Most Common Rust Problem Areas

[SasquatchSanta]

I'm thinking about buying a deuce from a private seller.

Given that this is snow, and therefore road salt country I'm concerned about rust.

Can anyone tell me where the most common areas on a deuce to be on the lookout for rust? Where does it show up first, second, third?

Thanks,

 

[randyscycle]

Bottoms of the doors, sills under the doors, floor seams, front fender seams where the spotwelds hold the bracing underneath to name a few places.....

 

[cbvet]

Doors #1 !

 

[tm america]

fenders where braces attach # second the inside kick panels andthe the rocker panels and doors.also the bed will rust from the inside of the stake pockets and the braces under the bed

 

[FrankUSMC]

In this area, (North Carolina) I see alot of rust under the door area. The area would hold water and it waould rust out from with in.
It is a very easy area also to patch, or just put a piece of sheet metal over.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

 

[SasquatchSanta]

Thanks,

One of the trucks I'm looking at has rust on the fender between the exhaust stack and the body. I just wondered of that was common. The doors and rocker pannels look good.

Sometimes specific trucks have common rust areas. For instance, M37s always rust under the head lights.

Thanks again.

 

[Recovry4x4]

That is a common area Ernie. Water sits in the bottom of the side vent and rots that area out!

 

[dittle]

Also check the saddle joint on the back axels where the U-bolts go through. A lot of times this area gets full of dirt and no one bothers to clean it out. Needless to say it will rust the U-bolts in half.

 

[randyscycle]

Also check the saddle joint on the back axels where the U-bolts go through. A lot of times this area gets full of dirt and no one bothers to clean it out. Needless to say it will rust the U-bolts in half.

Yep, seen 'em like an hourglass. Not a good thing if they give up!

 

[bgekky3]

My southwest truck has a spot on the right rocker about the middle of the door and on the left side cab corner. The right side is the size of a quarter the left side is a little larger. Since I moved north it is starting at every joint and unprotected area.

 

[SasquatchSanta]

Thanks again guys.

I kind of figured that the area on the fenders around the stack area was a "normal" rust area.

The saddle joint area was particularly interesting. Who would have thought it! Thanks for the heads up.

I've always felt there are patterns for specific trucks (in this case M35s) that can be used to determine the severity of onset rust.

For instance, with an M37 you can pretty much bet that the area under the headlights are guaranteed rust areas. Then, phase-two is the area on the body just in front of the lower door/s area. Phase-three is the door bottoms and phase-four the rear wheel wells.
Feel free to correct me on this --- this is just what I remember seeing.

It would be interesting to put together a "Phase-One, Two Three" etc rust pattern for the M35 (and M37) so a buyer would know where to look when buying a truck.

From what I've seen on M37s, if you have Phase-4 symptoms you also have phase 1, 2 & 3 symptons.

This is just a thought but it would be kind of handy to be able to rate a truck as a Phase-1, Phase-2, Phase-3 etc..

Just a thought.

Thanks again.