i just picked up a '85 and i found out that the guy who owned it before me put a new frame in it about a year ago. i heard from someone on this board to drill a couple of holes in the bottom of the frame to drain the mud/water that gets stuck in there, but i can't remember where tehy said to drill them. any help? where are the frames most likely to rust out on the '85's?

i dont think that would be wise. you can weaken the frame. its another hole for crap to get into. just my $0.02:)

i have mine stripped all the way down and was washing off the grease/grime the other day and noticed mud/dirt trickling from a hole and got to hosing inside the frame rail and found it almost compltely full of mud. i think i might put a small 1/4-3/8" hole in the rear of the frame about midway between the open end of the frame and where it starts to hump up where it goes over the axle. and in the front i'd put a hole about a foot behind the front shackle hanger.

- jack

There are holes in the frame, in the rear, right in front of the front spring hangers. They are about 1/4" but you can make them 3/8" for better cleaning. I'd love to meet ya, I'm only in Arcade, so not too far. Check my site and give me a call!

Mines an 89 (ex)IFS truck, but it shouldn't make a difference either way. We see a lot of mud here in TN, and every so often I'll park the truck on this nice steep hill facing nose-down within reach of my hose. The rear of the frame is open, so I just cram the hose down it as far as I can and run it about an hour per side. As long as you don't let it clump up for too long, this usually does the trick.

Drill a 1/2" hole about 3 inches in front of the rear frame hump and 3" behind the front hump. Forget the stock holes and forget weakening the frame, it won't.

If you're in a salt state this is mandatory treatment. My '85 I just bought had about no frame left. My '86 which I've owned for 5 years is like brand new inside.

Not only do I wash the frame out after every trip, I blast some air in there to dry it out, and spray it with WD40, or penetrating oil a few times a year. Light oils will evaporate eventually but they do provide protection and they wash away too.

Mines an 89 (ex)IFS truck, but it shouldn't make a difference either way. We see a lot of mud here in TN, and every so often I'll park the truck on this nice steep hill facing nose-down within reach of my hose. The rear of the frame is open, so I just cram the hose down it as far as I can and run it about an hour per side. As long as you don't let it clump up for too long, this usually does the trick.

Mud? Whats that? All I ever drive on is rocks.:rolleyes:

Originally posted by rusted
Not only do I wash the frame out after every trip, I blast some air in there to dry it out, and spray it with WD40, or penetrating oil a few times a year. Light oils will evaporate eventually but they do provide protection and they wash away too.

You are right about the holes not weaking anything.

But WD-40 isn’t going to do shit. It was developed as a “Water Dispenser hence the WD-40. Water disperser-40, I guess the other 39 did not work.:D One of the side things with WD is that it is a temporary lube at the best. I think that the best thing that you could do to a frame in the rust belt is to have it galvanized, but that is a little extreme. Maybe use some type of sprayer, spray the inside with oil, and clean on a regular basis or move but not to California!!!
:D :D :D