6" Lift. (aka what rusts under the Ranger?)

[bigb]

Having read about undercarriage rust I put my Ranger up on my poor man's lift today and crawled around underneath. Everything is bright and shiny, rust free right now and the only parts I can see that might rust are the drivelines and exhaust. I'm not too worried about it since I live in a desert, but I do plan to visit the beach now and then.

So what all gets surface rust? The heat shields look to be aluminum, the skids are painted. Maybe a few bolt heads? I thought I'd hit any bare metal with Rustoleum now and maybe some Fluid Film before I take it on the beach, but the drivelines are the only thing I see that might rust besides the exhaust which nothing can be done about anyway. As of yet my truck hasn't even seen rain.

The frame seems to be well painted, maybe I'll do nothing.

BTW anyone know if it's possible to flip the spare so the pressure can be checked and maintained without removal?

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[cozzishc]

exhaust is all stainless so no rust there, driveshaft will rust with the "smell" of moisture. So far that's all i have seen with rust in NE. (I "Cosmolined" all else)

 

[stemplar]

I sprayed surface shield on everything metal except the brakes and rotors. I also spent a lot of time trying to spray the inside of the body panels, especially pinch welds and holes where the plastic body trim pieces are attached with a rivets or whatever. Look at any pickup and see that rust likes to form around wheel wells, bottoms of doors, etc. Look underneath a 20 year old Ranger, especially in the salt belt, and know that what’s left of it’s frame was nicely painted too when it rolled out of the factory.

 

[POULINR]

I have a 2024 and I picked it up it was full of surface rust so had to have it coated - Ford Quality

 

[entoptics]

You can't flip the spare, as the little widget with the spring that goes through the hub will stick WAY down. I know this because Les Schwab installed my spare backwards.

I just got a valve extension, so now the valve stem sticks down through the "spokes" and is accessible without dismounting. Just don't forget to remove it if you ever have to mount the spare.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2L3VLFR?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

 

[bigb]

You can't flip the spare, as the little widget with the spring that goes through the hub will stick WAY down. I know this because Les Schwab installed my spare backwards.

I just got a valve extension, so now the valve stem sticks down through the "spokes" and is accessible without dismounting. Just don't forget to remove it if you ever have to mount the spare.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2L3VLFR?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

That was going to be my next option. Some of those things are known to leak though, but that's probably the ones that are in motion, not on spares. Have you had it on there long enough to know it doesn't leak?

Of course once I get my on-board air it won't really matter.

 

[bigb]

Well I went ahead and did all 3 drivelines, yokes and flanges, and a few bolt heads, that's about it. Everything else is pretty well painted. Even the bolts look to be galvanized.

 

[Osilith]

Well I went ahead and did all 3 drivelines, yokes and flanges, and a few bolt heads, that's about it. Everything else is pretty well painted. Even the bolts look to be galvanized.

This is looking pretty good! Does it normally look this wet after it dries? Just curious. Also to piggyback off your work and other's knowledge. What product did you use or recommend in this case? Don't live exactly in the Northeast, but live in Eastern NC next to the brackish water just shy of the outter banks lol. Everything rusts here quicker than you expect. Thanks!

 

[bigb]

This is looking pretty good! Does it normally look this wet after it dries? Just curious. Also to piggyback off your work and other's knowledge. What product did you use or recommend in this case? Don't live exactly in the Northeast, but live in Eastern NC next to the brackish water just shy of the outter banks lol. Everything rusts here quicker than you expect. Thanks!

I used Rustoleum Professional High Performance Enamel. The pics were taken right afterwards, haven't looked under there since but it does stay pretty shiny. It cures slower than regular Rustoleum and runs more easily if applied too heavily but the final cured finish is more durable.

 

[purdyd]

if you spend any time at the beach I’d hit the frame, rear leaf springs, bolt heads

And drive train through the differential and axles

and you might as well cover the rest as well.

I am trying a lanolin based product this time. I’ve seen issues with paint where moisture gets underneath it.

I recently read that lanolin glows with uv light so i will check out someday how good my coverage is

But since you are in Arizona I imagine that painted drive shaft will look great for a long time

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