Hey guys!

I was doing spring cleaning under my 01 F150. I was hoping that since the dentside era some improvements had been made, but it looks like I am headed for an eventual over the rear fender rust out (common since the dentsides came out). Can't a design for the fender reinforcement be made that doesn't trap tons of crud??? I noticed some near the rear cab corners too. Same old places. I'm considering using some POR-15 in the trouble spots.

My question for those of you in the rust belt: Have you seen 97-03's with bubbling or rust through problems yet? Are there other places I need to hose out and treat besides those mentioned? I'm planning on keeping it for a long time.

 

Look at the seam on the bottom inside of the tailgate.

 

also check the bottom seam of all the doors.

 

Yup, what they said ^. My seams are doing the same, not too bad, though.

If you haven't done so already, lower your spare tire and have a look at it. I saw a thread up in the 04-08 forum about this. I dropped mine down and was pretty disgusted by what I saw. I don't think I have had to use my spare in quite a few years, but it's worth it to maintain it for when you do need it.

 

noticed all 3 of my door have rust along the bottom seam.

 

Knock the rust off with a dremel and paint it with rust converter.

 

right on the front lip on your hood too.

 

Wow, there's some places I would not have thought to check-hood, inside seam on the tailgate, and bottom of doors. I would have thought there would be more of a problem from underneath.

No one mentioned above the wheel wells where I saw the crud, has anyone seen rust through problems there?

 

+1 on this, i did that last october to all my doors and tailgate and the rust hasnt come back.

 

Check under the hood, too. I have now replaced all the brake lines in my 2000 scab due to serious rust. The rear brake line was the worst, and the worst of that was all the way at the back of the truck, but all were looking pretty bad.

Two folks I know with 97-03 F-150s and Explorers have had minor accidents when a brake line failed due to rust.

 

I'm in NE Ohio, Truck from NY, and same here rust on bottom of tailgate and inside bottom seams of both doors otherwise pretty clean for a '98.

I pulled the liners out of the wheel wells, hit all the rust with a cupped wire brush, used the POR-15 Metal Ready and applied 2 coats of POR-15 Satin black everywhere I could reach.

Before:


After:




Makes things look alot better, wish I had some better rims because they'd really pop now. Did the fronts too:



In the front I found the lower front area were the wheel well liner attaches was heavily perforated with rust. I'm going to go in later and fab something up to replace the metal. Something to check out.

 

Hey brotherhoodv, that looks really great!! I was thinking more of the outer body panels, treating the wheel wells is a good plan. I couldn't tell for sure, looks like yours is a Flareside-therefor fiberglass fenders? If so, no rust worries there I guess.

On the fronts, are you speaking of behind/in front of the wheel well or the general lip around the wheel well? Thanks for your good info.

F150NJ, thanks-I would not have thought to check the brake lines, either.

Keep the tips coming!!

 

Snapped these today, I was referring to where the two plastic "screws" are holding the fender liner in place.



Missing one screw in this pic:



Not sure if this is a common rust through area? If it is it may be overlooked by most as it's kinda out of sight.

 

The 1997 work truck at work, obviously, has rust coming through the bottom of the back doors, and also coming through the bottom the bedsides where it curves under. I'll see if I can get a pic tomorrow.

 

brotherhoodv, I really appreciate the pictures. Looks like there is another good spot to keep an eye on.

Zaairman, a pic would be great.