Rust never sleeps?
 

So I went to look at a 98 K1500 Ext Cab Silverado SB with a 5.7 motor earlier today. The truck seem to be basically in good shape. A little rust showing along the bottom door edges and some bubbling on the left side bottom cab cap. I was a little surprised that there was a rust hole through outside at the bottom of the 3rd door and that the rear step bumper was rusted through in 2 placed on the vertical surface where there was once chrome.

Is this typical problem areas for this year truck? Do the 3rd doors have more rust issues than the main doors?

The truck also has an A/C leak. Is there a typical weak point for these systems?

TIA
Steve

Re: Rust never sleeps?
 

I am not sure about the AC or the door but I can tell you those bumpers rust out faster than anything else. I bought an 05 and the bumper was about ready to fall off. It's a combination of poor metal and dirt getting kicked up into it and not getting washed out.

Re: Rust never sleeps?
 

You guys live where the roads get salted and then you have to drive thru the slush and it accumulates in places that you don't think about having to rinse. But the mud that still holds the salt after the thaw, has to go somewhere and we all know that Murphy rules these things. I don't know if there's anything practical that can be done to a new vehicle to prevent the rusting. My son-in-law drove a '98 Dodge 4wd to Arkansas, when they moved down here almost 4 years ago. Shortly afterwards, his front brakes were leaking fluid and the hard lines to the Tee on the chassis were rusted through. For a southern vehicle, like my '69, that isn't an issue.

Looks like y'all might want to look to the south for something that didn't have a rust issue. Only one other factor is the Cash for Clunkers thing took a bunch of these off of the roads and into the salvage yards. Some of them would have been good for you guys.

Re: Rust never sleeps?
 

The service fittings on the A/C lines are bad about leaking.

Re: Rust never sleeps?
 

My crew cab's front passenger floor has a rust hole in it. Its the only rust issue with the truck. I assume that the A/C was leaking and got trapped under the carpet.

Re: Rust never sleeps?
 

On this body style I usually see the cab corners and the lower part of the extended cab part if it is an extended cab. I don't usually see the third door have rust.

I have a 98 ext-cab Z71 that I bought new and that has been garaged it's entire life and that I have hosed off the underside after every snow storm. It does not have any rust through on the outer body panels but I did notice that my fuel lines are starting to rust pretty good and that some places on the underneath bed supports are starting to bubble up. I think that most of my issues are from it sitting on the concrete floor of the garage that sometimes gets moisture on it from the different temps.

On the AC systems on these trucks, the compressors are well known for leaking around the body seals. The high side service port also has a tendency to leak. The compressor would be my bet. I have two 98 chevy trucks and I have redone the AC systems on both trucks.

Wayne