That could be, but I thought the entire state went 'salt free'....it started near wetland runoffs and such. Never had my truck out 'west' anyway, lol....but used to send it through the car wash almost every week the first 6-7 years (free w/ a full up).

Believe me, this safety problem could become bigger than the Pinto gas filler pipe.
(come to thing of it, my filler pipe is rotted too)

 

lol so its a design flaw that makes me want to wash my truck!

 

How long does it take for you to remove the bed and spray paint it? The only problem (that I can see) is all the surface rust... it's just UGLY. :(

+1. Chicopee still uses salt. I believe all the highways still use salt too.... not entirely sure about that though.

 

I believe the salt alternatives they use are 10x worse than salt. We bought some used Mack trucks from Iowa that were only 1-3 years old when we got them. This was about 3 years ago and the suspensions on them are rotting out already. We've had Macks since the mid 80's and have never had any suspension issues and all of these trucks from Iowa have had to have the walking beam suspension mounts replaced from rust. You guys just live in crappy areas. Look at it as a reason to move, you already live in high tax, low freedom areas, no need to have rusty trucks too.

 

I can see it being an issue with late model Rangers having premature frame rot issues, but I'm assuming your looking to be compensated for your 98 Ranger. I can see it if you had an 06 or 07 with a rotten ****, but your 98 has had it's share of winters and probably a lack of undercarriage washes after mudding.

 

so if I complained about a spot on my bumper being chipped off and that spots got rust on it now, I'd get a new one if others complain?? lol just bustin ya ***** man. I agree with this most everyone else in this thread though, design flaw and wash out your undercarriage

 

I guess that some of you feel a Ranger with a pristine body, with not a speck of rust anywhere on it........but to have the heavy steel of the back 1/2 of the frame that is basically disintegrating from rust is somehow normal?
Well I've got a bridge I would like to sell you.

And for those of you who don't know, just about the the entire eastern 1/3 of MA is a 'low salt' area, that also uses calcium magnesium acetate mixed w/ sand to keep salt out of the drinking water.

 

I know how much ppl like pics on here so here is a pic of my old yota frame that was just hideous. As you can see, that's a giant hole in the frame and the axle bracket was completely rusted out. Toyota didn't even care to recall it, buying a Toyota was the mistake in the first place lol

 

Great pic, is there any truth to the roomer that Rangers & Toyota's get there frames from the same supplier?
The F-150 does not have the frame rust problems that some Rangers have.

 

NAILED IT!!

 

MA problem, lol....the Rangers with this problem come from all over the (northern 1/2) of the country. (do a web search and see)

 

When I first bought my truck it had 145,000 miles on it. The frame was covered in surface rust. I wish I had a pick of it cause the whole underneath was orange. I got it undercoated 2 years ago. I'm pretty **** about making sure I spray down the frame whenever I wash my truck. The other day a big piece of undercoat plopped off and there was a nice piece of rusted metal that came off with it. I found some other areas that the undercoating was loose and when I took it off a layer of the rusted frame came with it. This is why I'm starting to save for a new truck. I'm going to spray all those spots with undercoating to get me through the winter. during the Summer is when I'm going to try and tackle saving this frame. Oh and I can't believe my shackles and hangers haven't busted yet, It looks like its just layers of flacky metal thats left of the hangers.

 

This is dumb! My truck is 17 years old now and it has been in MI all its life. It was very poorly taken care of before i got it and the frame is still solid.

 

I guess someone will see me looking at my frame tomorrow to check mine out haha, I've only wased its undercarriage once in the 5 years I;ve owned it haha.

 

If anyone else has had to replace the main brake line running to the rear end, you'll know there's a spot between the tank and frame where **** collects and rots the line away, if the line rots, so will the frame.

If anything that would've been recall worthy as if I didn't pump my brakes in front of my house, I would've been pumping my brakes doing 40 down a main road that goes down hill.

So far the only rotted fram parts are shackle hangers and part of the radiator support,.

 

X2 dad drives his truck out that way and during the winter i spend alot of time patching wiring. what ever its is corodes(sp?) wires really fast.

 

i replaced that brake line and it sucked ***. i have only replaced the shacle hangers and part of the my rad suport is starting to get bad.

 

if your so concerned with your truck rotting dont drive it in the winter its simple as that.. you live in new england.. rust is going to happen bro.. trust me i live in maine.. and it being a 98 im pretty sure its seen its fair share of its winters.. being that old there is no way you could stop it... unless a car was never driven in the winter/wet theres no way its not going to rust somewhere at some point in time.. your truck is like what 11 years old?

 

do you REALLY want me to do a web search? It wont be just Rangers i look up. The problem you are stating affects ALL vehicles. You are trying to tie it directly to a single model vehicle and that is where the problem is. Its not a problem unique to your model truck. I was born and raised in SoCal. Out here a car 25 years or newer should have ZERO rust. At the same time, ive been back east. Ive been to Detroit, ive been to Baltimore. Ive been to Idaho and Utah as well. BTW, you just reaffirmed my theory with "from all over the (northern 1/2) of the country". That means its a geographical problem...........

Guess what? In the eastern states i saw very, very few vehicles of ANY make that were more than 15 years old. The ones that i did see out there were crispy critters.

lets compare....
90s Dodge full size van in Farmington Hills, MI



Now, the area under the battery tray in my 1969 Mercury Cougar. a 40 YEAR OLD CAR that has spent all of its life in southern California. It will take 3 minutes to get a roloc disc and clean this off. Remember... this is UNDER the battery tray... acid and environment have been working on it for 40 YEARS... difference? Its NOT in MI! or MA for that matter.



On the classic Cougar site im on as well, if this was an east coast car, you know what it would take to fix this car? (courtesy of 1969XR7Vert)

 

It sounds like this guy just wants a new truck.

Sean

 

here in MN my time line for a vehicle is this.

0-5 years = great shape with only a small amount of rust underneath, Maybe a bubble starting on the inside of a door bottom

5-7 years = still looks good, but getting long in the tooth. paint is getting dull and you care getting definate rust popping on the inside lips of door panels

7-10 years = rust. either holes or Scabs

10+ years = $500 car if the heat works and it drives. I once junked a car because I couldnt get the bolts off the strut to replace a broken spring due to rust (both the spring and the hardware)

personally the 10 year mark is typically where I abandon ship. Ruts, upkeep and value just dont make it worth it.

 

That last picture is pretty typical of any older car from up north. Its crazy some of the older mustangs from the north east and how there is just nothing there. Then you look at a comparable car from the south west and the steel is like new. Actually the floors on my 69 Mach looked like the Flintstone's car. I guess I should of sent a complaint letter out and I could of gotten Ford to replace my 40+ year old floor boards.

As most everyone has stated the problem is with the geographical location and owner neglect. Its sad we've got such an entitlement mentality in this country that we want a company to replace 10+ year old truck frame because it wasn't taken care of to begin with.

 

My 2005 Ford Ranger has Tons of surface rust on the frame. Don't think its any worse than surface rust though. It has 60k miles and I get it washed alot in the winter.

 

i completely agree with that statement and you couldnt be more accurate. it is sad, whatever happened to taking a little responsibility for youre own.

 

I don't know one vehicle that looks great after 15 years in the salt and snow.

My old Geo was solid but there was some scary rust holes.

I never had a problem with trucks, but that is probably because i crawl under my truck a couple times a year and spray out every little crevice and paint it.