Hey guys, my truck was perfectly clean a year ago.. then, stupid me, i started using it to dunk my little boat in the ocean. Next thing i know ive developed surface rust on the rear axle etc. I've attached a picture, it looks worse in the photo as i had just sanded it and hadn't cleaned it off, so the rust dust has spread around. The truck is supercharged and has some minor mods, i'd like to sink more into it but am now wondering if it's worth it as i don't know how long until the rust eats it away.. I treated it with "rust converter" however well it works and then layered on some undercoating. I am going to retreat is soon (its been about 8 months since original treatment). My main concerns are the axle where the springs sit, the panhard bar mount, and the shock mount for the the top bolt as i'm not sure what you would do if they were to wither away. Thanks for your input!

* the rest of truck is perfectly clean, no rust.

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It's spotless compared to mine. Clean it up and using some rust converter, rust encapsulator, and some internal frame coating. You can get all of this from Eastwood for under $100.

what he said^^^ and look at my build thread what i did, its held up to our 50 somn inches of snow this winter.

That isn't rust yet, you're fine.

I don't trust that converter stuff though. Easy enough to get a wire wheel on there and clean that down to shiny metal, then use an etching primer and frame coating on top of that. That way you know for sure you don't have cancer lurking under your paint.

Use POR15 after the primer for the best coverage.

that is easily reversible, you are fine. Address it before it goes too far but you are nowhere near problem territory the way it sits now

also, if you are dunking the rear axle, do the rear breather diff extension if you haven't already - cheap and easy -edit: never mind, you did it already

oh yes the diff breather! Great idea i remember seeing that on the forum. Thanks for the quick answers guys.. i get more gratification dumping money into this than anything else Ill try out the POR15 as well once the weather turns or atleast the snow drifts dissapear.

That's what passes for rust? Do some preventative work and you'll be fine.

As a preventative you could just take wire brush to it and then rust spray it afterwards

Okay, did you guys remove brake lines as well? As for the panhard bracket did you remove the bar to access everything? I am putting some taller (8 wrap) springs in soon so i figure ill make it an all day event

No one else mentioned it but get a draw bar extension so you don't have to dunk the rear. They even make some long ones with wheels for sail boats but depending on your setup popping in an extension when you get to the ramp may solve the problem.

Yeah, I'm insulted that you even asked this question. Is it worthless now that you have some minor surface rust?

Have you searched at all for rust problems here? You kinda just called half the 4runners here "not worth investing in"...

Worst comes to worse, you could always just buy a new/used axle housing like I did. My truck came from MA and was in need of some lovin.

Putting on rear springs should only take you about 2 hours.

Not even that if you can get it to flex enough just drop them in.