The Silverado saga continues!

[dishdude]

At least you're already used to a short service life because I doubt the newer trucks will last as long as the older ones could, despite the cost increase. I get paid mileage to drive my work truck daily and it's a 2005 with 200k miles. If I had to replace it I'd try to find another that old with lower miles and no rust.

The plan is to replace 25% of the fleet each year. But you're right, the old Chevy Express and E-Series vans we were using were real workhorses. I'm not convinced the new Transits and Transit Connects we're running will be as durable.

 

[Driz]

My experience has been that regular undercarriage washing is no substitute for a rust proofing spray. I had a 1982 Mazda B1600 pickup bought new and I religiously washed it very thoroughly most every winter weekend. It rusted badly and I had to scrap the truck in 1996 even though the truck was fine except for the rust.

Nope it won’t do it guaranteed. I’ve been washing all mine down regularly far more underneath than topside since the early 80s and they sill rust to crap here in lovely Newyorkistan. Maybe if you wash it every day you drive it perhaps but who does that...... I even use a wand I made with a T at the end drilled with spaced offset tiny holes to spray the bottom. It helps knock down the sandy crap nicely by flushing things out but they still start rusting in 3-4 years.
My 2000 Siera looks about like those pics. After I made a new real steel frame for the back I’ve managed to stop all the carnage Up front and the door bottoms fairly well. Flushing out the doors weep holes goes a long ways.
Oiling those door bottoms is the way to go . Plus those drains up and pump in 2” deep of sticky stuff then drain for reuse. When I get another the inside of the rocker boxes is going to get sprayed annually . Rear cab corner insides too Those are the places on all pickups that rust out fastest and cost a bundle to fix. A nice mix heavy in used auto tranny oil, chainsaw bar oil and cheap petroleum jelly does a good job it sprays on when hot nicely from a cheapHF sprayer . Yea it’s nasty under there but doesn’t drip much or for long

 

[350Rocket]

The plan is to replace 25% of the fleet each year. But you're right, the old Chevy Express and E-Series vans we were using were real workhorses. I'm not convinced the new Transits and Transit Connects we're running will be as durable.

My boss bit planned to replace my 2005 only because he was "worried he'd have to replace 2 trucks at once". The only reason we still had the 2005 was because it had no real downtime ever.

My boss is not a car guy and doesn't realize they will all wear out at different rates. Now that I've bought it from him he's admitted that he thinks it will outlast the 2010 and 2013 now that I'm taking care of it. (I've been driving a 1983 and 1984 car since I started working for him in 2011).

 

[doublebase]

GM frame wax is the worst, not unusual to see it already fail right there brand new in the dealer lot. Happened to me. - got my new truck home crawled under it and...it’s already rusting. Brand...new...truck. Rusting.

Immediately fluid filmed it. I’ve seen some 2014’s-2018’s that look like they’re sitting on 20 year old frames. Ended up fluid filming it twice a year up until I traded it in. And I’d also put white lithium grease on high traffic/heavy exposure spots. Of course that didn’t help with the misfires, bad starter, torque converter shudder, paint peeling, and Chevy shake.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Nope it won’t do it guaranteed. I’ve been washing all mine down regularly far more underneath than topside since the early 80s and they sill rust to crap here in lovely Newyorkistan. Maybe if you wash it every day you drive it perhaps but who does that...... I even use a wand I made with a T at the end drilled with spaced offset tiny holes to spray the bottom. It helps knock down the sandy crap nicely by flushing things out but they still start rusting in 3-4 years.
My 2000 Siera looks about like those pics. After I made a new real steel frame for the back I’ve managed to stop all the carnage Up front and the door bottoms fairly well. Flushing out the doors weep holes goes a long ways.
Oiling those door bottoms is the way to go . Plus those drains up and pump in 2” deep of sticky stuff then drain for reuse. When I get another the inside of the rocker boxes is going to get sprayed annually . Rear cab corner insides too Those are the places on all pickups that rust out fastest and cost a bundle to fix. A nice mix heavy in used auto tranny oil, chainsaw bar oil and cheap petroleum jelly does a good job it sprays on when hot nicely from a cheapHF sprayer . Yea it’s nasty under there but doesn’t drip much or for long

I never fluid film the outside parts of the frame on my LR3 or Liberty, just touch up spots with paint, and only recently started fluid filming the insides of the frames. Wash them weekly in the winter and the frames still look brand new. No rust anywhere. I agree that oil treatments help, and are critical inside panels and the frame, but in my experience undercarriage washing is critical and helps a lot!