Might be time to retire the old Mountaineer.

[H2opro]

I think it might be time. Found the right side of the rear body x member is rusted out. The truck was under coated when is was new so the floor pans are solid. Needs rockers and rear wheel wells too. It's been a good truck. 300k and I've only put a rad, alternator and a t case in it last year. The 5.0 in it burns about a quart every 3000 miles or so. When it's down a quart its due for a change. Hands down the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned.
The a/c still blows cold. It was -40 here last winter. The thing started from my kitchen with the autostart.
Damn salt belt.

 

[EB4X]

Bummer....she's still a beaut on the outside..... at least you got all those miles out of her...not to minimize the breakup.....

 

[Hacra]

If i'd live in your area, i'd buy it and just do the rust repairs. She seems to be in rather nice condition still.

 

[XLTrunner]

Up here in MN, after 20+ yrs of winter driving on salted roads, there usually isn't much in the way of solid metal in which to weld in new rockers and quarters. I've reached this same milestone with my '04 Merc Sable w/259K miles. Still runs like a top...but, unsightly (and, probably structural) rust has caused me to lose interest in doing anything more than simple maintenance. It's days are numbered...but, it has served me well by allowing me to avoid driving my '98 Explorer from AZ in the winter and keeping it rust-free.

 

[H2opro]

The only structural problem is the x member on the right side up by the spare tire. Floors, frame, and ever other structural stuff is good. I've kept us with it as best and I could. I paid a 1000 bucks for it in 2014. Thinking I'd get a year or 2 out of it. The winter of 2015 I put some money into it. But new BFGs on it along with auto start. The only this that failed me on it was the alternator. I scraped another one that was rusty so I sold the leather interior out of it and put it in this one. I was looking for a winter beater when I bought it. I was in a hurry and had found a v6 truck that was kind of a pile. But ran and drove good. Found this one Craigslist that same day. So I brought this one home.

 

[H2opro]

I'm sure it probably could be saved. The rockers and rear wheel wells can be fixed. It's weird how it rusted. The inner wheel wells are fine. Spot welds could be drilled out. I wasn't so crazy about keeping up with it the first year. But year 2 when I put the tires on it I got way better. I put 80k on it the first year and a half I had it. So I tried me best to wash it all the time. And paint the under side. I love the truck. I am not sending it to the crusher anytime soon. Thing literally got wash anytime it was dirty in the winter.

 

[H2opro]

Here is the cross member.

 

[H2opro]

Still looks good from a distance.

 

[XLTrunner]

Looks pretty good to me...but, did you have to post pics of it shown in the snow? I'm still trying to overcome my PTSD from last winter's cold/snow...lol!

 

[H2opro]

Looks pretty good to me...but, did you have to post pics of it shown in the snow? I'm still trying to overcome my PTSD from last winter's cold/snow...lol!

That was the day it was like -35 without the wind-chill. It fired right up after sitting for a couple days!

 

[H2opro]

If i'd live in your area, i'd buy it and just do the rust repairs. She seems to be in rather nice condition still.

It's probably better than most up here. The salt sucks.

 

[H2opro]

Bummer....she's still a beaut on the outside..... at least you got all those miles out of her...not to minimize the breakup.....

Most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. It's a running joke it my household about when the newer stuff needs work we always fall back on the mountaineer!

 

[Winter Hawk]

I'd talk to some welding shops & see if they can fabricate a new cross member. I'm having that done with my '89 Ranger this summer. The shop here said to bring it in and they would do an estimate as they do frame repairs all the time.

 

[GLOCKer]

Not a bad looking ride! I'd get it patched up and keep her on the road!