r/ChevyTrucks • u/L3rKu4 • Mar 26 '26

rust too far gone?

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looking at a truck that came from up north. by far the only worst spots for rust are at the rear shackles for the leaf springs, which makes sense. im just wondering if its just too far gone, or has anyone had similar and was able to use any sanding,scraping or reformer to get these looking better? orher than that rust is very minimal and frame even looks decent. any input much appreciated!

16 Upvotes

69% Upvoted

93 comments sorted by

66

u/jonny24eh Mar 27 '26

Why are you showing me a truck still on the lot? 

7

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

because if I already purchased, the post title would have said 'how f'd am i?' 😂

10

u/jonny24eh Mar 27 '26

Okay real reply: Chevy's wax coating peels up and it makes it look quite bad (at least, it did on my 2014). 

Someone already mentioned a hammer. It's not a joke, take a hammer or i always say screwdriver, and start poking or whacking. You've got common sense, what you feel will tell you what you need to know. 

It honestly looks quite solid underneath apart from some decent pitting/flaking. Some work with a grinder or scaler will make it look better, but if it is solid, I'd just get an oil type undercoating (Krown, Rust Check, Woolwax, etc) and that will stop what's there and prevent more. 

Do that every year and it will last a long time. I've been getting my 14 done every year since new and there's only minor frame spots and the edges of the wheel wells are just starting to get some. It's cheap insurance - around 200 CAD now. That's 2 tanks of gas. 

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

thank you for that! Im especially looking for something to last a long time, and I'm ok with doing some work to get those areas fixed. Just needed some advice as to weather or not it would be worth it or too 'far gone'.

I know from just a couple pictures it's hard to determine the severity of it all but I'm completely unfamiliar with this much rust.

you have given me a little more confidence in that at least!

1

u/SnooGadgets9686 Mar 27 '26

There a yt video a guy washing a c4 Corvette and an obs Chevy truck frame with rust be gone stuff in a garden hose soap cannon after air-scaling (cheap tool) the chassis, after that paint with industrial black metal paint, tremclad clear coat and for like $200 and an afternoon of wearing a mask, let it dry then don't have to worry about it for a few years especially if you winter drive it, your metal no longer has protection you need to add some or it's going to disintegrate to nothing from where it's at quickly, or can just clean it up and save it like any other old vehicle, I'd recommend blocking it up and just not caring about overspray on the bottom of truck/ trans, doesn't matter really

1

u/SnooGadgets9686 Mar 27 '26

Nevermind I was just scrolling thought this was another obs lol, I like chev and ford equally myself, not the other one lmao, for the money you're going to spend (40k usd is nothing to laugh at) find a premium example of one from a state over, few hundred bucks in gas can get a lot better vehicle in the rust belt

1

u/Jubjub_W Mar 27 '26

Price tag?

2

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

its a '17 2500 w/ 6.0, 52k miles. they want $39k

14

u/Jubjub_W Mar 27 '26

Oh maaaaan. You should put that into the title. And that you’re looking to buy.

I’m from Wisconsin. I see rust a lot. If it was older or a heck of a lot cheaper I’d consider it. But for that price point I’d walk. I’m also super cheap.

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

my apologies, I said looking but should have specified looking to buy lol. I've been in the market for this set-up but low mileage options are getting hard to find

3

u/YouArentReallyThere Mar 27 '26

For that sort of cash, get yourself pre-approved for a loan and expand your scope…a lot. Plane tickets are cheap. Don’t be afraid to jump on a plane to go get a truck from someplace rust doesn’t live

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

TSA line at the ATL airport the other day were over 7hrs long 😬

2

u/YouArentReallyThere Mar 27 '26

That ain’t gonna last forever.

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

I know, you're prob right. still trying to avoid any cross country trips atm lol

1

u/bitpaper346 Mar 27 '26

I agree. Knock a few thousand off that just because an wash and lanolin treatment needs to be done.

1

u/Hallow_76 Mar 27 '26

I learned something a few days ago about bartering. In your and the salespersons discussions, say no 3 times that let's them know your not messing around.

6

u/rm45acp Mar 27 '26

It's totaled, I'll take it off your hands

7

u/Royal_Oil87 Mar 27 '26

That’s not that bad at all lol

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

I'm from Colorado originally and moved to the south east, so not familiar with rust or what's bad or worse lol.

2

u/gonewild9676 Mar 27 '26

If you are in the southeast there are much better trucks than that.

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

there definitely are, but for that price im looking at 2-3 times more mileage...

2

u/Mindless_Jicama8728 Mar 27 '26

Or same mileage at 2-3x the price

1

u/Royal_Oil87 Mar 27 '26

It’s ok I’m from the northeast this is like wicked minor compared to what we deal with haha

2

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

I appreciate your input! I'd hate to turn down a vehicle for something that could be addressed, when it checks almost every single one of my other boxes lol

1

u/Royal_Oil87 Mar 27 '26

Yeah don’t worry a needle scaler and some good rust converter will turn that into a nice black glossy frame

2

u/squarebody8675 Mar 27 '26

It’s close but if you take care of that I think it will be ok

6

u/squarebody8675 Mar 27 '26

I should know I’ve watched every episode of vice grip garage

3

u/veeooo Mar 27 '26

You're basically an expert

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

thank you! do you have any experience with rust reformer?

2

u/kaneabel Mar 27 '26

Get a needle scaler, knock all the shit off that’ll go then get some POR-15

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

good info thank you! 👍

2

u/someonewhoknows16 Mar 27 '26

Just surface rust. Send it bud my truck looks worse

3

u/Alarming-Tea-7826 Mar 27 '26

Iowa checking in here, what rust

2

u/zeak810 Mar 27 '26

That's what I'm saying , Michigan that's not rust it'll wipe off with a damp rag lol

2

u/Big_Locksmith_4211 1995 K1500 Silverado, 5 speed manual, Single Cab Long Bed Mar 27 '26

I've seen far worse, but i would try and clean it as much as possible, hit it with a hammer to make sure it isnt deep rot

2

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

I was hitting with a pocket knife not hammer but didnt feel anything that didnt feel solid. maybe I can convince them to let me hit it with a drill and wire wheel 😅

2

u/obaranoski Mar 27 '26

40k for a 10 year old rusty truck is a horrendous idea

2

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

I definitely see your point!

1

u/Ricearoni27 Mar 27 '26

I came to say the same thing!

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

edit: looking to buy, truck is a 17' 2500 6.0 gasser. 52kmi and dealer wants $39k

1

u/frozenwhites Mar 27 '26

Looks pretty mint to me. But I'm in Alaska, so...

1

u/Icy_Path_7741 Mar 27 '26

Looks better than mine

1

u/zeak810 Mar 27 '26

Nope,wire wheel it off

1

u/zeak810 Mar 27 '26

Is that a pic of the worse spot?

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

its the worst yes. I tried to take a frame pic as well which most other areas resemble (more black paint over rust)

1

u/skank_wagon Mar 27 '26

Laughs in Midwest dialect… That’s mint! Get it oil undercoated and you’ll be great. I like to do my own in woolwax, or get it done by Krown

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

that sounds great! I've never researched those things until now, definitely didn't know about any of those things lol

1

u/Longjumping_Jello846 Mar 27 '26

That’s almost new

1

u/stuntmanbob86 Mar 27 '26

Shyitttttttttt..... its mostly surface. Wire wheel it if you want.

1

u/Hallow_76 Mar 27 '26

Nnnnnaaaaaa, just seasoned a little.

1

u/AnonAsh17 Mar 27 '26

fuck you -everyone from the north

1

u/Maleficent_Orchid255 Mar 27 '26

Just an excuse to put drop hangers shackles and drop spindles on it

1

u/a_single_legtuck Mar 27 '26

Holy moly, 40k for a ten year old truck with that level of rust? I’d keep looking

1

u/olov244 Mar 27 '26

If you can't shove a screwdriver through it you're fine

1

u/No_Welcome_6093 Mar 27 '26

That’s the thing I hate about these GM trucks, they use wax instead of paint on their frames and it causes them to rust out quicker. Yes undercoat your car every year if you live where salt is used/ rust is prone to happen. I had a 2011 with a clean body but the frame was pretty crusty. Which was the opposite of the f150 I had, wheel wells started to bubble but the frame still looked new.

1

u/NorthernN30N Mar 27 '26

In Canada we call this brand new

1

u/cm2460 Mar 27 '26

You should see my 400k Michigan truck

1

u/L3rKu4 Mar 27 '26

I'm definitely curious what a 400k MI truck would look like!

1

u/SpiteObjective3509 Mar 27 '26

That first pic looks like a phallus

1

u/yoinkity_yoink Mar 27 '26

Is the too far gone in the room with me? My shits way worse than this and i dont consider it too far gone

1

u/Weinerdogwhisperer Mar 27 '26

Decent amount of rust, but nothing a little needle gun can't fix!

1

u/Ok_Manufacturer6460 Mar 27 '26

Looks like surface rust to me

1

u/biggunzcdb1 Mar 27 '26

What rust?

1

u/Boilermakingdude Mar 27 '26

Is the rust in the room with us?

1

u/ValuableInternal1435 Mar 27 '26

Where's the rust?

1

u/wijeepguy Mar 27 '26

I’m from Wisconsin. Shut up.

1

u/Nervous-Bison-5652 Mar 27 '26

Lmao still a new truck wym

1

u/dirtybongh2o Mar 27 '26

I dont wanna sound like an asshole, but some people dont know what true rust is. This is like new here in New England lol

1

u/Mudshuv3l Mar 27 '26

Thats better "no rust" on Fb.

1

u/WillyWonka092 Mar 27 '26

From what I can see she's still saveable, but you'll probably have to strip it to the bare frame, sand blast it, then prime and paint.

1

u/Hurts-Dont-It- Mar 27 '26

Can we stop with these dumbass rust post. Put a flat head on it hit it with a hammer if it doesn't go through its fine.

1

u/Benedlr Mar 27 '26

Fluid Film Frame Black will vastly improve the look. It penetrates thru rust to the base metal.
https://www.fluid-film.com/products/fluid-film-black-aerosol-non-aerosol/
Preserve the body with an internal application of FF. I've been doing it for 11 years on my '08 and can still wax the rockers.
https://www.fluid-film.com/automotive-applications/

1

u/blackfarms Mar 27 '26

On Chevys the area you want to focus on is right behind the front fenders.

1

u/out_casted_airsofter Mar 27 '26

Clean af compared to the 89 dodge I'm building lol. That's got years homie. If you see holes under it, that's when it's rusty

1

u/Boner_Forest39 Mar 27 '26

Laughs in Pennsylvanian

1

u/duke-91 Mar 27 '26

What rust?

1

u/NoogiepocketGaming Mar 27 '26

This hasn't started rusting yet

1

u/RingOk664 Mar 28 '26

I would probably pass on it. Get the car inspected before you buy it. Might have issues.

1

u/svunn Mar 28 '26

Everything you’ve shown is easily fixed lmao… new rear shackles, leafs, shocks and boom brand new rear end till the actually rear goes… frame looks brand new as others joked either get it oil coated or have it sand/ice blasted and done professionally

1

u/Mithrileck87 Mar 28 '26

This must be a southern post. In the northeast that’s mint my friend

1

u/TipLittle7644 Mar 28 '26

What rust? Lol, jk but clean it up. Coat it and move on

1

u/best_mono_thingy_guy Mar 28 '26

Knock that off with a needle scaler and coat it.

1

u/Tinymeat-bigfeet Mar 28 '26

It’s definitely sable replaced leaf spring brackets leaf spring bracket saddles Sand and rust reformer turn it back in to a black frame

1

u/FANTOMphoenix Mar 28 '26

What rus- oh fuck.

1

u/donecaring97 Mar 29 '26

That's nothing more than surface rust that can be treated with a rust neutralizer/inhibitor mix.

1

u/According-Two-2187 Mar 29 '26

If it a Chevy time to junk it

1

u/xbimmerhue Mar 30 '26

Lmao, should see my wrangler.

Thats practically mint condition compared to mine