Okay here are some pics of my rusty truck. Should I STILL pursue fixing it?

 

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Last Set

 

I think I just shed a tear on my keyboard. With all our state of the art technology I can't believe we can't either A: find a salt resistant coating or B: find something that will do the same job as salt without doing that to our vehicles. Maybe I am just not used to seeing that, but that would make it hard for me to want to fix a truck up. I don't mean to pour salt in your wound (no pun intended) but damn!!!!!

 

Yea, well just imagine how I feel. I hate to admit it, but I am attached to this damn truck!! I feel like I have to shoot Old Yeller or something.

And all this is after I bought the after market Armor All undercoat protection that they were selling back then...promised to protect my vehicle for life!

It reminds me of pictures of the Titanic though. Of course the Titanic has been under water for 100 years now....

EDIT: Thanks for the input! Didn't mean to snap at you if it sounded like that!

 

Well I guess I need to ask ... how large of a trailer do you actually pull? How heavy is it, long etc.

As far as this truck being a daily driver, I'd say she's in perfect shape. As far as putting lots of strain on the frame for towing .... I'm thinking twice about it.

I tow a trailer with my truck. It has a hole rusted into the frame. The only trailer I pull though, is a 12 foot ramp load trailer full of scrap metal on occasion. One time it was even a motorcycle. Never extremely heavy loads at all, but to be honest, your truck resembles mine, if not worse in some areas. If you tow valuable cargo, heavy stuff, or plow with this truck, I think it might be time to look for a new one ..

To me, it isn't worth getting hurt over a rusty truck - but don't take that the wrong way! They still have lots of life left in 'em, even when they're at the stage yours is in. People use them for different purposes.

IF you wanted to use it this way anyways, my suggestion would be to fix the shock, replace the rear two shocks, and replace the rear U-bolts.

Here:

 

Thanks! I agree with you; it's not worth hurting me or my horses. My horse trailer weighs 2700 lbs empty. Horse weighs another 1200 lbs or so, plus some equipment. So I am towing quite a bit of weight.

Would replacing what you said make this truck safe? Or is it just putting a band aid on the problem?

Also, if I decide just to sell it, do you have a ball park figure on what a truck like this is worth? Engine and transmission seem fine. Very little rust on outside of vehicle, except for rocker panels.

 

Well, I did U-bolts on my own truck, and it cost me like 25 bucks for the bolts. If you take it to a suspension shop, I imagine it wouldn't cost very much. Maybe $100 give or take for the whole job?

What replacing the bolts does is help keep the axle secure under torque, such as taking off from a stop, or towing a trailer. It would make the truck safer, yes, but it's the rest of the truck's suspension that I would worry about towing 3000+lbs with cargo that's valuable to you.

I'd price this truck out at 3500, maybe 4000 and go from there. There's still plenty of use out of this truck, don't misunderstand me. It's just that towing that much weight puts lots of strain on the frame and suspension.