Interior Rust

[89VJimmy]

I actually have 2 issues. First is water coming in on the passenger front kick panel near the vent. I've replaced the windshield, but could water from under cowl still get up in there around the blower somehow? Or could it be as simple as bad weatherstripping around the door? (although I don't know how).

Other Issue: Is the area behind the doors a known trouble spot for rust? I just pulled the small carpeted side panels that run behind the doors (along the floor) to the back seat out and both the drivers side and passenger sides were rusted completely through! I was heartbroken because this is the only rust I've ever seen on her since I picked up the truck from the dealer 12 years ago. I'm concerned because what I'm looking at now (through the 8 inch hole) appears to be a very rusty main support rib holding the body to the frame. I'm planning on getting under there this weekend to see for sure (if it ever stops snowing!)
I'm just looking for a little morale support since I'm not sure what I'm up against, and I'm not ready to trade her in yet!

Any info or suggestions would be great.

 

[riz]

<font color=purple> I hear ya, I'm in the process right now of re-doing my interior and found some rust too. It's frustrating because I don't weld and have never had to tackle rust ever before. I want to have everything ready to go before summer hits so I can enjoy it instead of having it down for repairs during the few months of enjoyment here in WI .......... hang in there, and fall back on us for support anytime. God knows I'll be venting here soon enough.....please bear with me guys !

L8r,
. Riz . <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/rizmonkey>http://www.geocities.com/rizmonkey</A>

 

[WILL]

Mine has it too mine also has it on rear tailpan. I will replace the metal and go on but it seems they all have rust in the same place.

 

[Brian 89KBlazer]

Don't feel too bad! I'm in the process of tearing mine down to the frame and the floors are both gone where the front seats bolt in, the rear bed and cross member are holes and most every bolt on the underside is a glob of rust!! No hex heads left on most bolts, just flakey chunks of rust!

And to top it all off, the frame acutally has holes rusted right through it! Lots for me to do to get it back on the road but at least now I've got no excuse not to build my own new chassis out of boxed steel tubing.

Brian
89KBlazer

Good luck with yours and anytime you want to compare notes on rust, I'll be happy to swap stories with ya!!

 

[mudfanatic]

Just be glad you caught it now. this is why I really don't like carpet it hides too much stuff and holds moisture so wet feet get onto it and everything looks fine while underneath it is soaking through to the floor and starting to cause havoc.
I bought my blazer with very little aparent rust on the passanger side floor I don't know what the underside looked like but I rolled the carpet back after letting the floor dry out after my heater core burst and a year later I rolled the carpet back to find 2 holes in the floor and bubbles all over. In your case I would find a steel piece in a steel yard that you can replace your cross member with have it welded in and paint everything with POR15 then find a suburban you can cut the floors out of to replace your floor panels and p[aint the entire areas with POR15.
Dan

<font color=red>get involved with land issues or lose the land</font color=red>

 

[Brian 89KBlazer]

Or an option in my case is to use POR 15 on the chassis & I'm having the body rhino-lined inside and all along the underside of the body.

Brian
89KBlazer

 

[BillyBob]

Are you talking about rust where the seatbelts bolt to the side of the tub? I have really nasty rust there. I have to sell my 87 because I can't afford the body work

. Anyway, fix that fast if you wanna save the tub. Mine has gotten worse and worse, and now the floor around the rear cab mounts is going because of this. I hope I can sell my truck to someone who is able to fix it up!

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://billybob.coloradok5.com>http://billybob.coloradok5.com</A>
If it ain't leaking oil, it ain't my truck!

 

[Brian 89KBlazer]

Oh yeah, Billybob! I forgot about that.

Mine also rusted out where the passenger side seatbelt bolts on!!

Brian
89KBlazer

See 89VJimmy, yours is starting to look better all the time!!

 

[89VJimmy]

Yes, that's the spot! I can actually reach through the side right where the seatbelt bolts in and touch the road! Both sides! I'm less worried about the sheet metal wall and more worried about that steel "I" beam running up the side. I don't know how the heck I'm gonna save them......

 

[dewey]

I had great luck, just asking around at the local parts stores who does good welding...I drive up to this guys house, he looks at all the areas you guys mentioned, and says
"more than a hundred, less than a thousand" "but you'll have to help".. I bring my truck back next week, learn how to weld with this guys help.. Moral is, I replaced where both seat belts attach, the rear tailpan, and both front floors...for $100 bucks!!!!!!
Maybe changing tires for people on the side of the highway is coming back around to me......
Look, ask.....

HEY! Your ford scratched my skidplate!!

 

[89VJimmy]

Well, for those interested the good news is the leak is definetly coming from the windshield. The bad news is I practically pulled my dash comepletly out to proove it. There was some water coming from teh P/S vent. If you've never seen how that works it's pretty cool. There is sort of a gutter system that runs under the cowl and between the body panels. If this gets clogged with debris such as acorns, leaves, whatever, the water tends to splash around in there pretty good. Anyway, that's not really a problem provided the gasket around the vent is still good. Mine being 12 years old it needed a bead of RTV and we were back in business.

As for the rust behind the doors, it is only a small panel that can be cut and replaced fairly easily. I'm surprised at the vulnerability of this panel. A little better design could have avoided this area from being such a trouble spot. Fortunately no structural damage. (But the spot where the seat belt bolts in is SHOT). Good thing I didn't need the seatbelt to do it's job. (Now I know how Earnhardt must've felt)

 

[BillyBob]

Well, you got lucky. I Wish I could get my truck fixed, but my friend says it isn't worth it.... then again, I'm talking about a guy who doesn't give a care if his 71's tub falls completely off the frame. Anyway, I took some pics of the rust, and hope to get the film developed sometime this week.. then you'll see some really scary stuff!

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://billybob.coloradok5.com>http://billybob.coloradok5.com</A>
If it ain't leaking oil, it ain't my truck!