2014GHIGGT

Those axle assemblies come out easy enough. Pull it out. Pressure wash it real good. Let it dry. Hit it with some self etching primer and allow that to dry then spray with a few coats if black gloss rust oleum. Problem solved. POR-15 rocks the house too but you need to remember to top coat that stuff or it will break down over time.

Bucko

Sigh. They are made to be driven. If some are spending time staring at a differential housing/rear axle, and having fits that it has rust, then it may be time to find another pleasure.

FromZto5

I understand your point, but for some people, cars are so much more. They're show cars or garage queens or whatever they are. People do what makes them happy. The same way you drive yours daily, and it makes you happy. For some people, like me, driving it only in sunny days, and detailing her frequently makes me verrrrry happy. Nothing wrong with either.

GrnT

I griped about this when I got my first 06 Vert. You know, back in the day.
This is what some of us do during the winter, (Some times year around) the Mustang sits in the garage just waiting to be critiqued and then modded. It's a sickness that I truly love. All rust should be abolished if possible. To except rust is futile.
I do have rust and dislike it, for years.

70monte

My issue with it is that I've had vehicles that cost a lot less than this Mustang was that had painted rear ends. On my car, I can't even get the fill plug out on the axle because it's rusted in. I've never had any problems getting out these plugs on any of my painted axles. It looks cheap and causes issues.






Wayne

ElkGroveFordGuy

My track pack car has painted rear end is that normal!

ford20

No, it is a factory freak

ElkGroveFordGuy

Is this sarcasm or is this the truth?

Bucko

Okay, I'll agree, to each his or her own. If buying the Mustang, keeping it in the garage most of its time due to weather or just because you like it pristine, then god bless you.

However, try this, just one time...bring your Mustang south, Florida for example, and drive down A1A for a stretch of about 10 to 20 miles just north of Daytona. Then head up on I-4 or I-95 south to open it up.

I'm thinking the rusty rear end thoughts will fade, if just for awhile while you are enjoying what these cars were made for...driving them.

FromZto5

I agree with you too... if I lived somewhere south, you know I'd drive it darn near everyday. It's this horrid winter that damages cars finishes so much, underside, outside, inside, wherever.

But alas, we are all a victim of circumstance, as there are reasons/benefits of why I stay here in the midwest. Someday.... maybe.... I'll move.

Varilux

The Track Pack cars come with a painted axle and an aluminum cover (everything looks nice and tidy under mine). When I see something "cheap" on my car (like the paper thin carpeting), I console myself by saying they put all the money into the Coyote engine!

Leaving the axle unpainted is one thing, leaving the interior of the cowl unpainted (completely untreated sheet metal)- which Ford did on the '65 Mustang- is another! Nearly every classic Mustang has rusted out cowl panels (requiring extensive body work and welding to R&R) which leak water right down onto the floorpans (rusting them out as well).

Fortunately, Texas weather is very kind on automobiles. My year old '14 (in fact, for the most part my fifty year old '65) doesn't have any visible rust.

Bucko

Benefits of living in these conditions...they must be good...

ford20

This, it was sarcasm lol.

It is actually kind of funny how our axles got painted. When Ford was designing the Boss they took Dave Pericak under the car (I believe that is what it was or they showed him a picture of the underside) and they said to him, now imagine in 40 years when these things are crossing the auction blocks at Barrett-Jackson and they use the underside camera and the announcers go "there is that factory correct rusty axle under there" and then immediately he said that we are painting the axles black.

GrnT

Nothing beets a road trip.

JohnX3

After reading through this thread I don't feel so bad now about mine. While under mine just last weekend to install GT500's, I noticed the same rust. My car has ~200 miles on it and spent the winter (since December) in my unheated garage on a bare concrete floor to which I contributed the rust. And, I just moved on from it because darn, those new mufflers sure sound good. I didn't think about the rust again until I read this and I won't think about it anymore.

El Coyote GT/CS

I have to laugh at the thought that some of us who painted their axle might have to go to Ford with some kind of rear end failure and have the warranty claim denied for altering the OEM protective layer! Ha!

Oh man! Now I have to figure out how to get this "POR crap" off my axle!!!

bryan67

must NOT drive it much. Your local weathermen must be GODs, or you just really picky on when you take it out. Even on my bike i get hit by rain atleast 1 to 2 times a year.

bryan67

Alittle surface rust aint gonna hurt anything. Dont like it. Clean it and coat it or paint it. I live in a **** area were we have high humdity, salt is used in the winters etc. So i tend to paint or coat anything im worried about. and Since i welded my axles tubes I went ahead and painted them to for the extra hour it took to clean and paint it to me it worth the little expense.