Advertisement
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Home Who's Online Today's Posts HP Calculator CompD Gift Shop Mark Forums Read
Go Back   Competition Diesel.Com - Bringing The BEST Together > Tech Area- Dodge > Dodge Tech > 89-93 1st Gen.
Register Members List Timeslips EFI Live Library Invite Your Friends FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 09-04-2018, 09:28 AM   #1
Woody35
 
Woody35's Avatar

Name: Woody35
Title: Diesel Enthusiast
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 201
Common Rust and Cracking on 1st Gens?

Been away from diesel trucks for awhile. Found a 1st gen that was “restored” a couple years ago on Craigslist. Wants 10,900 for it which seems a bit low for what it looks like in the pictures and from what I’ve seen elsewhere.

So is there any places these things like to crack. The frame had the POR-15 treatment and looks good but I’m a little worried about the price and walking into any headaches

Its a 91 regular cab long bed 4x4. K27 turbo, newer rims and tires. Looks like the suspension was redone.
__________________

Last edited by Woody35; 09-04-2018 at 09:34 AM.
 
Old 09-04-2018, 11:54 AM   #2
fatty
 
fatty's Avatar

Name: fatty
Title: VE
Status: Here
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SW Idaho
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 957
The frame can crack near where the steering box mounts. I dont live in a rust area but mostly seems like the spring hangers are rusted out fairly often.
__________________
91.5 W250
2019 F350
 
Old 09-04-2018, 12:32 PM   #3
Highwayman
 
Highwayman's Avatar

Name: Highwayman
Title: bored.
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Wacko
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 2,087
I think the area above the windshield is a fairly common place for rust
__________________
97 Dodge 2500 RCLB (scrapped)
1973 F250 crew (soon to receive new power train)
COMPD:
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcfreak24 View Post
Lolzzzzzz fakin haters
 
Old 09-04-2018, 12:55 PM   #4
Red Sleeper
 
Red Sleeper's Avatar

Name: Red Sleeper
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lone Star State
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 4,582
Above the windshield, driver side is common rust area. Frame crack at steering box area. Floor boards rust from the under wide where they come up to the rocker. Right near the seat corners, straight down at the floor.

U-bolt plates in the rear can hold dirt and salt for northern trucks. Spring hangers have the same problem. There is also an area where the cab front and firewall meet the fender that leaks water. I’ve never laid eyes on this area, but have read where several folks reseal that area with body sealer.
__________________
Nick J
'14 Silverado LTZ 5.3 4wd
'05 Cummins QCSB 4wd 48re
'91 Cummins w350 5spd
 
Old 09-04-2018, 06:28 PM   #5
jimbo486
 
jimbo486's Avatar

Name: jimbo486
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Orange County, CA
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 1,617
The roof and drip rail above the windshield is the most common location for corrosion. The cab has a dual skin roof and the drip rail is the pinch weld that joins them together. Neither panel was treated/coated prior to assembly and therefore they rust from the inside out. Having cab clearance lights could increase the rate of corrosion due to a higher likelihood of water intrusion.

My D-350 has it pretty bad and I'm considering replacing the entire cab rather than opening a can of worms with the existing. With the replacement, I have plans to cut an access out of the inner skin and treat what I can reach with a treatment and/or preventive coating from Eastwood or the like. Then reattach the cut section from the inner skin.
__________________
1990 Dodge D350
Giles' 12mm VE - Airdog II 165 - 370s @ 75lpm - BW S362fmw/68/12 - Hamilton 182/214 - '01 NV5600

Last edited by jimbo486; 09-04-2018 at 06:34 PM.
 
Old 09-06-2018, 08:00 AM   #6
Red Sleeper
 
Red Sleeper's Avatar

Name: Red Sleeper
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lone Star State
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 4,582
Good information. I did not know what exactly started the cancer on these trucks. Dual skins, makes sense. Much like the 73-80 square body GM trucks on the lower front fenders and lower quarter panels, dual skin.

I have a replacement (surface) rust free cab for my 91 in the barn for future replacement of the existing rusted out cab. Guess I need to cut out the inside and spray a coating. I have only seen the driver side rust, but I imagine the passenger side has the same issue.

My current fix is vinyl tape and roofing tar for the cancer area. It doesn't leak!
__________________
Nick J
'14 Silverado LTZ 5.3 4wd
'05 Cummins QCSB 4wd 48re
'91 Cummins w350 5spd
 
Old 09-11-2018, 09:27 AM   #7
Red Sleeper
 
Red Sleeper's Avatar

Name: Red Sleeper
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lone Star State
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 4,582
Common Rust and Cracking on 1st Gens?

Click the image to open in full size.Click the image to open in full size.

Speaking of common rust on a 1st gen. PS floor board.
__________________
Nick J
'14 Silverado LTZ 5.3 4wd
'05 Cummins QCSB 4wd 48re
'91 Cummins w350 5spd
 
Old 09-11-2018, 09:50 AM   #8
Mark Nixon
 
Mark Nixon's Avatar

Name: Mark Nixon
Title: No Savior among the flesh
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brownville, Nebraska
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 8,676
Cowl cracks are also a big problem.
Water leaks through, down the firewall and causes rusty floors.

Not a great fan of the archaic antiques called 1stgens.

Mark.
__________________
If you or I did business like the PEOPLE in government do business, we'd be put in jail. Government is coercive.
Anarchy: The state of existence where there are no masters & no slaves. Therefore, Anarchy means the ABSENCE OF SLAVERY, or, in other words, FREEDOM.
 
Old 09-12-2018, 12:30 AM   #9
Simplysmn

Name: Simplysmn
Title: Green Behind the Ears
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: So Cal
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 55
Yeah we know Mark you like them rusty thing's you call truck's from Nebraska if you shut the door and the cab doesn't cave in you roll with it flint stone style Right
__________________
First Gen Crewcab's are my Life
1985 dodge crewcab long bed converted to 4x4
running gear is Dana 60/70 12 valve with 400 hp
 
Old 09-18-2018, 07:30 AM   #10
Red Sleeper
 
Red Sleeper's Avatar

Name: Red Sleeper
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lone Star State
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 4,582
The fix.
Now to add more tar on my cab corner. It started leaking again with the recent rains.

Click the image to open in full size.
__________________
Nick J
'14 Silverado LTZ 5.3 4wd
'05 Cummins QCSB 4wd 48re
'91 Cummins w350 5spd
 
Old 10-02-2018, 08:09 AM   #11
RXT

Name: RXT
Title: Green Behind the Ears
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Dec 2015
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 38
The most common area for rust is above the windshield. The roof structure is double skinned and makes a great condensation/moisture trap. If the roof structure is still solid, drill some access holes in the inner skin and treat it with something like Eastwood's.

The next worse area is rocker panels. This is another enclosed space that wasn't treated well by the factory, however the factory did switch to galvanized metal, in the 80s but they can still rust as the zinc is worn off or consumed (galvanic corrosion).

Frames on these trucks don't usually crack unless severely fatigued. Cowl areas can crack. This could occur due to body flex. If there is a crack in the cowl area, suspect the frame too. Many old frames that were worked hard will have worn out or missing rivets which will allow the frame to flex a lot and some of that flex is transferred to the cab. The common rivets to wear or disappear are those that connect cross members to frame rails.

Ed
 
Old 10-02-2018, 08:23 AM   #12
Mark Nixon
 
Mark Nixon's Avatar

Name: Mark Nixon
Title: No Savior among the flesh
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brownville, Nebraska
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 8,676
Hmm.
Then explain to me why a V-6, automatic, shortbed truck has cowl cracks and leaks to the floor.
Not much work going on there and certainly not any flex.

Face it, it was a poor design, by a cheap ass company.

Mark.
__________________
If you or I did business like the PEOPLE in government do business, we'd be put in jail. Government is coercive.
Anarchy: The state of existence where there are no masters & no slaves. Therefore, Anarchy means the ABSENCE OF SLAVERY, or, in other words, FREEDOM.
 
Old 03-09-2019, 12:21 AM   #13
Red Sleeper
 
Red Sleeper's Avatar

Name: Red Sleeper
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lone Star State
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 4,582
Speaking of rust on a 1st gen. The guy from SafeLite laid a nice head of their sealant in there for me. Said he can’t guarantee it, but it’s gotten me by for a few months now.

Sealed up the cab lights with some silicone and the cab had been pretty dry so far.

Click the image to open in full size.
__________________
Nick J
'14 Silverado LTZ 5.3 4wd
'05 Cummins QCSB 4wd 48re
'91 Cummins w350 5spd
 
Old 03-09-2019, 07:49 AM   #14
79powerwagon
 
79powerwagon's Avatar

Name: 79powerwagon
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: MN
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 328
I just recently cut a 3x9” hole across the inside roof of the 79 to vacuum out all the rust. Not pretty. Inner layer of sheet is completely gone. I used eastwoods internal frame coating to coat all the way across to the pillars. Hopefully buy me a year or two until the outer skin caves in
__________________
1979 Dodge Warlock W150 Ppump 12v/518
 
Old 03-09-2019, 10:11 AM   #15
Red Sleeper
 
Red Sleeper's Avatar

Name: Red Sleeper
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Lone Star State
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 4,582
What’s your plan for a long term solution? Chop the top and make it a beach cruiser?
__________________
Nick J
'14 Silverado LTZ 5.3 4wd
'05 Cummins QCSB 4wd 48re
'91 Cummins w350 5spd
 
Old 03-09-2019, 10:28 AM   #16
79powerwagon
 
79powerwagon's Avatar

Name: 79powerwagon
Title: Too Much Time
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: MN
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 328
When its too far gone its getting a western/southern body. Im terrible at body work.
__________________
1979 Dodge Warlock W150 Ppump 12v/518
 
Old 03-17-2019, 06:31 PM   #17
RXT

Name: RXT
Title: Green Behind the Ears
Status: Not Here
Join Date: Dec 2015
Member`s Gallery
Posts: 38
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Nixon View Post
Hmm.
Then explain to me why a V-6, automatic, shortbed truck has cowl cracks and leaks to the floor.
Not much work going on there and certainly not any flex.

Face it, it was a poor design, by a cheap ass company.

Mark.

When I said "worked hard" it had nothing to do with the power of the engine. The cab is being flexed until the metal fatigues and results in a crack.

Ever took a piece of metal and bent it back and forth until it snapped?? A portion of the cab is being "worked" back and forth, and this only occurs when the cab is forced to flex. The cause is likely a frame thats been worked, such as carrying heavy loads over time or driven on rough roads, or just plain age.

These trucks weren't any more poorly designed than any other contemporary truck built in their time. And the issue wasn't that Chrysler was any more cheap ass than any other make, but by the 80s Chrysler was in danger of going out of business and couldn't afford a newer, better design until the early 90s.

Ed
 
Closed Thread

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:58 PM.

 


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2006 - 2024, CompetitionDiesel.com
all information found on this site is property of www.competitiondiesel.com