I've had my 96' F150 XL for 3 years now and no complaints. Last year I had to replace a rear leaf spring bracket drivers side. Today I have to replace the other side. Had to replace some brake lines and front hoses. The shock/spring towers look pretty bad. What gives with the rust on the towers? I can understand the rear spring brackets.. road salt clinging to them.. is it the same with the towers.. tough spots for the salt to wash off? Or was this truck a shore truck or some parts didn't hold up to well to salt?

 

If you do not live in an area that puts salt on the roads (10% of the salt mined in the world is dumped on roads in North America each year) then your truck must have lived near a body of salt water at some point.

I have read in a few posts that the primer/paint used on the brackets that attached to the trucks were not done as well or as thoroughly as the frame. Ford is aware of it as well - my local dealer has spring towers on the self in the parts department - and those places do not stock anything that does not move quickly.

Back in the 1950s, some cars already had holes rusted in body panels that were only three or four years old - so I guess it could be worse...

 

yeah, it could be worse.. that's the way I look at it... it's a good truck, I haven't had no problems to speak of other than what I did to the frame. And other than a idle valve.

 

My currant 92 is out of Pa and the whole back is rust, 2 bad gas tanks, rusted rear leaf bracket, etc, but it leaks oil so the rust in the front is minimal. But my old 92 was clean, hardly any rust, also out of Pa, so it must be certain batches of trucks with the problem, say parts made in canada or mexico.

 

This came from Pennsylvania:

 

But by the condition of the Ansen Sprint wheels they are not out of PA.

 

The rims? That's what they're called? I've been trying to find that out ever since the jerkoff at the tire shop busted one of the center caps. It has an "S" on it.

 

I know American Racing copied them, also did Cragar, but I think they were always called Sprint wheels, they were big in 60s and 70s. I know caps are available, but not might have the S on them, if you are interested I can look at the speed shop I occasionally work, it has been there since 1945 so we might have one laying around.

 

I'm interested, but I also have to find a shop that can fix one rim. The elongated slots have worn and the rim knocks down the road. Let me know what it'll cost me. I have a lot of relatives in Jersey if you're close enough that they could even bring it to me.

 

I will see what I can do, I am not garanteeing anything but I will look.