Rust Buckets

[Tryin]

Are the 4th generations rust buckets like 2nd and 3rd gens?


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[chrisbh17]

Go buy an aluminum F150 and never have to worry about it again!*

*=except for all the parts that arent aluminum, like the frame.

 

[H1Chester]

Go buy an aluminum F150 and never have to worry about it again!*

*=except for all the parts that arent aluminum, like the frame.

Aluminum does corrode. My RAM is waiting for approval from Chrysler to have hood corrosion repaired.

 

[chrisbh17]

Aluminum does corrode. My RAM is waiting for approval from Chrysler to have hood corrosion repaired.

I know. I was being sarcastic as the somewhat trollish original question.

There are people with F150s having the same issue. Paint will peel off in large chunks instead of bubbling in small bits from rust.

 

[Tryin]

Not trying to troll. I'm being serious. In need of a newer truck. I like Rams but don't want something that will start rusting out prematurely. As for an aluminum bed, would want one.


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[chrisbh17]

I think if you take care of it, it should last.

Fluid Film type protection sprayed on before every winter (depending on where you live). Wash the undercarriage if you drive through snow/salt/brine applied to the roads.

My 2001 Frontier rusted pretty well, but just the bed. The frame had only surface rust, even after 16 years. I replaced the bed a couple years ago and made sure to Fluid Film the replacement bed before installing. Two years later the Fluid Film "film" is still on it.

While the idea of the F150 aluminum bed was nice, I just wasn't a fan of the truck itself (I feel partly because of the weight savings from the aluminum making it feel "light" vs the RAM). Ford and their dealers sure do love their aluminum bed, though...it shows in the price!

 

[StinkyHotChocolate]

Almost every modern manufacturer is doing well with rust. The only widespread issues I hear about are with Mazdas.

 

[ExpressRules]

OP if you live in an area of snow and salt is used on the roadways just take vehicle to self serve carwash or full serve that includes a bottom spray and spray bottom down after each snow event. My 14 has been through 3 winter seasons now and is holding up good.

 

[Tryin]

Anyone with an '09 in the northeast experiencing rust?


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[patchelect]

I can't offer information on the Gen 4 but I had a customer who bought a new Gen 3 and treated like a princess. It was blistering over the rear wheels after several years. I read here that the reason was that RAM (Dodge) was using some sort of putty/bonding at that point that they apparently stopped using on the Gen 4. I'm hoping that information is correct having purchased a Gen 4 recently. I used to live on Long Island and my previous truck, an '01 Dakota, started showing bubbling over the rear wheels only in the last year or two prior to selling it for the RAM. The clear coat was shot on the rest of the truck, but the metal was still in good shape.

I have my fingers crossed on my '14 RAM. I relocated to the Berkshires and Massachusetts uses some serious concoctions on the roads in the winter, however I haven't yet seen a 4th Gen RAM with blistering or rust anywhere.

 

[Danno]

There's pics of gen 4 with rust holes above the hemi badge on this forum.

http://www.ramforum.com/f41/any_4th_gen_rust_yet-76370/

 

[blackbetty14]

The aluminum fords are held together with rivits.. not welds like Steel. There was a huge thing about replacing parts due to accidents as the rivets had to be purchased in huge amounts and like 500 or 1000 and they only needed like 5. Then the dealers had to throw out the remainder as they were purchased by the insurance company and thus not the property of the dealer/repair shop. This increased repair costs considerably which lead to higher insurance rates.

Aluminum corrodes, not to mention Is has a very limited working or bending/fatigue rate before it snaps. Metal can Bend and bend before snapping and has a much lighter fatigue rate. I’ve seen holes put into the beds of those trucks were a steel truck would only be dented. Remember this is also from a company that puts a ecoboost in the trucks now. I’m not sold on the aluminum crap honestly.

To the OP. There are issues with the 4thgen as well more so the front fenders have a sound insulating foam that absorbes water and rusts through. You can’t really remove as it’s permanetly bonded to the fender with some kind of support. On my 2014 which is “babied” 90% of the time I have a paint bubble on the front edge of the aluminum hood, and some paint bubbling on the rear bumper where the plastic top step edge is as well as all along the bottom edge back/underside.

 

[Danno]

The aluminum fords are held together with rivits.. not welds like Steel. There was a huge thing about replacing parts due to accidents as the rivets had to be purchased in huge amounts and like 500 or 1000 and they only needed like 5. Then the dealers had to throw out the remainder as they were purchased by the insurance company and thus not the property of the dealer/repair shop. This increased repair costs considerably which lead to higher insurance rates.

Aluminum corrodes, not to mention Is has a very limited working or bending/fatigue rate before it snaps. Metal can Bend and bend before snapping and has a much lighter fatigue rate. I’ve seen holes put into the beds of those trucks were a steel truck would only be dented. Remember this is also from a company that puts a ecoboost in the trucks now. I’m not sold on the aluminum crap honestly.

To the OP. There are issues with the 4thgen as well more so the front fenders have a sound insulating foam that absorbes water and rusts through. You can’t really remove as it’s permanetly bonded to the fender with some kind of support. On my 2014 which is “babied” 90% of the time I have a paint bubble on the front edge of the aluminum hood, and some paint bubbling on the rear bumper where the plastic top step edge is as well as all along the bottom edge back/underside.

Where are people coming up with this information?

Rivets, I have a 2017 150 and a 16 power wagon. I have not seen any rivets on the 17 F150. I have beat it literally and it it has taken more than a beating with no holes dents or damage as its a work truck. A hilock rivet is stronger than welding. Rivets are also complicated nuts and bolts, not pop rivets as some think. Ram has rivets throughout the frame as every other manufacture, does that mean they are weaker? Keep in mind iron works put ski scrapers together with rivets.

If a tech doesn't know his to properly work aluminum then yes it will fracture. Its a art more than a skill to work with it. A 5056 T6 is more malable and elastic than steel.

What's funny is more and more people are running the aluminum draw bars and I wonder if they are the ones who speak ill due to lack knowledge about the aluminum Ford's.

 

[WiSH2oo0]

My 12 Ram 1500 had started to rust out on the drivers side front fender pretty bad. It also had some just starting to form behind the rubber seal on the driver side between the cab and bed.

I always tell my Ford buddies that there aluminum trucks are going to pit and turn into a pile of white flakes instead of rusting out.

 

[Jeepwalker]

Other companies like Land Rover have used Aluminum panels for decades, so it's not really that new of an idea. I would imagine Ford's done their home work, the F150 is their premier bread n butter money maker.

 

[Tryin]

Thanks for all the input regarding the potential for rust problems. I need a new(er) truck and I'm considering a Ford or Ram 3/4 ton. Neither of are slam dunks. I will probably run it til falls apart or completely dies. I just want the longest laster with the least amount of problems.


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[rotwiler]

Is all about where you live. My 05 Durango has zero rust, my 2013 Ram zero rust. I even had a 1995 F-150 until last year, zero rust and they tend to rust out easy in wheel wells.