i just bought my 88 p/u. While in great shape I think, for an 88, it has some issues. It has only one rust spot on the bed, but underneath some rust is starting on the frame and inner body. The previous owner drove it in the georgia clay and I think never once washed it underneath. What do you guys suggest to get the hard old clay off and the rust? I was hoping for some kind of cleaner, since the clay is just about impossible to get off. Also what should I put on the existing rust spots (some kind of rust proof paint)!! Should I clean the spots with a wire brush then paint?? Any past experince or input is greatly welcome!!!

I have heard a product called naval jelly that is supposed to nuetralize rust,but I havent used it.On the body I cut mine out with a grinder and patched it with bondo hair.

To stop the rust I would recommend POR-15 or an equivalent.
With this stuff you do not have to get all the way to bare metal. You just have to get all the loose stuff off, however I would guess the more that you can get off the better. I used a wire wheel on my angle grinder and went at it.
Here is a link to a post on POR-15 for you to read.
As for the clay, only thing I could recommend would be to use a pressure washer and maybe mix some all purpose cleaner in with it if your pressure washer allows chemicals to be mixed in with the water. goodluck

Have heard of folks putting a sprinkler under the truck, letting it run long enough to wet the dried mud/clay for easier removal.

Rust is like a nasty cancer. It's not so much that you stop it, as it is you manage it. Stop managing it and it will come back.

The only way to actually get rid of it is to either cut it all or sand blast it all off and repaint. And even then, your chances aren't great. It starts in the little pockets and tight corners up underneath and inside the body and works it's way out. Once it's showing on the outside, it's almost too late to remove it all. It almost requires a complete tear down and repainting of the vehicle.

I've tried a bunch of those navel jelly's and "rust inhibitors" and I've never seen anything that actually worked. As best I can tell they just hide it for a short period of time. Sanding, grinding, scraping and cutting are the only ways to actually get rid of rust.

Most Toyota frames rust from the inside out.

It's hard for me to believe that a Florida truck that spent some time in Georgia has serious rust, unless it's been near (or in) the ocean. Perhaps it pulled a boat in and out of salt water.

I bet it dosen't look as bad as this '89 4runner. Notice the crossmember below the radiator <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> -- Matt

I've used this stuff called EvapoRust before. It's all natural apparently and made from orange peel or something... worked really well for the job i was working on. I used to have a 1985 Honda Prelude with real bad rust around the sunroof... I just hacked it out and treated the rust with that evaporust, welded in a plate and bogged over it. It lasted around 3 years and no rust return (i sold the car and it still wasn't rusty... may be rusty now).

To get rid of mud/clay I take a bucket load of change to the local DIY carwash and blast all that crud off. We have water restrictions where we live atm so we get busted if we get caught washing/degreasing at our house.

Not much rust nooooo, but I want to stop it before anymore starts!

To prevent rust, Rust Check works very well. My 89 has spent 13/18 winters in MA and NH (5 in CA that don't count) and there is practically no body rust and very little frame rust. I get it done every 2nd year. Gotta travel to Canada to get it done, but that's a good excuse to visit old friends and drink some beer. Anyone know of a similar treatment available in the US (NH/MA)?