What is this, and why is paint missing from it?

[Darksteel165]

Only had my truck for just over 2 weeks and I noticed this when I was under doing some work.

What part is this considered and what problems am I going to have that it's raw metal (I live in MA and we get lots of snow, and salt, and other icemelts on our roads).
And no, I didn't hit it with anything.

I just keep adding to my list of stuff screwed up at the factory before I picked it up.

Driver side MFT needs to be adjusted or replaced because it doesn't stay open (doesn't lock open, just wants to swing to 45 degrees)
Passenger side MFT's lock hole looks like someone with crosseyes tried to make it flat\level
Passenger seat speaker grate has a huge scratch (under the coat or paint or whatever was put on at the factory)
Also found 2 screws under the rear seats, doesn't make me feel good putting my kidos in back even though i'm sure just 2 screws isn't going to let the seats fall out or something.

 

[Burnzie]

Looks like the axel tube ( Aka 3rd member) unless it's a pic of the front axle. You can get some rattle can undercoat and spray on it if you want... don't think it will help though.

 

[Rick3478]

Kinda looks like damage tie-down straps might do. Maybe not done by the factory, but by the shipper. A bit of hand painting with black Rustoleum might be in order. If under warranty, dealer should be willing to touch it up.

 

[mikeru82]

Kinda looks like damage tie-down straps might do. Maybe not done by the factory, but by the shipper. A bit of hand painting with black Rustoleum might be in order. If under warranty, dealer should be willing to touch it up.

^^This is what it looks like to me. Mine had the same areas of missing paint. I touched those areas up myself, and it's held up well since doing that.

 

[Darksteel165]

Looks like the axel tube ( Aka 3rd member) unless it's a pic of the front axle. You can get some rattle can undercoat and spray on it if you want... don't think it will help though.

It's the rear not front.
What do you mean you don't think it will help?
Is that something that can rust from salt? I've no idea the kind of metal it is. I would assume steel for strength, which rusts.
I don't care about the looks just want it to last. You can't see it unless I remove the spare tire (which is how I saw it)

Kinda looks like damage tie-down straps might do. Maybe not done by the factory, but by the shipper. A bit of hand painting with black Rustoleum might be in order. If under warranty, dealer should be willing to touch it up.

Truck was a custom order so the only shipping, was to the selling dealership.
I picked it up last month on the 25th so the truck is under warranty, or do you mean if fixing screwed up paint would be considered under warranty?

 

[Rick3478]

I guess either way, dealer should be willing to touch it up. If Ram won't pick up the cost, shipper and/or dealer should have insurance to cover stuff like this. I'm not an attorney, but imagine suitability for sale concepts would apply. Yes it's steel, and will rust if it isn't protected.

 

[Rlaf75]

More than likely the paint missing on the rear differential is either from the factory when the parts get moved through the assembly line or during vehicle transport where they tie the truck down. You can use some rustoleum to cover it up but give it one New England weather and there will be more things you'll see missing paint. The underside of vehicle take a beating with normal road debris. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm in CT and I'm more worried about the garbage they put down on the roads in winter eating my truck away.

 

[wsutard1]

Looks like some kind of fluid got onto the axle housing can caused a reaction with the paint to me. Maybe brake fluid.

You can see shiny parts in the second pic rather well. Looks like it still might be wet. The patterns also look fluid like.

I doubt the shipper would hook up to these parts of the axle.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Looks like where they sit on a cradle for shipping or assembly.

Clean it up and hit it with Rustoleum. If you want to go hog wild, get some Eastwood chassis paint.

Don't sweat the small stuff, the oxidation (rust) coating on that axle tube alloy steel will never go more than superficial. If anything rusts, hit it with Rustoleum rust reformer and 2 coats of paint.

 

[ZombieSlayer]

Looks like some kind of fluid got onto the axle housing can caused a reaction with the paint to me. Maybe brake fluid.

You can see shiny parts in the second pic rather well. Looks like it still might be wet. The patterns also look fluid like.

I doubt the shipper would hook up to these parts of the axle.

Those marks are the width of a tie down strap, at least from what I see.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Those marks are the width of a tie down strap, at least from what I see.

The axle vent breather port/tube is at the top of one, doubtful it's from a strap.

 

[SD Rebel]

Looks to me like where they sit on a crate in the factory before assembly. As mentioned by the others, I would just touch it up with some Home Depot metal paint.

 

[397STROKER]

I had the same area and it even looked almost identical. Sprayed it down with rustoleum. You will eventually rust in other areas underneath the truck. rear control arms is one that comes to mind.

 

[mikeru82]

It's not from fluid. Something was wrapped around the axle housings. I could see where the bare metal had scratch marks on mine. Here's pics of mine before I painted them over. These are in the same locations as the OP's.

 

[LaxDfns15]

If you take it to the dealer to have them "fix" it they're going to do exactly what everyone else on here has suggested. They'll sand it a bit then spray some Rustoleum on it. Just hit it with a wire brush and spray it yourself with either undercoat or bed liner from a spray can. Problem solved.

 

[Rlaf75]

If you take it to the dealer to have them "fix" it they're going to do exactly what everyone else on here has suggested. They'll sand it a bit then spray some Rustoleum on it. Just hit it with a wire brush and spray it yourself with either undercoat or bed liner from a spray can. Problem solved.

They wont even go that far. They'll spray it with brake cleaner wipe it dry then spray paint then send you on your way. It's the underside of the truck that's going to be tarnished and rusty in no time anyway

 

[ZombieSlayer]

The axle vent breather port/tube is at the top of one, doubtful it's from a strap.

Not sure how I missed that

 

[ferraiolo1]

Be proactive and buy some rustoleum and paint it.

It’s what I did. Because the axle is the first thing to rust. And it will cost you less time and money than the fuel would cost to take it to the dealer.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mikeru82]

Not sure how I missed that

On mine it's not directly below the vent line. It's the camera angle which makes it look like that. One of the pics I posted shows it from a more direct angle, and you can see that the vent is to the outside of the marks. I suspect that it's the same for the OP's pic because it's from a similar camera angle. Here's a close-up from my pic showing a more direct camera angle...

 

[Brutal_HO]

I don't know how they tie these down to railcars or trucks for transport. I suppose it could be from a hook thrown over the axle.