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Frame RUST

8K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Crabman 
#1 ·
Hey guys, 16 days ago i bought a used 2005 sierra 1500, 61k miles. i kinda bought this truck in a rush because i needed to get out of my car and intro a truck for work.
My problem is i knew there was a decent amount of rust on the rear axle but after i got home and started doing some maintenance on it realized there is ALOT of rust, more than just surface rust. The brackets that hold the leaf springs i chizzeled away almost half of the thickness because its all rotted away, I'm not sure what the bar is that the idler arm is connected to....but the brackets that are welded to the frame are in the same condition. I have been kind of in a panic, sanding and chizzeling away and hitting it with rust-oleium and under coating everything pretty good. I did not think a truck with this mileage was going to look like this under there.....Does anyone know if there's anything i can do? or am i just stuck with this truck? thanks
 
#4 ·
I just bought a used 03 exta. cab 4x4 4.8 Silverado, back in May,here in Baltimore MD. History of truck was first owner was in Plymouth Mass., 2nd was south of Boston, Truck had lots of rust on underbody,but inter.,and body very good shape, mechanicals pretty good. Been doing same as U, all summer with wire brush,sander etc.. ." I would check the Brake lines very carefully," This was my first Silverado, I was on the fence, so I took a chance, knowing the brake lines were going to need repalcement, went to good mechanics,said lines, might last a year.getting them done soon. GM used mild steel, instead of stainless in brake lines.Fiqure I'd chime in on experiance.
 
#5 ·
thanks man, feels a little better to hear im not the only one out there, and have found online some of these trucks are just like this, some aren't. My brake lines werent too bad wire wheeled some minor rust off with a drill, thank you for the warning though. My truck is similar to yours as its mechanically sound, and the interior/body is in great condition, its just the rust under there thats really bothering me. I dont think lemon law will help me here due to the fact that the rust isnt causing any safety issues right now. I guess il just keep sanding and chipping away, hitting it with some rustolium and rubber undercoat.....Other than the rust under there i love my truck!
 
#6 ·
I work with a sandblasting/painting shop during the day. We just did a frame job on a 2005, 2500 duramax. This truck had about 15k on it at the time, bought new, only driven in the winter and washed then garaged after every trip. It was on it's 3rd set of brake lines, all around, and the owner talked to 2 GM reps about the rust issue. They said something along the lines of "GM knows about the rust issue and cannot do anything about the issue."

So I would recommend finding a local sandblasting company and have them do a frame job on it. Ask them if they use a preprime before they prime it; if they don't ask/demand they do (it creeps into corners and into holes where paint can't normally get). Then have them hit it with some sealing primer and then some heavy duty paint. We never use an undercoating or bed liner, because they can chip or crack without you knowing and then allow moisture to get in behind and do a lot more damage than good (seen it on a lot of frames and beds).
 
#7 ·
ive been still doing alot of sanding and spraying and undercoating. found that loctite rust neutralizer seems to be an alright product....sand it down spray that stuff, seems to really clean up the area and turn the rust black and makes sort of a hardened coat over it, then apply some undercoating over that.
 
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