Is the frame rust on my 2006 Xterra X too far gone?

[brmarc1883]

Two years ago I picked up my first car, that being a 2006 Xterra X with <100k miles on it. While I am from NJ and salt isn't a massive issue here, the previous owner used it at the beach and it has some rust.

After inspecting it, the strength of the metal did not seem degraded and from what I can tell, it's mostly surface rust. That said, I am very much new to car maintenance and would appreciate any input. I am going to remove some with a wire brush over the weekend to get a better idea of whats going on.

I plan on removing as much rust as possible and using fluid film to preserve it, but if there's anything in these pictures that indicate the car is not worth putting any more money into and that I should move on, a heads up would be appreciated!

 

[TerryD]

Glad you made it over!

 

[TerryD]

Can you drop your spare tire and get better pictures around the rear shackle mounts? That's the place I would be most concerned.

The rest of it looks like a poor quality undercoat job flaking off.

 

[brmarc1883]

Glad you made it over!

Thanks again for the recommendation! Tons of good info on here

 

[outback97]

Welcome. To my eye it looks more superficial and not too concerning, just based on photos. My '06 is similar, maybe even worse aesthetically.

IMO you may find it more difficult to remove fasteners when replacing parts and performing maintenance than if it didn't have some corrosion. This is just based on my experience comparing wrenching on my '06 (kinda rusty) and my '09 (nearly rust free). The '06 can be more of a pain to work on. But still worth working on.

 

[brmarc1883]

Can you drop your spare tire and get better pictures around the rear shackle mounts? That's the place I would be most concerned.

The rest of it looks like a poor quality undercoat job flaking off.

Dropping the tire reveals some more aggressive-looking rust on that piece to the left. Would that be the shock?

 

[brmarc1883]

Can you drop your spare tire and get better pictures around the rear shackle mounts? That's the place I would be most concerned.

The rest of it looks like a poor quality undercoat job flaking off.

Just realized I had the wrong idea as to what a rear shackle mount was. Went back and took close-ups of each side. Definitely looks rough

 

[brmarc1883]

Welcome. To my eye it looks more superficial and not too concerning, just based on photos. My '06 is similar, maybe even worse aesthetically.

IMO you may find it more difficult to remove fasteners when replacing parts and performing maintenance than if it didn't have some corrosion. This is just based on my experience comparing wrenching on my '06 (kinda rusty) and my '09 (nearly rust free). The '06 can be more of a pain to work on. But still worth working on.

That's reassuring to hear. Have you since done anything to preserve/restore your 06'?

 

[TerryD]

There's some damage there but I think it's salvageable.

The one spot that is concerning is behind the driver's side shock in the picture with the spare down. There looks like a hole near the top of the frame rail. I would drop the spare and get in there with a wire brush and putty knife to see how bad it really is.

 

[TerryD]

View attachment 27186
Dropping the tire reveals some more aggressive-looking rust on that piece to the left. Would that be the shock?

Yes, but the shock is easily replaced. And at 100k you should replace them anyways.

 

[brmarc1883]

There's some damage there but I think it's salvageable.

The one spot that is concerning is behind the driver's side shock in the picture with the spare down. There looks like a hole near the top of the frame rail. I would drop the spare and get in there with a wire brush and putty knife to see how bad it really is.

Hmmm, good catch. I'll check it out over the weekend when I have access to tools.

I'll check back here with my findings, but is there anything I should be looking for near the hole besides determining if the surrounding area has also rotted away?

 

[Brunnie]

Having watched Sarah-n-Tuned on YT and seen this thing called Dry Ice blasting (like sand blasting but less damaging) I would see if anyone near you does that and have them do your rig. Might be pricey but does a better job than a wire brush.

 

[TerryD]

Not really. It'll be thin and brittle around the hole but explore the frame from above the axle to the rear of the frame rails on both sides.

If there are a few thin spots or even small holes, but it's confined to the inside of the frame rails, it would be possible to weld a patch in there pretty easily.

Let's see how bad it really is before we jump to any conclusions though. It could just be a shadow or flaking undercoat.

 

[brmarc1883]

Having watched Sarah-n-Tuned on YT and seen this thing called Dry Ice blasting (like sand blasting but less damaging) I would see if anyone near you does that and have them do your rig. Might be pricey but does a better job than a wire brush.

Just saw it recommended today for the first time. Gonna search around for some options near me. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[kirk]

Welcome! I'm not a second gen guy, but I think I would replace those shackles when I did the shocks. They look pretty sketchy. Everything else looks pretty much like surface rust to me.

 

[brmarc1883]

There's some damage there but I think it's salvageable.

The one spot that is concerning is behind the driver's side shock in the picture with the spare down. There looks like a hole near the top of the frame rail. I would drop the spare and get in there with a wire brush and putty knife to see how bad it really is.

Definitely a hole. Don’t suppose those are drilled/machined holes? Shape just looks pretty consistent for natural decay

 

[outback97]

That's reassuring to hear. Have you since done anything to preserve/restore your 06'?

Your shackles and shocks do look pretty rough; I hadn't seen those pictures when I commented. But like @TerryD pointed out, it could be more cosmetic than structural. And the suspension is overdue for replacement anyway.

I haven't done anything special, just car washes periodically and not driving it on really salty roads.

 

[brmarc1883]

Your shackles and shocks do look pretty rough; I hadn't seen those pictures when I commented. But like @TerryD pointed out, it could be more cosmetic than structural. And the suspension is overdue for replacement anyway.

I haven't done anything special, just car washes periodically and not driving it on really salty roads.

Yeah, I’m fine with swapping my shocks and shackles if the car will last. Concerned about those holes Terry pointed out though

 

[Prime]

View attachment 27189
Definitely a hole. Don’t suppose those are drilled/machined holes? Shape just looks pretty consistent for natural decay

Those holes are by design.

 

[TerryD]

View attachment 27189
Definitely a hole. Don’t suppose those are drilled/machined holes? Shape just looks pretty consistent for natural decay

@Prime is right, those are in all the frames and it doesn't look as bad as the angle of the first pic made it look.

I think with a good scrape off and wash and then coat with something it'll be OK.

The shocks and shackles are pretty easy jobs. Get new frame side shackle bushings when you do that. Z1 Offroad sells a good set that I'm using. I don't think stock shackles are very expensive.

I think you're good!

 

[brmarc1883]

@Prime is right, those are in all the frames and it doesn't look as bad as the angle of the first pic made it look.

I think with a good scrape off and wash and then coat with something it'll be OK.

The shocks and shackles are pretty easy jobs. Get new frame side shackle bushings when you do that. Z1 Offroad sells a good set that I'm using. I don't think stock shackles are very expensive.

I think you're good!

Such a relief!

Would be really disappointing to have a truck with so much longevity potential succumb to an early, rusty death.

Thank you for the input/advice, as well as pointing me to this forum!

 

[ThatGuy]

Get some ospho rust converter. Brush sand and scrape all the loose rust. Paint the rusted area with Ospho will turn black overnight. Then a good sanding clean and spray with rust oleum. Then you can apply any other coating on the top of that

PS. You get a variety of wire brushes for a power drill. The wheels are really good. We know our rust here in Hawai’i

 

[brmarc1883]

@Prime is right, those are in all the frames and it doesn't look as bad as the angle of the first pic made it look.

I think with a good scrape off and wash and then coat with something it'll be OK.

The shocks and shackles are pretty easy jobs. Get new frame side shackle bushings when you do that. Z1 Offroad sells a good set that I'm using. I don't think stock shackles are very expensive.

I think you're good!

Update: got home and did a more thorough inspection of the frame. It is solid and I could not find anywhere that didn’t pass the hammer/screwdriver test. Even went at the shackles with a wire brush and there’s still good metal under there. Shock is definitely shot though, not even gonna risk touching it until I get a replacement. Tomorrow will be spent doing a ton of wire brushing with some help.

things are looking up!

 

[Prime]

I'd definitely change the shackles. They look like hot garbage.

 

[xyoverland]

Also adding lots and lots of PB Blaster penetrating catalyst to everything you’re going to take off a couple days in advance. And probably replace all the hardware too.

 

[TerryD]

I'd definitely change the shackles. They look like hot garbage.

I second this. They're too easy to change and affordable to risk it. The right side especially. That flaking metal is a clear sign they are compromised.

 

[TheCrabby1]

PB Blaster will definitely help but get the sawzall ready with some of the red blade's [ diablo ? ] there expensive BUT WELL WORTH IT !!

 

[brmarc1883]

PB Blaster will definitely help but get the sawzall ready with some of the red blade's [ diablo ? ] there expensive BUT WELL WORTH IT !!

Any resources to learn the process? Been searching around and can’t find much. Not very confident at that would be my first time cutting anything off my car, but I want to learn

 

[TheCrabby1]

Any resources to learn the process? Been searching around and can’t find much. Not very confident at that would be my first time cutting anything off my car, but I want to learn

Pretty sure there's stuff on you tube about removal and install . It goes a lot easier when you buy the coil over pre-assembled

 

[brmarc1883]

Pretty sure there's stuff on you tube about removal and install . It goes a lot easier when you buy the coil over pre-assembled

This may be a dumb question, but is the coil over necessary? The rear shocks currently on the car and the ones I’m finding on rockauto do not have coils. To clarify, I’m not currently replacing the front shocks. The front ones are in fine condition. I believe the previous owner used the truck for backing a boat into the water, so the rear is in worse condition

 

[outback97]

Any resources to learn the process? Been searching around and can’t find much. Not very confident at that would be my first time cutting anything off my car, but I want to learn

Not to be alarmist but before you think about cutting anything make sure you're thinking about doing it safely. Think about how much weight those leaf springs and shackles are holding up and how much energy can be stored in a spring (a lot). Hacking away at suspension parts while they're under tension could make for a really bad day.

When I've worked on my rear leafs, I used a couple of jacks and a few jack stands to support the truck and rear axle properly and ensure there wasn't any tension that would surprise me when taking things apart.

 

[brmarc1883]

Not to be alarmist but before you think about cutting anything make sure you're thinking about doing it safely. Think about how much weight those leaf springs and shackles are holding up and how much energy can be stored in a spring (a lot). Hacking away at suspension parts while they're under tension could make for a really bad day.

When I've worked on my rear leafs, I used a couple of jacks and a few jack stands to support the truck and rear axle properly and ensure there wasn't any tension that would surprise me when taking things apart.

Not to be alarmist but before you think about cutting anything make sure you're thinking about doing it safely. Think about how much weight those leaf springs and shackles are holding up and how much energy can be stored in a spring (a lot). Hacking away at suspension parts while they're under tension could make for a really bad day.

When I've worked on my rear leafs, I used a couple of jacks and a few jack stands to support the truck and rear axle properly and ensure there wasn't any tension that would surprise me when taking things apart.

Definitely not an alarmist! If I can’t get the shock bolts off without cutting, I am likely going to either take it to a mechanic or pay a family friend who rebuilds cars to teach/help me.

 

[TerryD]

The rear isn't a coilover. It's just a shock. The rear is leaf sprung.

You'll want to lift the rear of the vehicle and support the frame with stands. Then lower the jack allowing the rear suspension to fully extend, supporting the axle on a second set of stands.

Then remove the shocks.

Then lift the axle slightly off the stands, lower the stands and let the axle go to full droop. (It will droop further after the shocks are off.)

Then, doing one side at a time, support the axle under the spring pad and loosen the shackle. You'll have to lift and lower the axle slightly with the jack to get the pressure off the shackle and pull the shackle out.

 

[tommylghts]

Once you get her all fixed up, don't wash it at a car wash during the winter in the Northeast. If the place recycles their water salt does not filter out and it's essentially like blasting your car with salt water. Good Luck and I've seen way worse than that fixed.

 

[TheCrabby1]

This may be a dumb question, but is the coil over necessary? The rear shocks currently on the car and the ones I’m finding on rockauto do not have coils. To clarify, I’m not currently replacing the front shocks. The front ones are in fine condition. I believe the previous owner used the truck for backing a boat into the water, so the rear is in worse condition

I thought you'd be replacing the whole suspension at the same time and using a spring compressor is probably worse then using HF jack stand's. The rear is pretty cut and dry ,Good jack stand's and a good floor jack . If you have the luxury of using a lift then use 2 transmission stands to support [ not lift ] the rear axle .

TerryD nail's it !