pickup truck frame rust prevention

[pete c-SKO]

Hi all. Haven't been in here in a bit. still a wannabe skoolie owner. maybe someday the wife will see the light and let me buy one (fat chance).

anyhoo, i just bought a 97 ranger pickup. the body/bed look new. the frame/suspension bits, not so much. drove it to work the other day and noticed some suspension noises. got to work, hopped out and noticed a serious lean to the driver's side.

the driver side leaf spring's front mount snapped off. it was rusted to ****! the PO replaced both rear hangers. like a dummy, i didn't look closely at the front ones. the other side don't look no better.

next week i am gonna pop the bed off, replace both hangers and do a little rust prevention work. was thinking of taking a wire brush to everything in site, knock the loose rust off, then hit everything under there with a coat of por 15. i first learned of por 15 on this site and have heard good things about it. the frame has a little surface rust, but nthing like the hangers. is por 15 overkill? would a few coats of much cheaper rustoleum do me just as well? if i go with the por 15, will a qt cover everything behind the cab? don't want to buy too much as i hear trying to store this stuff is a PITA. also, the price break on buying a gallon really isn't that great.

 

[Abbott-SKO]

As you know por 15 is good stuff....but so is Rustoleum. A quart pf truck bed liner might also be an option but I think it costs more then Rustoleum as well.

 

[pete c-SKO]

i've heard bad things about bedliner used in this application. that if it gets a nick in it, it will actually trap the moisture inside and it will spread worse.