Advice needed from people from the east coast

[Trancebear]

When I bought my 2003 Pathy a couple weeks ago I was aware it had spent the first 3 years of it's life in Michigan. (I got a smokin deal on this Pathy and didn't care). Now it lives with me in Denver where rust is not an issue but it has started already. Ever so slightly where there was bare metal. The parts of the truck where there is aluminum it has started to oxidize. Is there something I can do to prevent further damage? The corrosion warranty only goes for 5 years and that is over very soon. There just won't be enough damage for them to cover it in time. Any help would be appreciated.

[nissandoms47]

make more corrosion damage

[zonianbrat]

Depending on how much rust you have and where it is I would just either have someone sand down the spots and prime with rust inhibitor or do it yourself and then have the truck repainted. Once you put rust inhibitor on the problem spots your not going to have anymore problems since your out here in Denver now.

[Trancebear]

Well luckily it hasn't shown up in the paint at all, it still looks new. The concern I have is all the nuts and bolts under the truck and the drivetrain parts. I am looking for a brush/spray on rust inhibitor that is proven to work. Any ideas?

[zonianbrat]

Not sure of any brands off-hand. I would just call around to paint shops and 4x4 places and tell them what ya got and they will either tell you have have to bring it in as your undercarriage is going to fall apart (typical) or they will tell you what and where to get what you need.

[herm]

the rust you see on nuts and bolts, and undercarriage parts, isn't an issue. Yes, there may be a few bolts that take some effort to break loose, but as far as rust that becomes a structural issue, that doesn't happen until you have decades of decay. the surface rust on drivetrain parts is just that, light surface rust, and will not effect performance. To stop it, spray it down with WD40 and wipe it clean, or if the cosmetics bother you, use a scotchbrite pad to clean it up and hit it with black spray paint.

 

Keep an eye out for rust around the rear hatch hinges, door hinges, rockers and fender flares (if you have them). Look at the little triangle of steel behind the front wheel mud flaps, in front of the door pillar. That area holds a lot of crap - take a screwdriver and drop the plastic "drain" shield thing, which is usually clogged anyway, and you'll find a handful of dirt. The design is intended to flush itself out from runoff on the windshield, and if you put a hose on the lower corner of the windsield you can see it drain out, but it may still be filled with crud.

 

Out west, that dirt is just dirt, but anywhere they salt the roads that is a corrosion pocket.

 

My R50 has no significant rust anywhere, after 10 years in Maine.

 

m.