Is this too much rust?

I searched for a “too much rust” thread and didn’t find one…but I may be blind and if so I apologize for the duplicate. The newest 2nd gens are now almost 10 years old and some of them I’ve seen have rust also. Looking to buy a cleanish 2nd gen and I’m hoping you guys can help me out. This particular truck is a dclb sport that spent its life in Florida. By the rust, though not a ton, I’d guess it’s seen the beach a time or 2. It’s a 2013 with roughly 115k on it. Is this too much rust? First thing I’d do is clean it up and por15 everything. I’m looking for a truck that last me another 10+ years and 100k+ miles.

 

You need to inspect the frame form under the truck looking out. (the inside portion)
The key areas are beside the convertors. Drivers side is usually the worst.
The cab mounts, the control arm mounting points. And rear frame on the passenger side, starting at the leaf spring mount going up and over the exhaust and muffler.
The spot at the muffler is easily missed, and is the second most common area to rust. (First being the spot right next to the convertor on the drivers side.)

Based on your pictures, I wouldn't be surprised if the frame is bad in those spots.

 

It looks very similar to my 2008 which received a new frame in 2017. I live in NE so the salt does a number on the bottoms, hard to believe that truck spent it life in Florida, that's a lot of seawater.

 

Just went through this. If you aren't willing to travel, that might be a bit par for course for a salty state truck. The corner of the hitch looks pretty nasty in the first pic but I saw some pretty clean southern trucks that had super nasty hitches; so that may or may not be something to be scared of (unless you want to tow).

 

Salt belt perspective? Nah, not at all!

 

This picture is a concern for me, looks like your rear bumper brackets are just about gone. Some of the other pics look like there might be some delamination starting around the boxed sections (bottom pic)

 

Echoing what others above said. The hitch bracket in the first pic looks rough.

Keeping in mind you can replace that. Also, like TnShooter said you really need to inspect the inside of the frame looking out

That said after a quick look I dont see anything else thats alarming. Though you will want to keep an eye on where the steps mount to the rockers. Those will promote rust

 

Again echoing what others said about the problem areas in the frame. That being said even if those spots are good, I'd still be passing unless it was a really good deal- with how rusty some of the hardware and various spots look I can see routine maintenance being a good deal more frustrating versus working on a cleaner truck.

 

Does not look good at all. The truck may have been used to tow a boat and the rear shocks look like they've seen several salt water dunkings....Don't feel good about this one at all.

 

Pictures of the inside of the frame ( c channel) and the boxed area by the cats. It’s not in bad shape from the pics you posted but not enough to make an accurate assessment. Por 15 is a pain in the ass to apply properly, just wire wheel then rust inhibitor then fluid film the crap out of it,that’s just my opinion.

 

POR-15 is only the answer for frame off restored cars that never see moisture/salt on their way to/from cars and coffee. Sooner or later it (or probably more accurately, the prep job) will fail somewhere and then it just rots behind the shiny black coating.

Regular fluid film, et al, is the only realistic way to slow it. Rust always wins in the salt belt, you can only extend the battle. OP sounds like he's trying to be realistic in that he's not expecting it to last forever. Not super widespread in the states yet but I like Krown myself...someone else gets messy, costs about $160 a year, and most importantly: they get inside the body cavities where it would otherwise rust from the inside out. Drips out of nooks and crannies for weeks or months afterwards but I've been impressed with it, and they have aerosol cans for touchups. #fanboy

 

Its way too much rust for me. You may enjoy a challenge and, if the truck is an absolute bargain, it may be worth all the work you are going to have to do. Make sure someone goes over it with a fine tooth comb. My advice...keep looking.

 

My 13 looks new compared to that and I live in a coastal county

OTOH I've not backed down boat ramps to the rear axle nor driven beaches dashing in and out of salt puddles.

That truck either spent a few winters in salt world or the PO never bothered to wash the frame after dipping it in Florida

 

I wouldn’t believe that’s a southern truck

 

Pass,with all the no rust trucks available why even bother with a rust bucket.

 

.....not sure about the 'southern truck' thing, but regardless, that truck, and frame were subjected to challenging conditions, and if you don't take measures to counter t hat, its going to rot on you.....and the owner, or owners of that truck obviously didn't, or didn't do enough, and with that being the case, and with those pics, its a sure bet that the more known and crucial areas which fail will be in bad shape.

 

Yeah she has some rust. Whats your rust tolerance?

 

Thanks guys, much appreciated. I passed on the truck. This will be helpful while I look at other trucks. To be honest there are definitely many more trucks that look far worse than this than there are better. The search continues…

 

Don't forget a lot of people aren't accounting for the X years that have passed since they bought theirs, or they live in the southwest (or both). I saw worse than that down in TN/Carolinas/GA, and even Colorado where I got mine from; but I also saw better ones too. Go with your gut (and make sure it's your actual gut and not the Instant Gratification Monkey doing an impression), when you find the one you'll probably know it. I don't see any harm in following up here again if you have another you're considering..we are here mostly to complain and shitpost, but also occasionally help.

Edit: oof, did you add pictures or is it just that I am just now seeing them on something larger than a 5" screen? That one is a bit farther gone than I recall thinking it was but I hopped in here on mobile!

 

Get a PPI.