Key High impact points, and rust prevention

[Ben1500GT]

Going to be picking up my new ‘22 Limited this weekend and want to get it setup right ASAP. I plan to keep this truck for its life span.

This will be my first Ram 1500 so I’m curious what areas are most prone to rock chips and rust? I plan to install paint protection film on the whole front end but am also considering the lower section of the doors beneath the body line. Have many seen rock chips happen there?

I’m also new to the whole under-body spray coatings. I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews of it and if it really prevents rust down the road. It looks like an oil-type spray is the way to go as opposed to anything textured? This truck will be driven through the rough Midwest winters so I’d like to get ahead of this issue if needed.

Thanks!

(I should probably change my forum name to something without G/T now too…)


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[BowersFJ]

I’m in OH, and rear bumper under the step pad, and a lil on the rockers is all I had on my 2012 …. Having my new 22 shot with fluid film this Sat


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[ferraiolo1]

Undercoating?

NHOU Black Wax https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-ram-today.1686/page-575#post-333242 I was looking at NHOU. How is it holding up for you?? I was going to spray fluid film on my JKU, but will probably wait until spring since it's getting colder out (I'm in MA)...

5thgenrams.com

 

[mikeru82]

This will be my first Ram 1500 so I’m curious what areas are most prone to rock chips and rust? I plan to install paint protection film on the whole front end but am also considering the lower section of the doors beneath the body line. Have many seen rock chips happen there?

Congrats on the new truck! One of the most "impacted" areas my wife and I have seen on our trucks is the front of the rear fender flares. There is factory PPF, but it's not big enough or well placed. And having mud flaps did nothing to protect this area on either truck.

 

[jgmac98]

Congrats on the truck.

I have PPF on the whole leading edge (front bumper, grill, 24" up the hood and down the side, side mirror caps, A pillar and above the windshield). this is my first RAM but my last 2 fords were awful in all those areas for rock chips. I also had them to PPF behind the door handles, on the fuel door and the rear bumper (so when i kick the bed step out I don't scratch the painted bumper).

I had the undercoating done as well as it was minimal (~$300) and I'm paranoid of rust. I find the undercoating also helps reduce some road noise so there is that added benefit.

I also had the rust proofing spray done where they put this waxy fluid in all the holes throughout the body of the truck. Winters in Calgary are pretty harsh and there is lots of snow melt put down. The city now uses a mix that includes beet juice to help the ice melt/sand stick to the road, but that also means it sticks to vehicles as well.

A good set of mudflaps also helps. There was a brand that used to be called Gatorback but I believe they've been sold/rebranded, they are probably the best ones you can buy if you don't do a lot of off-roading. They are a rubber flap with a metal cap at the bottom and you can get various designs of them. The dealerships have them up here as "premium" mudflaps, but you can buy them separately for a lot chaper than the dealership sells them for.

 

[Idahoktm]

Congrats on the truck.

I have PPF on the whole leading edge (front bumper, grill, 24" up the hood and down the side, side mirror caps, A pillar and above the windshield). this is my first RAM but my last 2 fords were awful in all those areas for rock chips. I also had them to PPF behind the door handles, on the fuel door and the rear bumper (so when i kick the bed step out I don't scratch the painted bumper).

I had the undercoating done as well as it was minimal (~$300) and I'm paranoid of rust. I find the undercoating also helps reduce some road noise so there is that added benefit.

I also had the rust proofing spray done where they put this waxy fluid in all the holes throughout the body of the truck. Winters in Calgary are pretty harsh and there is lots of snow melt put down. The city now uses a mix that includes beet juice to help the ice melt/sand stick to the road, but that also means it sticks to vehicles as well.

A good set of mudflaps also helps. There was a brand that used to be called Gatorback but I believe they've been sold/rebranded, they are probably the best ones you can buy if you don't do a lot of off-roading. They are a rubber flap with a metal cap at the bottom and you can get various designs of them. The dealerships have them up here as "premium" mudflaps, but you can buy them separately for a lot chaper than the dealership sells them for.

Beet juice is actually a good thing. It reduces the corrosive properties of salt.

 

[jgmac98]

Beet juice is actually a good thing. It reduces the corrosive properties of salt.

I didn't know that, thanks. I do find that the sand and road crud sticks more to the front of my vehicles since beet juice started to be used, or its a head thing and I only started to notice it...

 

[arod412]

To be honest, just doing washes, especially during the winters, and quality washes during spring/summer is the only true protection.

I'm doing the undercoating route, but in reality, when it snows here in NJ, not much you can do outside besides not driving it in bad weather..lol

For my Rebel, I just plan on giving it some power washes in the winter. In spring and summer, I would do an undercarriage wash and using some degreaser in hard to reach/really dirty areas, and to scrub off as much as you can.

Here is an example of me going offroad, and the common dirty areas. I noticed that with the engine pushed back a little more, there is more room in the engine bay to get dirty.

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