Hello Ranger Forum,

Happy New Year. In November, I bought a 2010 Ranger; my fifth in 20 years and the first that was previously owned. I'm a California native, so all of them have been west coasters.

I wanted my dream Ranger, the one I should have bought in 2011 when I had the chance, but didn't. So I began the search for a 2010-11 black Ranger Sport extended cab with 4x4 and a standard transmission. And it had to have under 40,000 miles. I drove my black 02 Edge for 150,000 miles, the best vehicle I ever owned. The new truck is intended for the long haul as well.

A Nationwide search yielded no options on the west coast; nobody trades them here. The two that were within 100 of Southern California, were red and blue respectively, with high mileage. Two black trucks did show up and were exactly what I wanted. One in Kentucky with 36k and one in Chicago with 38k. I chose Chicago as it was 1k less expensive and I would need to pay for shipping. Said truck had perfect Carfax and Auto-Check scores, the latter giving it 94 overall. It was an independent dealer and they had a stable of very nice cars. I bought it and had it shipped to Palm Springs.

The truck arrived and it was indeed flawless, great body and paint, glass sides, perfect interior, all options worked, a beautiful example. Then, I took it to my mechanic for a check up and we put it up on the lift... For a guy that's always owned Western cars, I was not prepared for the degree of under carriage rust, especially for such a relatively new vehicle with Uber low mileage. It had spent it's first seven years in Ontario, Canada.

As we began to check over the components, it became obvious there were many problems. The mechanic was concerned about brake and fuel lines (fused together), completely inoperable spare tire with a rusted out wheel, possible front suspension issues and surface rust everywhere, wheels, differential, etc. Amazingly, there is not a spot of rust on the body. Door bottoms are perfect, engine bay is perfect and it drives beautifully, albeit there is some horrendous wind turbulence noise at the windshield and a few creaks and groans. I've never had a four door with the clam shells, so don't know if that contributes to the creaking.

So, my dream truck could be a nightmare; just waiting to self destruct, or just a typical used vehicle from the Mid West and I'm overreacting. The mechanic said the frame seemed to be solid. I'd like some feedback from folks in the colder regions about rust issues and how I might remedy them. Or, should I take my lumps, flog myself for not requesting undercarriage photos and trade the thing in as fast as I can. It kills me because I love the damn thing. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Steven

 

I'm on the lookout for my "dream" Ranger as well. I had a 2002 FX4 so I'm looking for another.

Living in MN I can tell you that you should have spent the extra money for the KY one. The road de-icer that gets used up here in the midwest is brutal to these trucks and they rust from the inside out. They may look good on the outside but rust is lurking underneath. My search is excluding anywhere that this crap is used regularly. It's pervasive and will wick itself into areas you can't even imagine. It's very corrosive to wiring. On our semi-trucks it destroys everything.

Not a lot you can do to stop it. Maybe try some POR15.

 

i'm with you on rust. it kills Rangers. here in Mass. it could not get much worse..salt on the roads AND in the air. at least with you being in palm springs it is basically the desert? so the corrosion should not get any worse. you could always go for a bed off POR-15 treatment on the frame which would definitely extend its life. good luck with it, it sounds like something you may want to preserve.

 

I recently had same issue with my Dad's Ranger, he lived in upstate NY near Buffalo and the underside was all rusted from the road salt, a buddy of mine that does body work told me to try ADCOAT Rust Converter & Primer, he suggested I buy a cheap pump sprayer and give the underside a bath to stop the rust from getting any worse, I did that last summer and so far I have not seen any rust re-appear, but I live in Virginia with limited salt exposure. Good Luck.

 

 

Thank you for this tip! I will ;look for the product.

 

I live in Mass and my "dream" ranger is a 1999 4L, 4-door, 4x4 flareside with ~180,000 miles that I purchased new and still own. What you describe is normal here in the northeast - rotting from the frame-up but you'd never know because the body panels still look good. Obviously this isn't a Ranger-only issue, but typically our trucks will start to go bad in the rear frame: Spare tire carrier and winch, brakes and lines, leaf spring hangers/shackles (rear), and the last 3-4 feet of frame. It's not the end of the world BUT if you really love the truck you have to understand what the issue is and be very proactive because once the rust really hits the rear frame (not just surface rust) it will go FAST if left unabated. In my experience most of the rust in other places is more easily manageable than the rear.

To me you have to make a decision: Are you willing to put in the work (or pay your mechanic) to keep your "dream" Ranger a dream? If not then yes, trade it in and go for a southern truck. Rangers are super-easy and cheap to work on if you're inclined, including rust repair. Others have other preferences, but this is where I'd start (and some of what i've done with mine to get it back into/keep it in good shape):

1) Remove the bed (6 or 8 bolts). Wire brush/attachment to remove all major rust on frame, underside of bed if any, etc. (I started too late and had to cut out/replace my rear frame rails, shackles, spare tire carrier and rear bumper) but it sounds like yours are okay. Coat with your choice of product; I used Por-15 topped with coats of Por-15 Chassis Paint and it's been great for years now but the key is GOOD PREP and being aware of the situation in case anything needs to be touched up. Rust convertor works fine for minor/surface rust areas but cover it with a tough chassis paint. Rust on differential isn't catastrophic - but while you're at it why not clean it up and paint it? Do the same with the rest of the frame.

2) The bed removal also gives you easy access to replace the brake and fuel lines for peace of mind. Use Copper-nickel brake line (it's cheap, easy to bend, and won't corrode) to re-run the main lines. If you're mechanically inclined this is as straightforward as it gets and easy to do. While the bed's off, check and replace gas tank hoses if necessary, brakes, wiring, etc. If I remember Ford started putting rear disc brakes in Rangers by 2010 but if yours doesn't have them check out the Ford Motorsports 8.8 rear disc brake conversion kit and get rid of the ridiculously annoying rear drums that are also really prone to rust.

My 4 door Ranger has never creaked, but try lubricating the rear door latch mechanisms as those are the main contact points which could make noise. Also check the body mounts, which can rust (especially the FRONT mounts and make noise.
You'd have to give us more info about front suspension issues.

I've continued to touch up the frame here and there and modify other things but since completing the major rust work the Ranger has held up amazingly over the last 5-6 years even though it's a salty New England vehicle that's been kept outdoors for the last 12 or so years of it's life. Although I've finally started to see some rust underneath the passenger door in the last couple years (which will get replaced in another year or two) the rest of the body panels are essentially rust-free and rust is no longer one of my worries with this truck at all. So, again, the big question is are you willing to put in the time or pay for the preventative maintenance that rust calls for?

Amac

 

Thank you for the good advice and support. I'm not mechanically inclined, so I need to see what all this would cost and when decide.