I thought I would get some more "professional" opinions on this rust that I'm having on my '99 Ranger. This is the front leaf spring bracket on both sides. The frame has a pair of relatively small rusty pits just above factory holes in the frame rails. I've never seen anything rust like this before and was curious of people's opinions on it. I sprayed the right side with Rust-O-Leum's Rust-inhibitor last year and that spot hasn't begun rusting again as far as I can tell. The driver's side I've not touched. The metal looks pretty solid other than that one spot and it bangs like metal. Is this rust from the inside or outside, and should I be concerned with it? I can't access that area from behind.
What happens if you hit it with a hammer?
It makes banging noises and sounds pretty solid, no crunching, etc. Small pieces of rust do come out from behind, which does concern me a bit. This is pretty much right in the same area as that rusted crossmember I've mentioned before. It's actually in the top of both images.
If it's solid but has surface rust I'd spray some Fluid Film or similar stuff on the inside and outside of that section to retard corrosion. (You can't stop rust but you can slow it down.)
You have minor surface rust. That's all. I don't see any structural issues. Leave it a lone. It could last another 10 years.
I didn't think most of it was serious. The part that concerned me is that it ate a hole pretty much through the outer piece. I've never seen rust do that in such a concentrated area before, especially on both sides.
it could be a "plug weld"