How's my rust look? 2013

Looks fine to me, just surface rust but wanted to get some other opinions.

Definitely less than a lot of others I've seen posted.

Should I take a wire brush to it?

 

Looks good! Where do you live? If that same rate continues (although it might be exponential) I think the frame would last longer than multiple engines. I do see a crack forming in your crossmember on the 3rd photo, though.

 

Oh, I see what you mean. Good catch.

I live in NC, but the truck spent most it's life in Texas and Louisiana.

Gonna see what I can get off with a wire brush, and get some fluid film on it.

 

Yeah, good idea! It will accelerate in NC I think. Seems like the move is to scrape, wire wheel, degrease, primer, paint/POR 15 and regular “fluid filming”.

 

Sounds like a plan. I appreciate the advice, thanks!

 

That’s mostly just weld rust. Pretty common. If you want just wire wheel those areas to remove the flake, then rattle can your choice of black, let it cure for a few days then top coat with a rust protectant if you want. if you don’t see much salt in your part of NC the topcoat rust protectant not even really necessary.

 

On the inside of the frame by the cats is where you want to keep an eye on.
You’ll see some holes in the frame, spray inside the holes. They’re like 2 layers in there. So use a spray with a straw to get in there good. This area and the rear close to the shock mounts are the ones that rust out first. And the hitch, if you have the tow package.

 

I’ve seen 3 year old Northeast trucks look significantly worse than that. One rough winter with lots of salt, no car washes, and the frame could look like that.

 

Second this. Don't waste any time thinking about it, get a rust preventative on it or find a place that does it.
I replaced my rear bumper and hitch assembly with an aftermarket one that I had galvanized.

 

Primer?

I'm researching this atm as well, looking like por 15 offers a full kit with degreaser, metal prep, and paint. I think por 15 top coat is meant to go directly on metal, but...

Edit: their top coat goes over the rust-prevent coat. they sell primer too, but in the end I don't think it helps anything besides maybe finish.

 

You are correct. POR15 doesn’t utilize primer. Straight over etched bare metal or rusted metal as their directions specify. It’s a horrible product for an otherwise clean frame anyway since longevity of adhesion to surrounding intact frame coat will be questionable.

 

Yep, didn’t mean primer for POR15. Good on ya for doing your research. If you’re just gonna paint it with rustoleum or the like, I always like to primer it if for nothing else than another layer of paint..

 

Looks like surface rust but now is a good time to get on top of it. Brush on eastwood rust encapsulator to stop it in its tracks and then spray woolwax inside/outside of the frame each fall. Will last forever that way.

 

OP just wondering what you ended up doing (if anything yet).

I've had no time to do any more research but if im going to the effort of crawling around and wire wheeling rust, i'm going to do it as best as I can with the best products I can afford.

The outside of the frame rails seems easy enough, but i'm still not sure how to tackle the hard to reach places like overlapping body panels, inside of frame, etc. Thinking of applying a sealer, but I don't want to trap moisture or accelerate rust either.