Rusted body mount

[texasexchange]

How screwed am I?

 

[whtbronco]

That looks like the radiator support. Probably about $5k to have a shop replace it. Parts are fairly cheap, but it's a lot of work.

Ford screwed up by basically creating a bowl at both of the front body mounts on the radiator support with no drain hole. So it gets water in there and starts to rust.

 

[whtbronco]

I suppose I should include that pretty much everything in front of the engine has to be disconnected or removed. Then the radiator support gets cut out.

 

[Hamfisted]

That's not the worst we've seen. You'd probably get away with wire brushing what you can and spraying some Rustoleum rust stop on the area(top and bottom ), and just keep an eye on it.

 

[texasexchange]

Soo is it just the 2 mounts supporting the radiator?
How long will it last roughly? Just because I’m a broke college student who doesn’t have a spare 5k

 

[whtbronco]

It might last a few years if you start trying to control it now. Based on the available budget try to clean it up with a wire brush and put a couple coats of Rustoleum on it as Hamfisted suggested.

Some sort of rust converter will help even more, but of course the cost goes up a bit more as well. I use Rust Prep from the local auto body supply house, it's acid of some sort I forget which. POR-15 also has a good following.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/paint---body/paint-prep/rust-remover---metal-prep/a41c426e088f/v/a/18106/automotive-suv-2004-ford-expedition

I think this is the same product I use with a different name:

https://www.amazon.com/GEM-Rust-Killer-Metal-Gallon/dp/B07GC8R2BP/ref=asc_df_B07GC8R2BP&mcid=147a3d03390239a08f6abbedd6027831?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80401905752538&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584001431536486&psc=1

 

[Craig Lasnier]

Clean it up as best you can. Then use Por-15 to keep rust at bay or Blaster rust control