coming from a 2013 Armada that spent its life in South Carolina & Georgia, my eyes aren't quite calibrated to the "acceptable level " of corrosion yet. Based on some of the older threads here, this looks like it might be within a manageable range, but I’d love the collective wisdom of this group.

Below is a link to the dealer video
2007 Undercarriage Video

Thank you,

I zoomed in on the video and looked very closely. If it was me I would pass. I am very anal about rust though. The cab mounts dont look great and I’m sure the crossmember above the rear axle is in bad shape. I’d also be worried about the underside of the body with that much surface rust. Not to mention every nut/bolt will be seized and possibly break as you work on it.