cblack

So back in august I bought a 2001 f150. Well I had to replace my egr tube a few months back. So I jacked it up and put two jackstands under the big thick cross member up front. As I set the truck down on the jackatands, there was a horrible crunching noise and the truck started sinking down as the jack stands went into it. I jacked it up on the co reply ARM just on the drivers side because I wasn't lifting the whole front end up. Thankfully the jack caught it. Also my Ned rails literally do not exist. My whole frame, cab corners and mounts, axle, drive shaft and everything else is covered in rust. Not just surface rust either. It's a shame because the truck runs good and the body is nice. I'm only 20 and don't know if I should keep it or sell it. I really think I should just get rid of this thing. Does anyone else have these rust issues with their f150, and also why is that the f250's and 350's of the same years don't rust like the f150? It seems like way more rust than an eleven year old truck should have. My dads 98 ram has been in Maine since 98 and is clean as can be underneath it.

cblack

Sorry for the spelling errors. I am using my phone and it auto corrected, I meant control arm,and bed rails

rbrais

A rotted frame is a major safety issue and the truck is pretty much totaled. Your options are to buy a new frame from a scrap-yard and swap them (lots of work) or reinforce the frame with new steel. My friend's father had a '01 Ranger with 60K and the frame was shot. Our mechanic re-built a new frame out of diamond plate. Looked good, but when he tried to trade it in for a new truck, the dealership would not take it because the frame was not original. They won't accept a rotted frame either.

Frames rot for different reasons. Certain climates/conditions are worse for metal. Certain frames are made from a bad batch of metal. Where you store the truck can have an effect, etc.

Sorry man, but you are stuck in a bad position. I'd go back to where you bought it and try to get some money back. It obviously was not fine 6 months ago. And this is a very good reason to look at a vehicle when you buy it.

Burr

My 2001 has rust issues too. I to live in Maine and they salt the roads well where I live. My rust is not to bad but it is still sucks to have it and now that its slowly eating away at my truck and that makes me upset.

rbrais

There are a few things you can do to save it. Wash it well and take a wire brush to get the loose stuff off, then hit it with a rubberized undercoating. Also, magnesium blocks bolted to the frame will donate their electrons to the iron. The magnesium will slowly eat away, but the frame will not.

Burr

I would wash my frame but I have really hard water and that makes my frame rust to. It seems like everything makes my truck rust . I was going to use a wire brush and get the losse stuff off and then paint it. The magnesium blocks seem like a really cool trick. How big are the blocks and do they work well?

Carcrazygts2

Magnesium block will work but need to be kept away from heat. They will corrode before the frame. They are commonly used in boats to help prevent the aluminum out drives and such.

01SilverCrew

If it is that bad, you could swap it over to a new frame like rbrais said, sell it for parts, or scrap it. Parts is probably your best bet though for people that need a new engine and tranny.

cblack

yeah i actually bought it off my uncle and he never really knew it was this bad i guess i will talk to him about it and see if he might buy it back. Its just too much, my brake lines, trans fluid line, gas tank is rusty. I just want to get rid of this truck. I would rather have mechanical issues than this. I wonder why ford doesn't do anything about this, i know its the rust belt, and it is the owners part to take care of it, but my other uncles f350 of the same year, had basically no rust and he doesnt wash it much. My friend is selling his f150 for parts because the rear half of the frame snapped off due to rust. It just seems like 98-2002 f150's rust way to easily and severely. Do you guys think so too?

01SilverCrew

Honestly, its all about where you live I think. I live in Wisconsin and have an 01 F150 screw that was from Florida with no rust and my dad has an 02 screw that is somewhat rusty. Salt will eat up a truck