Not a fan of the Al rear doors...

[Edwards]

UPDATE: I know I read somewhere that Ram was using aluminum rear doors in the launch materials back in '18 but after reading some of these comments below I put a magnet on my doors and they are steel. My apologies to RAM. I will now only blame children in parking lots - and their parents.


Now I acknowledge the fact that the ultimate issue is the ****-poor parenting in the US and the self-centered kids swinging those back doors open. But my just over four year old truck is looking a bit odd. There is not a ding on it - except for the 10 in the rear doors. I know Ram went with aluminum on them and the hood & tailgate but it's just shocking to look at the two doors from either side. The front doors are pristine and the rear doors have multiple dings at the raised line above the factory side molding (too low IMHO) and several above that in the flat part of the door.

Maybe Ram could move to Al frame doors with steel skin on them?

I know I'm headed to a dent specialist. At least they'll have an easy time popping the dents out since that Al is so soft.

 

[expfinn]

Agreed.

 

[PurpleRT]

Kids and stop parking so close lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Jako]

Now I acknowledge the fact that the ultimate issue is the ****-poor parenting in the US and the self-centered kids swinging those back doors open. But my just over four year old truck is looking a bit odd. There is not a ding on it - except for the 10 in the rear doors. I know Ram went with aluminum on them and the hood & tailgate but it's just shocking to look at the two doors from either side. The front doors are pristine and the rear doors have multiple dings at the raised line above the factory side molding (too low IMHO) and several above that in the flat part of the door.

Maybe Ram could move to Al frame doors with steel skin on them?

I know I'm headed to a dent specialist. At least they'll have an easy time popping the dents out since that Al is so soft.

From what I "understand" aluminum can be more problematic but can be done.

PDR and aluminum at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

 

[SD Rebel]

The rear doors are aluminum??? I know about the hood and tail gate, but didn't know the rear doors are as well.

The wife's Silverado also has aluminum hood, tail gate, but all 4 of her doors are also aluminum.

Seem weird that RAM would only go half aluminum on the doors.

 

[WXman]

Since aluminum is expensive, Ram went just as far as they could to balance weight savings (MPG savings, which translates to savings for them on EPA fines) with expenditure. They need to make the 6th Gen truck 100% aluminum. Ford has proven it can be done. No more rust issues.

On my Jeep pickup truck, the ONLY part of the body that was steel in the floor pan and rockers....the most rust prone parts of a truck body. Sigh....

 

[SD Rebel]

Since aluminum is expensive, Ram went just as far as they could to balance weight savings (MPG savings, which translates to savings for them on EPA fines) with expenditure. They need to make the 6th Gen truck 100% aluminum. Ford has proven it can be done. No more rust issues.

On my Jeep pickup truck, the ONLY part of the body that was steel in the floor pan and rockers....the most rust prone parts of a truck body. Sigh....

I think Ford corned the aluminum market. I will say my 2015 F150 with all aluminum body was pretty good against dings. Ford used pretty thick aluminum which was still lighter than steel, but less susceptible to minor dinging.

I'm still shocked my rear doors are aluminum, I'm going to take a magnet to it later today

 

[pkman]

Rear doors on the Quad Cab are steel

 

[SD Rebel]

Just checked with a magnet, I can confirm my 2019 RAM Rebel crew cab rear doors are steel.

The magnet worked on my rear doors just fine, the only parts I could find that didn't work was the tail gate and hood.

Is the rear doors being aluminum based on certain years?

 

[Cbty2050]

Odd that my 2022 has steel doors, magnet sticks to it.

 

[Cbty2050]

No more rust issues.

Doesn't stop corrosion.

 

[Trippi]

the back doors on my 2020 are so flimsy! Just close the front then the back - the difference is noticeable.

 

[SD Rebel]

the back doors on my 2020 are so flimsy! Just close the front then the back - the difference is noticeable.

Maybe the flimsy aspect isn't due to the weight of the door skin, but the fit of the doors? The door skins are certainly steel and my rear doors doesn't seem flimsy when closing.

After going back and reading about the initial launch of the 5th gen, RAM made it known they were sticking with mostly steel compared to GM and Ford, they stated the body is steel, only thing that is aluminum is the hood and tail gate.

 

[WXman]

Doesn't stop corrosion.

I've heard that repetitively for the last 8 years of F-150 production and I've still never seen one with a single rusted/corroded/problem panel regardless of road salt or climate.

 

[SD Rebel]

I've heard that repetitively for the last 8 years of F-150 production and I've still never seen one with a single rusted/corroded/problem panel regardless of road salt or climate.

The corrosion is not rust, they don't rust through. Instead the corrosion is the paint bubbling and coming off the panel, usually not visible since it's commonly under the hood edges and rear hatches.

This is mainly due to improper treatment of the panels before paint, Ford was pretty notorious with it on aluminum hoods and rear hatches. However, the F150 factory did a great job with prep, it's not a common issue with aluminum corrosion like it was with past models.

I had this issue on my S197 Mustang GT, 2nd gen Ford Expedition for example. But my 2015 F150's paint never had these issues.

 

[Edwards]

Well, nothing like making a post to find out you were wrong about something! After reading these replies I put a magnet on my rear doors and they are steel. I know I read somewhere in the launch marketing that Ram was using aluminum in the rear doors. I guess they would up not doing it and I never checked.

So now it is 100% cause by lazy Americans!

 

[OldMarine]

aluminum has some benefits...but body work isn't one of them. Don't let just any old shop do work on aluminum if you have some dents. Make sure they are certified by one of the major manufacturers, need SEPERATE tools, a seperate stall, with dust shields around it, and some pretty good knowledge of how to work aluminum. Biggest error by shops is cross contamination of steel and aluminum debris...leads to misery down the road.

 

[Brutal_HO]

FWIW, I had a 2022 1500 Laramie loaner for a week and every time I closed a rear door, it reverberated/clunked internally.

My 4.5 gen HD doesn't do that.

Very annoying.

The flat floor and space was nice. I actually prefer my 4th gen Limited seats though the 5th gen had more adjustability excepting it seemed far rearward was less than the HD. Probably because I had them all the way high up. Not sure how the soft touch wheel controls are going to hold up over time.

 

[Idahoktm]

Well, nothing like making a post to find out you were wrong about something! After reading these replies I put a magnet on my rear doors and they are steel. I know I read somewhere in the launch marketing that Ram was using aluminum in the rear doors. I guess they would up not doing it and I never checked.

So now it is 100% cause by lazy Americans!

Yes, the lazy Americans that park up front, instead of out on the back forty.

 

[Sportznut]

Yep. These trucks are big.

Parking in the back 40 is a good idea,

Additional protection like running boards (that stick out far enough) and body side moldings make sense too.

It is very rare that I park anywhere near other vehicles, but when I do, I tuck in my big towing mirrors so I don't irritate or hurt somebody.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk