2004 Ranger I picked up last Saturday

[smokey]

Picked up a 04 ranger extended cab XLT 4.0L 5 speed 4 wheel drive with the tow package last at a car auction. It had rust over the rear wheel wells and lower rear bed corners. I roughed in a patch the one day this week it was warm and wasn't raining. I'll add more pics as the work progresses.

This was at the auction lot.

Roughed in patch

Once the weather warms up I'll add a skim coat of putty and sand and paint match it.

 

[DNFXDLI]

That truck sure looks to be in good shape.

 

[slmann]

nice looking truck.

 

[smokey]

I have interior pics and others I'll post once I fire up the other pc

 

[smokey]

Here are pics I pulled off the dealers website before it went to auction.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Looks like a win/win Randy.

 

[racsan]

looks like it has potential! seems odd for a truck that "new" to have that much rust, wonder what the rear spring hangers and front core support look like? must use alot more salt where youre at.

 

[smokey]

The hangers and core are in great shape. The tailgate is rust free also. Just the bed wheel wells.
They put so much salt,calcium and the evil brine mix on the roads they are white all winter. I have seen cars and trucks rusted out that were less than 3 years old.
My guess is the truck had those plastic wheel well trim on it at one time. Any trim traps the deicers and rots everything to crap.

 

[DNFXDLI]

I wonder if it's the overall moisture in the air?....we have the same kind of thing here, in fact, when I clean the garage out where the OL parks her car, there are salt crystals on the ground...yet vehicles don't normally rust out here for many years.

 

[racsan]

id hate to see what my metal looks like behind the plastic fender flares on my truck, ive replaced spring hangers a few years back ,my core support is in pretty bad shape, front and rear bumpers too. when i picked up a drivers side ttb axle to swap out my damaged one 2 years ago, it had a explorer tire/wheel on it with a chrome "skin" over the steel, i peeled it off and there was a rust hole clear through the rim! my receiver hitch has been delaminating and probly should be replaced. not sure how/why but the frame is still in good shape.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

That is a crazy amount of isolated rust. Nice truck otherwise. Is this a daily driver or just adding to the fleet?

Ryan

 

[smokey]

It will be a dd.
The full size is the farm truck it gets used and abused.
The other Rangers are toys to play off road with.

 

[smokey]

Here it's a shot where I threw a quick patch on the fender arch will weld a full patch panel in once the weather is a bit better.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Looks much better.

 

[rambler]

nice find..

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Hey nice repair. It's not car show stuff but way better than anything I could possibly attempt. Great work man.

Ryan

 

[smokey]

That patch and the other side and rear bottom bed took a little over a 1/2 hour.
I just did a quick job so it didn't look a s bad til I can fix it right. A little metal, body filer and rattle can paint works wonders.
It was a bit to cold for the filer didn't want to set up correctly. Needs to be 45° to spread and set up correctly it was 40 Max when I patched it.

I'll do a write up on replacing the panels using body panel adhesive and might weld one side to show how to do it both ways.

 

[460Trucker]

Neat truck Randy. Looking forward to the write up and your progress.

 

[polarbear]

I like that- the the amount of rust flat stuns me on that late model a vehicle. Yea- it's 10 yrs old, but still.

 

[smokey]

Here is my friends 08 f250. The ice removal crap means you can't have anything nice here for long.

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