Underbody rust on an ‘08 LC? (1 Viewer)

[csbosox]

Hi,

I’m looking at an ‘08 LC that was primarily owned in the upper Midwest. Should this amount of rust concern me?

Chris

 

[tacoduck]

Clean af for a 13 year old Midwest truck.

 

[KLF]

Ya, I agree, that's pretty darned good for that age. How many miles?

Needs a proper clean & degrease with a pressure washer, then a good coat of paint, lots of choices. It will last a long time if in a similar environment.

 

[csbosox]

Ya, I agree, that's pretty darned good for that age. How many miles?

Needs a proper clean & degrease with a pressure washer, then a good coat of paint, lots of choices. It will last a long time if in a similar environment.

Thanks for the input. ~160K. Pretty clean and well priced, but I just learned that the CEK/hazard lights are on and the 4lo is flashing. The dealership hasn't been able to solve the issue yet, so the undercarriage is now the least of my worries.

 

[Sandroad]

Might be best to make that one someone else's worry. I'm pretty wimpy about electrical issues the dealer can't solve. That's more than just a loose gas cap and could indicate water damage from a bad windshield replacement or flooding. Is the front floor wet under the carpet? Is the windshield original? The undercarriage is marginally acceptable, but certainly ok in my book if the vehicle didn't have the electrical problems.

 

[Lester did that]

That's pretty clean. And low miles. A weekend with a wire brush and some WoolWax / Fluid Film.

Drop all the factory skids. The transfer case and transmission skids are usually shot even in low rust areas. Don't worry about the gas tank skid. Messing with that one can open a can of worms. A lot of those bolts will just snap no matter how gentle you are. Save that project for later. On the OEM front skid there is some foam and when you drop it you will see what I am talking about. Just get rid of all that foam. It's a salt water sponge that takes a long time to dry out. That rail that the front skids are attached to is going to need some attention. Same rail the tow hooks are attached. In the back pop the cover off the tow hitch. This is a major rust spot. Chisel out the rust back there. You can get more access if you drop the tail gate and flip up the plastic cover between the tail gait and the trunk floor. Pop off the heat shields on drivers side frame next to the exhaust.

Now that the skids are off and the heat shields take a real good look at everything. Inspect the wires and everything. The transfer case ground strap is probably rotted or close. While you have everything off it's a good time to replace all those fluids. Transfer case, differentials ect. Super simple like an oil change. Most of the work is pulling off the skids.

DO NOT PAINT THE FRAME or anything related to the frame. Paint the heat shields paint the skids if you want. NEVER EVER PUT ANY PAINT OR RUST PAINT/PRIMER OR ANY PAINT ON THE FRAME! It will cause major issues in a couple years. Spray the entire frame and exposed parts with WoolWax and the inside of the frame with FluidFilm.

When you are putting everything back use anti seize on every single bolt or screw. I prefer the copper based but anything is better than nothing. Replace any gauled bolts and run a tap to clean out any holes as needed.

 

[KLF]

DO NOT PAINT THE FRAME or anything related to the frame. Paint the heat shields paint the skids if you want. NEVER EVER PUT ANY PAINT OR RUST PAINT/PRIMER OR ANY PAINT ON THE FRAME! It will cause major issues in a couple years. Spray the entire frame and exposed parts with WoolWax and the inside of the frame with FluidFilm.

I'd like to hear your reason for this. Cuz I'm gonna have to (respectfully) disagree.

 

[Lester did that]

I'd like to hear your reason for this. Cuz I'm gonna have to (respectfully) disagree.

Gosh. Ok. I seem to reply to a lot of rust threads.

Painting the frame. The prep works needs to be stellar. The frames on the LC are a square tube. You can get to the bottom of the frame no problem. The other 3 sides are a problem. The top is a no go. If you can not properly prep, remove all scale, make a surface that will accept the paint. Your good. If not it's a poor job. Now where the paint stops you get an edge. So even if you get it cosmetically looking good there are voids. Think the top. So water and salt get behind the paint. And the way it works, especially with something like POR-15, you end up with this rock solid paint that looks great but behind it is rotting metal. The paint ends up doing the opposite. It's not keeping out moisture and brine it's holding it in. The kicker is it looks fantastic until you poke it.

Also if you took a rattle can or brush to these parts your going to be getting paint on things that don't need or want paint. We are already dealing with rust. Last thing I want to deal with is a gummed up painted over bolt. Wool wax/Fluid film is messy but doesn't effect wires, wire harnesses, or bolts

I don't know a lot but dealing with rusted vehicles, machinery or boats. I can keep them alive and spinning like a top.

 

[stonepa]

Gosh. Ok. I seem to reply to a lot of rust threads.

Painting the frame. The prep works needs to be stellar. The frames on the LC are a square tube. You can get to the bottom of the frame no problem. The other 3 sides are a problem. The top is a no go. If you can not properly prep, remove all scale, make a surface that will accept the paint. Your good. If not it's a poor job. Now where the paint stops you get an edge. So even if you get it cosmetically looking good there are voids. Think the top. So water and salt get behind the paint. And the way it works, especially with something like POR-15, you end up with this rock solid paint that looks great but behind it is rotting metal. The paint ends up doing the opposite. It's not keeping out moisture and brine it's holding it in. The kicker is it looks fantastic until you poke it.

Also if you took a rattle can or brush to these parts your going to be getting paint on things that don't need or want paint. We are already dealing with rust. Last thing I want to deal with is a gummed up painted over bolt. Wool wax/Fluid film is messy but doesn't effect wires, wire harnesses, or bolts

I don't know a lot but dealing with rusted vehicles, machinery or boats. I can keep them alive and spinning like a top.

I call bunk based on previous experience (an FJ60 and a 100, both purchased new by me and both living in marine-air laden coastal Alaska. Every year i touch up any rust on the frames with Rustoleum rattle can semi gloss. So far, frames solid after 34 and 23 years, respectively.

 

[bloc]

If you live where rust won’t end up being an issue avoid the future maintenance/repair trouble this rig will inevitably bring and wait for a truly clean one.

But if rust is a thing in Kansas then yeah doesn’t seem so bad.

 

[KLF]

Gosh. Ok. I seem to reply to a lot of rust threads.

Painting the frame. The prep works needs to be stellar. The frames on the LC are a square tube. You can get to the bottom of the frame no problem. The other 3 sides are a problem. The top is a no go. If you can not properly prep, remove all scale, make a surface that will accept the paint. Your good. If not it's a poor job. Now where the paint stops you get an edge. So even if you get it cosmetically looking good there are voids. Think the top. So water and salt get behind the paint. And the way it works, especially with something like POR-15, you end up with this rock solid paint that looks great but behind it is rotting metal. The paint ends up doing the opposite. It's not keeping out moisture and brine it's holding it in. The kicker is it looks fantastic until you poke it.

Also if you took a rattle can or brush to these parts your going to be getting paint on things that don't need or want paint. We are already dealing with rust. Last thing I want to deal with is a gummed up painted over bolt. Wool wax/Fluid film is messy but doesn't effect wires, wire harnesses, or bolts

I don't know a lot but dealing with rusted vehicles, machinery or boats. I can keep them alive and spinning like a top.

I see what you are saying, but to make a blanket statement DO NOT PAINT THE FRAME is misleading. Painting the frame with a good paint won't cause any harm. But, spraying it with a thick "undercoating" like Ziebart is a very very bad idea.

My preference would be to do BOTH: get the frame very clean with a strong degreaser (Purple Power, Super Clean, etc) and a pressure washer, then go to town with brush-on Rustoleum Satin Black. Give it a few weeks to dry/cure, THEN give it a good coating of the oil-based rust preventer of your choice, be it Wool Wax, Fluid Film, or whatever. Repeat every year.

I have mine sprayed every fall by a local shop that uses the NHOU product. It's really good stuff, odorless, doesn't seem to wash off, and best of all I don't get the nasty unpleasant job. I drop the spare tire and all the skids and deliver it to them. $200 to do the whole thing.

Home - NH Oil Undercoating

NH Oil Undercoating's protective coatings are made to extend the life of all vehicles. Contact us today if you want to add safety and value to your vehicle.

nhoilundercoating.com

 

[Lester did that]

I see what you are saying, but to make a blanket statement DO NOT PAINT THE FRAME is misleading. Painting the frame with a good paint won't cause any harm. But, spraying it with a thick "undercoating" like Ziebart is a very very bad idea.

My preference would be to do BOTH: get the frame very clean with a strong degreaser (Purple Power, Super Clean, etc) and a pressure washer, then go to town with brush-on Rustoleum Satin Black. Give it a few weeks to dry/cure, THEN give it a good coating of the oil-based rust preventer of your choice, be it Wool Wax, Fluid Film, or whatever. Repeat every year.

I have mine sprayed every fall by a local shop that uses the NHOU product. It's really good stuff, odorless, doesn't seem to wash off, and best of all I don't get the nasty unpleasant job. I drop the spare tire and all the skids and deliver it to them. $200 to do the whole thing.

Home - NH Oil Undercoating

NH Oil Undercoating's protective coatings are made to extend the life of all vehicles. Contact us today if you want to add safety and value to your vehicle.

nhoilundercoating.com

$200 is a fantastic deal. I've got a habit of doing it myself but that price might change my mind. Where abouts in NH is it located? I'm west of Caribou ME and pass thru NH from time to time.

It is a blanket statement. But I have seen too many people just go over the top. Sure a light spray of primer on non flaking rust is fine. It helps a lot. But if you tell someone that doesn't know any better its ok to paint the frame the next thing you know they over think it and go heavy. You say use a lite coat of rust primer and they go out and get 2 gallons of Rhino liner. No prep just a big fat brush. They get every nut and electrical connection covered. Send you a proud picture of how good it looks. This is the internet. People watch 2 misguided youtube videos and a few misguided posts on a forum and they make a mess of things for themselves. DO NOT PAINT the frame is what I will say to anyone asking about rust proofing or mitigation. If your asking it means you don't know. Which is totally fine! Better to ask! I'm not there having a conversation about the process in real time to spell it all out. I feel better keeping it simple. If I say DO NOT PAINT the frame you know what I am saying but the majority might not.

 

[KLF]

$200 is a fantastic deal. I've got a habit of doing it myself but that price might change my mind. Where abouts in NH is it located? I'm west of Caribou ME and pass thru NH from time to time.

Whoa, Caribou is up there, ayup. There is a dealer locator on their website, there's a lot more places closer to you then the place I use, which is AutoMedics in Barrington NH.

 

[lc200dr]

@KLF , I am newbie here , looking to purchase my first 200 series , I am looking at 17/2018/2019 used , how much rust can be for a 2 year old , I understand it depends upon the driving and recklessness of the driver but for a new car with 2 year in new england , is the rust a concern ? on average a regular non off-road can rusting happen with in 2 years ? I am debating that should i buy from non rust area spend 1000 to ship and start with preventative maintenance or just buy from new england and save 1000 and spend on rust prevention .

 

[CharlieS]

If you have the time and money, buying from a low rust area and shipping home is better. It is less work to preventatively postpone rusting than it is to effectively remediate it. Ounce of prevention being better than a pound of cure, etc.

 

[Lester did that]

If you have the time and money, buying from a low rust area and shipping home is better. It is less work to preventatively postpone rusting than it is to effectively remediate it. Ounce of prevention being better than a pound of cure, etc.

@KLF , I am newbie here , looking to purchase my first 200 series , I am looking at 17/2018/2019 used , how much rust can be for a 2 year old , I understand it depends upon the driving and recklessness of the driver but for a new car with 2 year in new england , is the rust a concern ? on average a regular non off-road can rusting happen with in 2 years ? I am debating that should i buy from non rust area spend 1000 to ship and start with preventative maintenance or just buy from new england and save 1000 and spend on rust prevention .

From the area. 2 years should be fine. You'll see some welds starting to yellow and some of the factory skids starting to rust along with the tow hitch area. If there is no flaking rust, shouldn't be, you can just stay on top of it with a good undercoating applied every season. If your up here that should be done to any vehicle anyway if you are in it for the long haul. If it's actually got rot or scaling at 2 years stay away. It's not like it's going to fall apart on the road but normal maintenance things become expensive. A $300 dollar job might go up to $600 because a bolt snapped and they have to extract it and re-tap. So the heavy rust adds time to any job. If your doing your own work its another set of tools to purchase and your time.

Like CharlieS said. Stay on top of it and you'll be OK. If you find a gem in the South have it undercoated end of September mid October before they start brining the roads. Same goes for one up here if you decide to pull the trigger.