Rust prevention in non rust states

That rust is 100% a non issue.

If it bothers you paint it or treat it but it’s not worth your time or money. Your truck is beyond clean.

 

Moisture in the air will do it. The parts you show are bare metal. Once it gets a slight coat of rust, it won't get any rust.

 

Have you ever owned a vehicle before?

 

My 23 had rusty CV axles the day I picked it up from the dealer. *cries in Indiana*

 

Do nothing. Those are unpainted surfaces. The rust was already there before the truck was transported to the dealer.

Want to see what Ford F150s look like at 1-2 months old?

 

7 year old F150 diff...

 

^Ford doesn't make them like it used to 7 years ago. Pictures are from 2021 trucks, taken in 2021.

 

Nope! It's pretty much only cosmetic but a new truck shouldn't have that much rust!

 

OMG you gotta be kidding me

 

Owned about 35. Never had the need to watch for rust.

 

You still don’t. I have no idea why you’ve never seen this same thing on your other 34 because it was certainly there.

 

If you’re in Eastern N. Cal you’re driving in snow- even the crushed lava rock CalTrans uses has a salt brine applied with it. That rust is not preventable unless you spend a lot of money and time getting the underside treated every year like easterners have to do. Since you probably don’t have to drive through it as often as they do, drive over a sprinkler once in a while to clean it off.

 

Here in the northeast a vehicle can last only 10 years if untreated. Only thing I found that works well on a new chassis, is cosmoline without reapplying it every year.

 

Should have saved this for Friday.

 

Op's got a real issue, but its not the truck.

 

Our climate in NM is easily as dry as NorCal and I've got a 17YO Gen 2 that looks about the same rust-wise, sits outside 365. About 4 years ago I pressure washed the underside steel parts and painted it with POR15, wasn't needed but I did it anyway after reading about all the rust problems on here. IMO you'll be fine but the spray on coating mentioned above is a great idea ether way.

 

I would anyways rustproof the truck. Gravel etc. may hurl up from the road and break the paint sealing the metal. Also the welds on the frame tend to rust quickly. Mine was in Middle TX and it took 2 weeks to see the first rust. However, would not get it done by Ziebart…
For the bolts and nuts rusting away, I would get rid of the rust and seal them off. One day you may have to open those nuts and bolts and rust does not help then. the other clean metal surfaces-as others wrote already, they will always be rusty due to atmospheric humidity. But that should not impact your vehicle too much.

 

Yea the rusty bolts bothered me a bit as they were on the service items. I got them cleaned up for now.

 

I had similar rust on my newish tacoma and just sprayed some fluid film on as needed for peace of mind.