I just bought my first truck, and I'm discovering everything wrong with it at the moment. This is going to be a dedicated overlander/camping rig, so I'd like to get this as reliable and rugged as possible.



First rain let me know that the wiper bushings blew out, both windows leak, and that led to the discovery of some rust on the floor pan. I replaced the bushings, and new window seals are on the way (FAIRCHILD KD100210A).
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...101328&jsn=488




So out comes the carpet (and everything else), and luckily the rest of the pan looks great.



Any tips or suggestions on rust repair?

Once the rust is repaired, I'd like to prevent this from happening again. I'm open to suggestions.

I found this liner while looking for parts. Has anyone installed one of these floor mats?
Truck Parts and Truck Accessories

 

Grind the rust off, and have the entire floor sprayed with Linex, or Rhinoliner.

Or prime and paint using high qualit paint. Coat it with bedliner.

Then do what I do.
Removable floor mats that get pulled out if the floor gets wet..

 

Looks like the rust isn't through the metal yet. So a good clean up and do like Tman suggests and prime/paint or linex the floor.


Big plans for the build? I'd like to eventually use mine for backwoods camping/hunting expeditions, so ill be interested to see some of what you come up with.

 

Yes. Linex is the way to go, IMO.

My roof is now sealed, as you can see on my cab's roof. If it's done correctly, it's permanent, or at least until I croak from natural causes.

 

You're going to cover it with carpet anyway. For a least damaging (grinding removes metal) relatively permanent repair, you could knock the loose rust off and treat it with a rust converting primer. You can coat the entire floor pan with it, as it's a pretty decent latex based primer anyway.

Did that with a van once. Floor outlived the rest of the truck.

 

Where I live your floor would be described as "near mint with some surface rust".

 

I'm afraid I'm going to need more pictures of your rig. The sleazier, the better.

-Niemand

 

That sounds like it's up my alley. I had planned on using bedliner for the exterior already. It looks great on your truck.

 

Yup, it's a California truck. I actually bought it to run bio-fuels.

 

Thanks. I had the Linex color-matched to my truck, which cost a few extra $$ but well worth it.


BTW, you need to remove those bung covers to the cab mounting bolts. Spray inside with some sort of heavy grease (NOT White Lithium), or some other protectant. Put the bung covers back. I had to tighten up the mounting bolts while I was in there as well.

Those caverns rust from the inside out, and by coating them with oil, grease or your favorite KY Sex lube , you can avert having them rust from within I open them up every year or two for inspection and re spraying when necessary.

I believe TC From the great white north loaded them up with wheel bearing grease, but I could be mistaken. Wouldn't be the first time I've thought the wrong thing.

 

same here!

 

Remove that rust with a wire wheel in your mini grinder. You don't loose solid sheetmetal that way. Sand blasting would work too, but then you will find sand in the cab forever. Like j martin says, use a rust converting primer, maybe Zero Rust, or a rust converter like Must for Rust. Wear a face shield when using a wire wheel, that wire hurts when it sticks into your skin.

 

Floor mats that get removed are what is keeping my floors in perfect condition. A little rain gets in, the mats are pulled, the floor wiped up, doors open for a few hours, and all is dried up.


Haven't had one spot of rust since I started this process.

 

I will probably do that too. I give up on finding my cab leak for now. Ever since I moved to Texas the truck sits under a carport and I primarily drive a farm truck.

 

Yes I do have big plans for the build. I'm still toying with different designs in my head. I want to build a custom habitation box for extended expeditions, but I think I'll get a slide-in camper to live in while I polish the design.