> > PANHARD ROD MOUNT CAUTION < <

[ARCHINSTL]

See the photo. Goldie came from the Nashville area and was 99% rust-free. Since the STL Metro area never stints on salt during the Winter, to spare her, I usually drive the truck which is Swiss cheese anyway.

So when I was installing the right axle last weekend I casually looked into the Panhard mount "box" and noticed an oval area of light rust swelling. I thought it was simply "surface" rust causing the paint to rise until I started poking it - it was about a 1/4" thick upwelling - and then my screwdriver went through the sheet metal.
Apparently when the thing was welded there was an obround depression where two pieces of steel are joined, for ? reason. This is quite shallow, but deep enough (and possibly untreated) to permit moisture to gather and eventually rust. And this even from living from '86 until '05 in a salt-free area! The stuff should drain through the bottom of the box, which is open, but this quite shallow area apparently trapped the muck.
After removing all of the rust I sprayed the entire inside of the box with RustOleum Rust Reformer. I sealed the outside rust hole with duct tape and sprayed over that, just like I did with the access holes in the rear channel under the bumper, which has held up remarkably.
Any 'road splash' thrown up should still drop down the inside of the box (and onto the Panhard mounting bolt...).

It would behoove all to examine this mount. Left unchecked this could lead to the mount's failure, which has happened to (at least) one member a few years ago. I'll have a piece of metal welded over this next Spring.
Tom M.
.................. > Left click on photo to enlarge. <
EDIT:
I should add that I checked the area last year (2015, 5 years later than the OP), and noticed nothing had deteriorated; consequently I have put off having a piece welded there.

[4wdchico]

Thanks, good to know.

[takza]

I've carefully gone around under my wagon poking around looking for these types of places...whereupon I poke thru and clean up all loose rust...then I get out my trusty used ATF sprayer putting generous amounts of oil in the hole in every possible direction so as to coat the inside of the channel.

In my opinion...if something is not attached right at the spot where the rust is...it's not really necessary to add metal back. After all...they drill holes in structural channels to lighten them in certain types of original construction. And the extra hole allows for air circulation.

My wagon was sold in California and was at some point Ziebarted. Since I drive it in the winter round and round the rust belt....I'm slowly losing ground to the rust....but it's still plenty solid enough to drive...due to the oiling.

Another area you'd want to poke around in would be the front to back channels near the engine in front...I found a couple of holes in the bottom of these channels about 2 yrs ago...got them oiled all to hey now though....nothing is attached at the place where the hole is....but need to watch the xmember and control arm areas.