Rusty RAM's

[Nick54]

Ever since I purchased my 2019 Ram, I've been noticing other late model Rams with rusted fender wells, tailgates and door bottoms. Is this what I can expect for my truck? Is this an ongoing issue with Ram trucks?

 

[Firebird]

I would assume it depends on where you live. Here in Florida, old Ram's are everywhere, and rust free

 

[Nick54]

I would assume it depends on where you live. Here in Florida, old Ram's are everywhere, and rust free

Northeast Ohio, Ram's seem to outnumber Chevy and Ford for rust. Sad!

 

[whetrick1]

Northeast Ohio, Ram's seem to outnumber Chevy and Ford for rust. Sad!

It could be because they salt the road in the winters.


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[Biga]

I haven't seen to many 4th gen rams with rust down here in Cincinnati. 3rd gens seem to have the most around the wheel wells, tailgate and bumpers. I still see a lot of 2ng gens most with very little rust.

 

[Nick54]

What are those who live in rough weather regions doing to save thier trucks from rust?

 

[wildh24]

I had a 2010 f150 and it was rusting on the rocker panels. Live in cold climate with constant road salt and park in a heated garage so my vehicle was/is continually wet in the winter months from snow and slush. I went to an auto body guy and he said that's was the problem spot for Fords. Rams and Chevy had it usually in fenders.

I really don't know what a person can do to stop it. I've read a lot about fluid film application every 12-24 mos.

I had the wheel well liners installed. Not sure if that will help or make it worse. Lol.

 

[ramButz]

I had a 2010 f150 and it was rusting on the rocker panels. Live in cold climate with constant road salt and park in a heated garage so my vehicle was/is continually wet in the winter months from snow and slush. I went to an auto body guy and he said that's was the problem spot for Fords. Rams and Chevy had it usually in fenders.

I really don't know what a person can do to stop it. I've read a lot about fluid film application every 12-24 mos.

I had the wheel well liners installed. Not sure if that will help or make it worse. Lol.

my truck came with those liner.personally i think it a waste

 

[ramButz]

i think if they stop using metalic pieces and start going the route"Ford and chevy",and use aluminum it may help(IMHO!!!!!!)

 

[Ranger482]

I apply Fluid film to the inside or the fender wells, tailgate, cab corners, the bottom of doors and rocker panels. A lot of rust starts from the inside out. This, and keeping the outside protected with a quality wax/sealant is the best I can do and seems to be effective. I've heard good results from Krown, but there is no store near me so the fluid film is my alternative.

 

[silver billet]

I live in Southern Ontario where it's basically salt and slush from Dec through March. My current Jeep is 7 years old and has absolutely no sign of rust anywhere. My previous GM cars didn't either, and they were all > 10 years old when I got rid of them, no rust. I just "under oil" them religously every Fall. Costs about 90 to 120 depending on size of the car/truck and has been worth every penny as far as I can see.

 

[RebelMike]

I live in Northeast PA, where they salt the roads religiously. I owned a 2nd gen ram that I had 10 years. It was just starting to rust on the door bottoms and the bottom of the tailgate when I got rid of it. I also had a 4th gen for 5 years, with absolutely no rust anywhere. The only thing I do to mine, is get the salt off as soon as possible. Take it to a car wash and spray it up underneath on a regular basis. I think that helps more than anything else.

 

[silver64]

Rust is usually a problem if the paint becomes damaged. I have heard that the paint (specifically the clearcoat) on these trucks is thin. This is troublesome. I also live in PA and my 2nd gen Ram was 21 years old with zero rust when i gave it away. I have seen some 4th Gen Ram's with rust above the rear wheel wells. I will be ticked off if this truck gets rust!

 

[wildh24]

I live in Southern Ontario where it's basically salt and slush from Dec through March. My current Jeep is 7 years old and has absolutely no sign of rust anywhere. My previous GM cars didn't either, and they were all > 10 years old when I got rid of them, no rust. I just "under oil" them religously every Fall. Costs about 90 to 120 depending on size of the car/truck and has been worth every penny as far as I can see.

Do you do this at a dealer or an auto body place?

 

[silver billet]

Do you do this at a dealer or an auto body place?

There are 3 guys I know of in my area who do it; none are strictly "auto body" places; one is a mechanic, and the other two are just guys who do it on the side in a large building they own for other reasons.

 

[49willard]

First post. I live in Maine and just purchased a new Classic. I am in the process of spraying fluid film to my new truck (I have a home shop with a lift). I am selling the 2003 Ranger that is still solid after 16 years in Maine similarly treated originally with light oil and more recently with fluid film on an annual basis. The one place that I consistently see older ram trucks rust is over the rear wheel wells (as well as the rockers which are readily accessible with the fluid film flexible wand). I have removed the plastic wheel wells and throughly coated with fluid film. I have the fluid film spray setup with the 30" flexible wand to get into box areas like the frame and rockers. I can see why olders Rams rust over the rear wheel wells. There is a crevice created in the construction process where the outer bed steel is welded (maybe glued) to an inner steel stiffener with sticky "dum dum" in addition in the area creating a very small crevice which is so small that the only access I could get to it was a grease gun hooked up to a capillary type of flexible tube. I pumped grease to the extend accessible in that tiny crevice. I suspect that the dum dum is in there for sound deadening. Creating any crevice for salt that can't be flushed is a bad practice for the many of us living in those areas where salt is used on winter roads. I had checked out Ford and GM, they use a similar construction with some kind of anti vibration filler. Were the plastic wheel wells a more recent addition, what years? Any other thoughts or recommentations?

 

[RSK]

What are those who live in rough weather regions doing to save thier trucks from rust?

POR 15, look it up on Amazon and the internet for undercoating. Its a messy DYI, but works well.

 

[wildh24]

I've used this product. It's very messy. Be careful. Not sure it would work well in New steel panels? Isn't it designed for bare metal.

 

[seadragon]

This is the worst one I’ve ever seen. Definitely some sort of rust proofing is wise in the salty regions. I’m in southern Ontario. Krown and Rust Check are quite popular here.

 

[krakenatwork]

This is the worst one I’ve ever seen. Definitely some sort of rust proofing is wise in the salty regions. I’m in southern Ontario. Known and Rust Check are quite popular here.

Yeouch! Decades ago the province of Quebec was home to a lot of 3-tone cars (paint, rust and see-through) but nowadays every spring "Opération Minoune " (trans: "Operation Rustbucket") removes these from the road. This one wouldn't pass inspection.