Rusty rocker panel on trucks

[dusty88]

I'm shopping for a used truck right now. It's a PITA primarily because half of the people on Craigs list are flakes, but that's another story. Trucks in Indiana have rust, I know that's just a reality particularly at the price range we are shopping in.

I've found a couple that are in really good shape overall but have rusty rocker panels. How much of an issue is that over 5-10 years? Not a big deal if left alone, a minor repair, or a major repair? I realize the answer is "it depends" and I ultimately need a qualified person to look at a vehicle and give an estimate. But can anyone give me a rough picture of what to expect in terms of repair cost and whether or not it's worth doing (assuming the vehicle isn't rusty otherwise)?

Here are a couple that I took pics of. The first one surprised me because the vehicle otherwise has no problems and this was just on one side (passenger). The second one is about the same both driver and passenger but doesn't have other rust issues.

 

[SMiller]

If the rockers are rusted that bad then what do you think the rest of the truck is like?

Do yourself a favor and go for a road trip down south, ship around for a day or two and bring home a nice tight truck that has never seen salt.


I live in Florida and you would not believe how nice some older stuff is, not to mention there are no cold starts and the roads are all velvet smooth.

 

[MuttX7]

Did you slide under them and look at the frame and suspension? I see a lot of trucks that look awesome until you see the frames. We have had 2 in the past few months that were going to need some welding done to make them safe.

 

[churchmouse]

Smiller is correct.
If there is rust coming through the rockers look up in the rare wheel wells etc. Even the fronts.
Rust never sleeps.
Certain year trucks seem to have issues with this...

If I were buying for a 5 year + run I would avoid the rust thing if possible.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Huh. And here I thought maybe someone had convened the Rolling Stones to discuss their opinion on trucks.

 

[bigretic]

I'll give you my 2 bits on them/it as this and issue my truck price range reality as well. I purchased an 89 chevy k1500 regular cab sport side years ago with 109k on it. Cab corners rusted out to the point you could put your fists in them. I kept the truck over 10 years - finally sold it with 268k on it and the body rust was still pretty much contained to the rockers and cab corners. Fast forward I bought a 97 chevy k1500 3 door sport side about a year and a half ago with 191k on the clock. Rockers, door skins, corners are rusted out. Same same... Indiana truck. The biggest thing you need to consider IMO on this is replacement of brake lines if someone else hasn't already. They rust, they leak and sometimes pop. I'll keep driving my $3k truck and spray painting my rusty rockers and be thousands ahead vs. a $10-$40k truck and be happy. (and be able to afford the wife's bmw payment... lmao...)

 

[Dman726749]

I had cab corners and rockers replaced on my 06 f150 crew cab last year for about $1500 (family friend so I got a little bit of a discount) Other than some rust on the rear bumper the rest of the truck is clean. I keep an eye on the frame and rest of the underside and haven't noticed any rust.

 

[Gary119]

It depends on what you what, or can afford. Almost all vehicles are going to rust here in Indiana. Rockers/ bottom of doors/ bedsides/ tailgates are going to rust as they hold dirt/ debris. Unless severely rusted it cosmetics. Check frame, brake lines, body mounts.

Some independent body shops do rust repair, 3M, Lord Fusor, Kent etc. make panel bonding material that you could use just to bond a patch panel to cover it up, but note if you seal it up it will hold dirt/debris again, or use a rust converter to SLOW the rust and drive it. I would rather have a rust hole than a rather large truck payment.

 

[dusty88]

I'll give you my 2 bits on them/it as this and issue my truck price range reality as well. I purchased an 89 chevy k1500 regular cab sport side years ago with 109k on it. Cab corners rusted out to the point you could put your fists in them. I kept the truck over 10 years - finally sold it with 268k on it and the body rust was still pretty much contained to the rockers and cab corners. Fast forward I bought a 97 chevy k1500 3 door sport side about a year and a half ago with 191k on the clock. Rockers, door skins, corners are rusted out. Same same... Indiana truck. The biggest thing you need to consider IMO on this is replacement of brake lines if someone else hasn't already. They rust, they leak and sometimes pop. I'll keep driving my $3k truck and spray painting my rusty rockers and be thousands ahead vs. a $10-$40k truck and be happy. (and be able to afford the wife's bmw payment... lmao...)

oh yeah.... let me tell you my brake line story

I test-drove a Dodge someone had for sale. Drove a few miles from his house and the brake light came on. I tested the brake pedal and it went to the floor. I was in no traffic so I just let the truck slow. The brakes were so worthless at that moment they couldn't even stop the idling speed. I tested the emergency brake to make sure it could be engaged then drove the truck back at 5 mph.

I brought the truck back and the owner found the line that had just started leaking. I really do think it just happened that moment, and he had a receipt of having recent brake work. They just hadn't replaced all the lines. He called me back a couple of days later to say he had replaced the rest of the brake lines and dropped the price on the truck. My logical side knows that any other old truck might have something much worse go wrong at any second, but I just have the "that truck doesn't love me" feeling and can't bring myself to go back.

I did see a 2002 on the east side that had no rust. But when I tried to shift into 4WD it sounded like someone threw a wrench in a giant fan. And that was right after I inadvertently drove by an escalating "event" involving multiple IMPD cars and officers with their weapons drawn at someone.

My truck shopping is just not filled with good karma right now.

I've considered the Florida thing. I would more likely have a tentative buy before I go though. I bought a Prius on Ebay this spring and was very pleased with the process. I saved thousands and got a decent car. The dealers on Ebay can't hide their reputation because they have feedback on everything they sell and whether they disclosed defects. Some even provide a short warranty. The problem comes with private sellers because you really should pay for an inspection. And if you don't know what the final price is going to be, you could end up paying for several inspections and then finding each bid goes too high, or they sell the vehicle locally and stop the auction.

Another option would be to just buy a truck in Indiana that will go cheap because of more obvious rust, and then not be hurt that it isn't going to last long.

We had a 2001 that had 320K miles on it (it was at one time my husband's commuting vehicle) but my son rolled it on it's top 2 weeks ago. It had a little rust around the wheel wells but has never been garaged.
I miss having a truck. Fortunately, my son is fine. He said the truck wasn't turning/steering properly that day, and that it pulled sharply right when he hit a bump. He may be right. The night before, I drove it on the property a very short distance and momentarily thought it was in 4WD because it wasn't turning normally. At that time, I confirmed it was in 2WD, and gave it no more thought. OTOH, he may have been going 80 mph and looking at his phone. The truck wasn't worth much anymore so I hope that he at least absorbed the lesson. The doc and nurse both told him they've never seen anyone roll a vehicle without serious injury before, and that if he had not been wearing a seat belt it would certainly have been much worse.


And thanks for any and all advice.

 

[churchmouse]

Lost the rear brake line on my 04 GMC. Just 124K on the clock.
Started getting a bit funny on my way out to pick up a Ric of firewood.
Coming home I noticed mushy. Pulling into the driveway I had to E-brake to a stop.
Rust sucks.

 

[bigretic]

Lost the rear brake line on my 04 GMC. Just 124K on the clock.
Started getting a bit funny on my way out to pick up a Ric of firewood.
Coming home I noticed mushy. Pulling into the driveway I had to E-brake to a stop.
Rust sucks.

I lost the rears on my 89 in Itasca IL getting on to I90 and drove it home to Crown Point. That sucked... Slow going nut check for about 2 hours.

 

[Gary119]

Lost the rear brake line on my 04 GMC. Just 124K on the clock.
Started getting a bit funny on my way out to pick up a Ric of firewood.
Coming home I noticed mushy. Pulling into the driveway I had to E-brake to a stop.
Rust sucks.

That is such a problem that GM has a "kit" with all the lines (front and rear) I think the kit is about $120-150, but something like 8 hours repair time... so about $1000.00 total at the dealer.

 

[churchmouse]

That is such a problem that GM has a "kit" with all the lines (front and rear) I think the kit is about $120-150, but something like 8 hours repair time... so about $1000.00 total at the dealer.

I understand this was a serious issue with that truck.
Have a good friend with a 2 post lift. If memory serves parts were just north of $60 for what we replaced.
all else looked OK.

We had a Ford dually that popped a rear line on the way to Raceway park with the trailer in tow. Trailer brakes can be your friend.
I fixed it with spares from the trailer and donations from other racers before we towed home. Never had another issue.

 

[MuttX7]

That is such a problem that GM has a "kit" with all the lines (front and rear) I think the kit is about $120-150, but something like 8 hours repair time... so about $1000.00 total at the dealer.

We used one on a customers truck, thinking it would save some time. We thought wrong. With the pre-bent lines, getting them ran through some of the spots on the truck was just as time consuming as using a roll of line. The tech that was our guinea pig said he would stick with making his own from now on. Dorman is also offering the kits as well. The kits are stainless where as we use Polyarmor coiled line.

 

[dusty88]

That is such a problem that GM has a "kit" with all the lines (front and rear) I think the kit is about $120-150, but something like 8 hours repair time... so about $1000.00 total at the dealer.

Hmm.... I have a 06 Denali that is mostly parked/garaged these days but had a lot of miles in its early days (has 200K now). I have had brake work done but wonder if I should check the lines. It's a heavy beast, and now that I've experienced a brake line failure I sure wouldn't want one in that vehicle when I have traffic in front of me. I have experience in handling other types of emergencies but switching quickly to your emergency brake isn't something a person has muscle memory for. I don't even know how well an emergency brake would stop a vehicle like that if it had much velocity at the time? I suppose it depends more on how suddenly the leak became severe, huh?

 

[bwframe]

Great thread! My new trucks and cars are always already "used up" by others. Cash up front, no payment vehicles.

I'm watching for tips to deal with the rust. My method to prolong is fairly frequent washing and using the garage to park vehicles in, rather that leaving them outside in the condensation.

 

[Gary119]

Hmm.... I have a 06 Denali that is mostly parked/garaged these days but had a lot of miles in its early days (has 200K now). I have had brake work done but wonder if I should check the lines. It's a heavy beast, and now that I've experienced a brake line failure I sure wouldn't want one in that vehicle when I have traffic in front of me. I have experience in handling other types of emergencies but switching quickly to your emergency brake isn't something a person has muscle memory for. I don't even know how well an emergency brake would stop a vehicle like that if it had much velocity at the time? I suppose it depends more on how suddenly the leak became severe, huh?

Vehicles have what is called a proportion valve in the brake system. The way it works is the brakes on the vehicle is divided in two. Most vehicles have front brakes on one system, rears on another. If a front brake line fails the proportion valve will shut off that system and you will still have back brakes. If a rear fails it will shut off that system and you will still have fronts. Now granted the pedal will go down farther but should stop about 1" from the floor. IF your brakes (pads and rotors) are in good condition you will still be able to stop but the distance will be longer, (using half of a brake system). Two things that should never be neglected is Brakes and Steering.

 

[amboy49]

Guess I can partly echo the brake line issue. I have a 1997 Chevrolet Z71. I bought the truck in 1998 and I'm the second owner. The mileage is kind of unique because about the only time I ever drive it is to hunt - either locally or out west. ( Although I've also been to Canada 5 times ) Because of the type of usage the truck currently has 90,000 on it.

About five years ago I was driving across the local Lowes parking lot and the brake pedal went to almost to the floor. I think the dual master cylinder saved me. Long story somewhat shorter - one of the brake lines had rusted through. At the time the truck only had 60,000 on it. I bought the truck when it was a year old and it has always "lived" in Indiana.

I had a local mechanic replace all the lines - he actually made all of them up instead of buying prefit lines. Cost was around $700.

One more piece of information - I had the truck rust proofed when I got it and reapplied every year thereafter. And the brake lines still rusted ! ! There is almost no rust on the truck body - just barely a touch on the passenger door at the bottom. The rockers and even the bed is rust free - the bed had a liner in it with a camper shell on top of it.

It seems from my anecdote and others - Chevy trucks have a propensity for the brake lines to rust through at some point although just exactly when isn't certain. And as someone else said - "rust never sleeps."

 

[dusty88]

Is it still of value to rustproof a new (or nearly new) vehicle? Or one that is several years old but doesn't have rust now?

I bought new trucks in 91 and 2000, and had both of them rustproofed at Zierbart. By the time I bought the Denali in 2007, I had seemingly-knowledgeable people tell me that it wasn't really necessary anymore.

What is the opinion of those of you who work on vehicles or what is your experience? I won't be buying new cars again, but I may someday buy a relatively new one again.

 

[PUalum04]

I hate rust. Absolutely despise it. I love older Ford trucks and it is impossible to find rust free ones here in IN. So, back in February, I bought a 1997 F350 Crew Cab 4x4 from an individual in Mesa, AZ. It spent its entire life in AZ and the underside shows. No rust anywhere. I bought mine site unseen and had it shipped. I did have a local diesel shop do a pre-purchase inspection before I finalized the deal.

If you are considering going out of state for a rust free vehicle, I would be careful about Florida trucks. I have seen some very rusty trucks that came from the coastal areas of Florida. The southwest (AZ, NM, NV and TX) is a great place to find rust free trucks. You pay more to get it up here, but it is worth it.