Rust!!!!!!!!

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jixxer

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I'm so sick of Dodge, I only have 80k miles on my truck and the wheel wells are rusting out, parking brake cable rusted in half, oil pan is so rusted it flexes when I push on it with my finger the trany pan is well on its way too and the brake line corroded apart. :Rant:

This is absurd! I had a 97 GTP that had zero rust when I sold it at 190k miles.
 

tones2SS

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Welcome to the club.
The bottom of my tailgate is rusting and the rear bumper is rusting. Kind of ****** me off since I really take care of my vehicles, but it is a 2005, so 9 years old. Less than 70k on the clock too. :shooter:
 

smokedya

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Fine china steel? Mine has zero rust,with 70,000
 

Harley Harrold

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I guess I am lucky as I haven't seen any rust on my 2007 Ram.:)
 

earlzach

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Does your ram have the Wheel well liners? I put them in my 03 right away and never had a problem They block dirt and mud from laying up under the edge where the panels rust.
 

hotkarl

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I recently replaced my almost rusted through tranny pan and my oil pan is next. Feels paper thin in some spots. I get nervous every time I pull drain plug for an oil change.
My truck was a Canada and upstate NY truck most of its life. Salt salt salt!
 

HLram

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My 07 has zero rust with around 170,000 miles on it. That is years in the oilfield driving thru locations that are extremely muddy and full of water etc. The only things that may have a touch of rust might be a couple small screws that hold the inner fenders on. But that is just surface rust. But I live in Texas so no salt on our roads. My 12 model started rusting a little bit on the bolts that hold the diff cover on almost immediately after I bought it new two years ago.
 

Westwind1124a

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That sucks! It's not just a dodge problem though. My 08 Sierra was the worst I'd ever seen. Inside of three years they had to replace the tailgate and the front bumper. All four doors also had extensive rust on the seams. They would have fixed that too but I traded it instead. I did half of a winter stock with my Ram and then went the fluid film route. Its messy, but it seems to work.

Heck, my brother's 03 Sierra is totaled from the rust at 130,000 miles. The frame is completely ruined. Its sad that a 45,000 dollar doesn't have proper protection from corrosion. Hope you're able to get it fixed on the cheap.
 
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jixxer

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I guess if I had over 100k miles on it I wouldn't be as upset but 80k miles is not that many for a modern vehicle.
 

cd36

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2005
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Do you have pics of the wheel well liners? Do they go right on the lip of the sheet metal? Mine has a plastic liner on it, but it doesn't go all the way around the wheel, it is just at the back. I'm wondering if there is another style that covers more of the wheel well. If you could post a pic of yours that would be appreciated, thanks!

Note: I have an 05 with 178k km (110k miles), and the bottom of the passenger door is rusting, and underneath there are spots of rust on the body and the frame, but nothing through or serious. The wheel wells are also in good shape so I'd like to protect them as much as I can before they become an issue. Most of the rust on the underside seems to be starting on spot welds.
 

1500BR

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Wheel well liners are very easy to replace,

Also Loctite makes a milky gel material that you can get at any parts store. If you spot rust just beginning to form sand it down with 100 grit and apply a couple coats of it, it works great to seal and stop it.
 

dodge dude94

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I'm sorry, but mileage doesn't mean **** unless you've owned since it rolled off the line new.
A much, much newer vehicle can rot away if it's not treated right. Corrosion doesn't discriminate.



BTW, South, FTW!
 

1500BR

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^ True and a good eye and a little bit of maintenance can go a long way.
 

earlzach

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Do you have pics of the wheel well liners? Do they go right on the lip of the sheet metal? Mine has a plastic liner on it, but it doesn't go all the way around the wheel, it is just at the back. I'm wondering if there is another style that covers more of the wheel well. If you could post a pic of yours that would be appreciated, thanks!

Note: I have an 05 with 178k km (110k miles), and the bottom of the passenger door is rusting, and underneath there are spots of rust on the body and the frame, but nothing through or serious. The wheel wells are also in good shape so I'd like to protect them as much as I can before they become an issue. Most of the rust on the underside seems to be starting on spot welds.

I bought them right off the shelf at the dealer for 80.00 a pair. And they pop right in. No drilling. The holes are all ready there. Just be sure you have cleaned any standing mud and crud from the lip of your quarter panel and anywhere under there first.
Here is what I believe to be a set for sale.
02 09 Dodge RAM 1500 2500 3500 New Wheel Well Liner Rear Black Mopar Factory | eBay
Here is what a lined rear wheel well looks like.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20092010-Dodge-Ram-1500-Rear-Wheel-Well-Liner-Kit-82211373-/370983168252
 

Coldwater

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I'm sorry, but mileage doesn't mean **** unless you've owned since it rolled off the line new.
A much, much newer vehicle can rot away if it's not treated right. Corrosion doesn't discriminate.



BTW, South, FTW!

That's about as true as it gets. I have no idea what mileage would have to do with body condition. If you live in the rust belt, then maintaining the body is the only way to ward it off. 11 years of hard winters, and my bed was just starting to show some spots, and I noticed the bottom inside edge of the tailgate is spotting, but so far, the body isn't showing any ill effects. After every storm, and when the roads clear, I just spend the $14 and run it through the car wash to blast all the crap out from unter it. If I had it to do over again, I would have taken my new truck to be completely undercoated, and the inner fenders and rockers treated. But 11 years of living outside and constant exposure to corrosives? I simply cannot blame the truck. I can remember a time when if you got 100,000 miles on a car without it blowing up, you were a hero. Same with rust. If you got 4 years without through holes, it was a miracle.
 
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