First rust

[buck91]

So my 2011 F150 is a Michigan salt belt daily driver. Goal is 200k miles or 20 years, whichever comes first. One thing I do to reach that goal is yearly Fluid Film applications including underbody, inside the doors and inside the rust-prone rocker panels. So far it's been working great! Truck isn't perfect but it is VERY decent. Found my first potentionally problematic rust today. It's still minor but this is the salt belt. Just surface rust starting to bubble under the lower door patch. You can see itnwas pretty wet with fluid film under it by the fasteners but up on the sheet metal it was just paint to paint contact. Probably developed a pin holes and started rusting.

Is it worth it to bust it down to bare metal with a wire wheel or will removing the factory primer just make it more susceptible? Would I be better off just regularly spraying the spot with fluid film? After all it is about as easy to reach as it gets...

 

[FT92]

doesn't look all that bad. if it were mine i'd just wire wheel it sand, prime and paint...you could head to napa , at least my napa store will mix paint and put it in a spray can...last time I bought any was like 2 years ago cost me $ 25 for paint

 

[KGMtech]

clean up and coat it with the grey anti-seize and re-attach. Inspect 1x per year.

 

[atikovi]

When was it patched and why? If from collision damage, some shops have a lifetime warranty on repairs. I'd be more concerned about how the truck looks underneath.

 

[Donald]

I think OP meant to say latch not patch.

 

[Donald]

You need to look on the other side of the metal where it's blistering.

 

[Railrust]

Honestly just looking at that it might be from a typical manufacturing mistake/impurities on metal before factory paint was applied. Like someone else said, I'd probably check underneath.

Glad to hear the fluid Film is doing a good job underneath, I'm using it myself (twice a year). I have a 2018 Silverado and live in the rust belt, I know you can't stop it 100% but I sure would like to slow it down by 80% and get 15 years out of this truck.

 

[Driz]

Don't hold yourself too tightly to 20 Years in salt🤨. You better learn how to weld and paint if you're gonna do that.. that rocker is cosmetic but like lol the rest FIX IT NOW. Grind it out, there'll be a hole, always is under a bubble. por works well once it's cleaned up but it's [censored] to work with ( hardens up in can =waste) butt holds it back.
By now it's time to clean up the bottom. Trucks go straight to [censored] UNDERNEATH. That's where the action is believe me. If you really wanna do it then when you can live without a few weeks yank the box. Easy with an air gun. Just 6 or 8 bolts and a couple wire looms and the gate. A12 pack and 3 friends lift it off stand it on its tailgate end on scrap plywood. I use a tractor myself .
With that done you can roam freely cleaning up frame and body rust at your leisure not on your back in the dark. Wire wheel rime paint undercoat take your time and savor not being on your back wit 💩 in your eyes. Nothing but wire disk and cup wheel on a 4.5" grinder. It's in front of you do you can see what you're doing. Make it all nice n newish again. Pay special attention to the frame rails . Get them all cleaned up squeaky clean painted and coated. Spray, brush or roller take your pick as necessary. Under there protection is all that matters. It's a good time to change out old fuel pump too because it's so easy, change out fluids in diffs too same reason.

Then do the box underside. SOOOO nice being right in front of you they ALWAYS go to crap at the wheel wells where the brace welds the outer to the inner panel. ITs all fairly easy since you can see and freely move. When the n is done put it all back. I've consuming but not really awful because it's all easily worked on. Oh and it's THE BACK of those panels that really rusts. Pressure wash wire wheel scrub prime n paint as desired but get it cleaned up while it's easy to work on.


Doors, always rust along bottom. Always! tape or plug those weep holes and stuff drip or whatever 3" of ATF / petroluim jelly in there and let it sit a while. U tube shows the numerous ways. Heat it pours like water. After 15 minutes let it drain save for next year, it keeps. Meanwhile it seeped into your pinch welds where the rust can't be dealt with . Repeat yearly it's easy and doors won't rust. See utube for other ways .....

This is what I did with my 200 Sierra 5 years ago. I currently in November spray the underside with a mix of bar n chain / oldATF/ petroleum jelly sans Wallyworld. Heat up and spray from a HF shutz gun clone. ATF is magical in its antitrust properties, I've seen it! Make sure to get inside frame rails , fuel and brake lines. Up under the inner mud guards front and rear wheels too. That's where the rust thrives, where sand water n crud collect.

I'm gonna get the 20 hoping for 23/ from mine unless the engine or tranny take a dump🤞🻠Remember🤢 I did all this AFTER the damage as done. Yours done preemptively will be simpler and faster.

 

[buck91]

I get good coverage with fluid film, underbody looks very good. Interesting here is the other side unde the same latch plate.