I have a 97 F150 XLT, long bed, regular cab, electronic 4x4. I bought this truck brand new and have babied, and taken excellent care of it for 16 years. The body still looks in showroom condition, but the undercarriage is another story. The road salt they use in the winter (in WV) has it rusting out very bad. Rust around the windshield has created leaks that have shorted out the control module for the wipers, 4x4, interior lights, and power windows. The brake lines have rusted out twice and now I have no brakes. The frame under the bed, above the spare tire, has rusted in two. I have tried to keep up with the damage, but I'm at a loss for what else to do. Can anyone out there suggest anything? This truck looks fantastic on the outside, and I would like to save it. But I'm not sure what I can do. Thanks!

 

get it oil undercoated. They use road salt here in Ontario Canada as well. I bought my 1997 in 2010. it had some minor rust issues and I took it to get "krown" oil sprayed every fall for the last 4 years and they rust has froze in its current state and has not progressed at all since ive owned it. yes the makes it a little messier to work on but well worth it in my opinion..

 

Oil undercoating does not stop rust only slows the process but like stated above helps alot

 

Hard to believe it's still mint on the outside, - rusted that much underneath.

If the body is good (I couldn't save mine), your very lucky and it's worth repairing. The back of the frame is an easy fix, but around the windshield ? Iduno, that could be fun. With the frame just hit the bone yard and have them cut a back section off for yuh. They'll do it. Then cut out the bad weld in the good.

Windshield leaks, yea, not sure how bad those are. How much metal needs to be cut out shaped and replaced. It'll cost yuh to have some one else do the work tho. Have any pictures of the bad spots?

 

Jbrew: Thanks for the advice. No, I don't have any pictures of the bad spots. Just imagine the under side of a truck flaking and deteriorating away. Yes, the body still looks great, although there are some spots near the back bumper showing some signs of "bubbling" from underneath, and will eventually rust through if not repaired.

As for the windshield, I have heard this is common with 97 and other Ford truck models. The fix is relatively easy. Have a body shop take it out, repair the rusted areas of the opening, then have an auto body glass installer replace and seal the windshield. Then I will need to replace the Body Control Module under the dash. That is the easy part, but a little expensive. The rust underneath is what worries me the most. I feel like it's a sinking ship.

I know it will be costly, and I'm on a fixed income. I am 58 and had to take an early retirement for health reasons. I have heart disease and other issues so I am also on disability. I am unable to do the work myself, and can't afford to pay very much to have it done. But it breaks my heart to see my truck sitting there looking so good, but knowing it is dying a slow death. So I guess I'm just looking for some answers.

 

Yea, it is a sinking ship unfortunately. Well, depending upon how bad it is around the windshield, you could skip the body shop and just stop by a windshield replacement shop and have them try to reseal it. They have really good stuff for that. You get away with just a reset/seal.

With it like that, you can't expect them to warranty the work, but they can probably tell right up front if it's possible.

For the frame, stop by a welding/fabrication shop and have them weld a plate over the break on both sides. That's probably the cheapest you might be able to get away with in both cases. To fix it right you would need to remove the bed. With it rusted like that underneath, the floor could go to heel just attempting it.

So , yea, when they get like that, there's not much you can do unless you can put the time into it yourself. If it still looks alright, I'd consider selling it before the body begins to rot.

 

send the truck to capri debris lol

sounds like you need this type of work done:
https://www.f150forum.com/f6/ever-wa...inside-233302/