New to Me F-150

SKYBOW

Member
Nearing retirement age and bought my retirement truck. It's a 2010 F-150 with 15,000 miles on it. It is in great shape. I love the truck. Any suggestions on how to keep it from rusting out? I had a 2002 F-250 that I traded for the 2010. It had 116,000 miles on it. It had two big rust areas on top of the rear wheel wells. It rusted completely through. I didn't drive it much but I guess the Iowa winters and the road salt are just too tough on a vehicle. I am concerned that the bumpers and the tire wells will start to go after a few winters. Suggestions?
 
Undercoating, best if new, still largely effective on a used vehicle. Frequent washing as well to get rid of mud hanging in restricted areas.
 
Go through a car wash with underbody wash weekly in the winter. I am not a proponent of undercoating a used vehicle.
 
Every spring take the time to rinse off the bottom of the truck with fresh water. Take a gloved hand to make sure there isn't sand and road salt at the top of the rear wheel wells. I have a 1994 Chevy pickup that, so far, only has rust through on the rear bumper.

Some car washes are required to recycle their water, so there is some salt in their recycled water until a few weeks after spring rains wash the salt off the roads.
 
Move to a state that doesn't use salt. I grew up in North Dakota, no salt, and our cars would last until the rough roads got 'em. Next door was Minnesota, used salt, and you could sit and watch your car rust in front of you.
 
I would think galvanized steel and aluminum bodies will both need to have road salt washed off to reduce corrosion. You see corroded aluminum alloy rims on rusty cars and trucks.
 
I like to keep the doors and trunk, or tailgate opened and dried after washing. If you dont want to go to a car wash to wash underneath, use a lawn sprinkler underneath vehicle.
 
Once in the spring, and once in the fall, take a can of any spray lubricant with the straw, insert into the drain holes at the bottom of the truck doors and spray inside. This helps the bottom of the doors anyway.
 
1# Move to Arizona with truck
2# Never drive it in the winter.
3# Plan on getting another truck in 10 years.

My 1995 is in 5 times better shape rust wise than 1/2 the early 2000 fords in my area. Bed rails cab corners etc....
 
You should change that from every spring to any time there is a warm enough spell to wash it, even if that comes out toevery month or less.
 
Have it or spray with fluid film.
or used motor oil sprayed inside the
door, tailgate & undercarriage....
More is better..
 
Agreed. Use a garden hose and spend time cleaning the underside of the truck and the top side of the back fenders. Any time its warm enough to do it is the right time to do it.
 

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