Maine's rusty trucks (for sale, home, buy)

[rod67]

Is it just me or do most Maine trucks over 10 years old have rust issues? I've been looking for an older 4x4 and it seems that everything I've looked at falls into 2 categories - Has bad rust, or on the way to having bad rust.

Any thoughts? I'm considering looking down south instead...

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Go south to find a truck. Maine began using calcium chloride on our roads several years ago. It is terrible on everything under your truck. Brakes, suspensions, frames and gas tank hangars all rust out prematurely. We need to go back to sand.

[fxtrader]

I purchased my 1993 from NJ. I found it on Craigs List and it has hardly any rust, now to keep it that way.

[Submariner]

I helped a friend tow a 'new' truck to his home last week. He had found it on Uncle Henrys, the lot it was in had eight plow trucks all with 'for sale' signs. I looked around and I was not able to find any truck there that did not have rust holes in the body big enough to throw a cat through.

They all dump trucks with snow blades. Some of the dump bodies had holes right through the bottoms big enough that I would be concerned for anyone walking on them.

He claimed that they all run.

As we worked on his 'new' truck trying to get it started. I noticed that the rust flaking off the exhaust manifold, is flaking off in chunks thicker than my pinky finger. The 'I' frames under those trucks were a foot tall, but many had holes big enough that I could pass my fist through without touching the sides.

After we got it to his house, he did get it running.

[BoxCar Willie]

The big trouble is folks don't wash under their vehicles much. I would give em a bath at least once a month [if it was warm enough] Yes they had light rust but never big holes in em.

[roadrat]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Go south to find a truck. Maine began using calcium chloride on our roads several years ago. It is terrible on everything under your truck. Brakes, suspensions, frames and gas tank hangars all rust out prematurely. We need to go back to sand.

I work for the DOT and you'll be glad to know that at least here in region 2 we have switched over to salt brine instead of CC, I guess its cheaper and works about the same.
Sand is good but much more costly than salt when you add in the trucking of it (it takes alot more sand to do the same job as salt) and clean up in spring and also the increased amount of ditching that will have to be done, catch basins will also have to be cleaned out alot more often.


bill

[roadrat]

Originally Posted by BoxCar Willie

The big trouble is folks don't wash under their vehicles much. I would give em a bath at least once a month [if it was warm enough] Yes they had light rust but never big holes in em.

Here at the DOT we wash our trucks completely after every storm, I know we catch some flak from some people who think we should be out doing some "real work" but its alot cheaper to wash a truck than buy a new one at $170,000 a pop.


bill

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by BoxCar Willie

The big trouble is folks don't wash under their vehicles much. I would give em a bath at least once a month [if it was warm enough] Yes they had light rust but never big holes in em.

Our outdoor faucets get shutoff inside and drained, before the water inside them freezes, expands and bursts the pipes.

Our rubber hoses all get drained, coiled, and stored. Otherwise they will crack when uncoiled at those temps.

Last year I needed an air-hose, so I took my air compressor outside, uncoiled some hose and used it to air-up my tires. When as I went to recoil the air-hose, I found that it had hardened. Forcing the air-hose to coil, it cracked.

Now you want us to wash our vehicles?

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by roadrat

Here at the DOT we wash our trucks completely after every storm, I know we catch some flak from some people who think we should be out doing some "real work" but its alot cheaper to wash a truck than buy a new one at $170,000 a pop.


bill

Inside a heated garage I guess?

[tcrackly]

Inside a car wash...many offer frequent user discounts. they know what the salt, any salt product, can do.