Dealing with the salt.

[CVX20]

What about a normal garage up here in Minnesota? My third stall is heated but that’s where I store my summer car. Never turn the heat on. Ram sits in the main stall with the wife’s car. Very well insulated but still can get very cold. In that scenario, does it matter whether your truck sits inside or outside?

Not really other than not having to scrape windows in the morn. or clean snow off.

 

[Mike Rebtoy]

Just had a Linex spray a bed liner in my new truck and also had them do rust proofing undercoat, engine, inside bumpers, doors etc.. A little pricey for the undercoating $875. But has a lifetime warranty. I bought my truck, so I figured I'd invest in rust proofing

 

[mtwofeathers]

Car wash does NOTHING for the underside of your truck !!!
Just makes you feel like you’re accomplished something !!!
Salty water spray goes everywhere and in nooks and crannies that you don’t see !!! Plus all those electrical components like sensors and actuators !!! I’m going to rent a truck to go to Omaha next week just so I don’t have to drive my new 2019 bighorn in the salt ! I’m from NYC original and lived another 20 years in Michigan and now I’m in Alabama. I don’t ever want to expose the truck to that crap whatsoever !!!

We don't use salts on our roads here, no snow, but our car wash still washes underneath. And it was bad. I had to go under there and add electrical grease to all my connections.

 

[Gary2]

It may of already been mentioned but to clean a lot of mud out from under my jeeps I put a lawn sprinkler under it and just moved it every so often . Just drain the hose so its ready the next time not frozen

 

[LANdrew4]

I spent my first 52 years in NY and OH so know all about what salt does to cars and trucks and since have really enjoyed the lack of salt now that I live in Texas - that is until last week... Now I wish we had just a bit more salt...

 

[Ed F]

My ‘17 Express is my first Ram but I’ve noticed for 20 years that an awful lot of these trucks have the rear wheel arches rotted out on 4-5 year old rigs. I don’t see that cancer on Fords and Chevys.

 

[Perferd]

My ‘17 Express is my first Ram but I’ve noticed for 20 years that an awful lot of these trucks have the rear wheel arches rotted out on 4-5 year old rigs. I don’t see that cancer on Fords and Chevys.

I've Always wondered why rams rust while my fords never did...

 

[caulk04]

It's just the bed construction. Ram has a perfect little spot for stuff to gather in there and even filled with foam so it's harder to rinse out. Made somewhat worse by the lack of fender liners. Rinsed and treated properly each year, not an issue.

They all have their areas of rot, none are perfect.

Another bad spot on the 4th gen, in particular, is the presence of an inner and outer rocker cavity. I drive by a house with a 4th gen outside that is rotted clear through the outer rocker and bed side on both sides of the truck. It's likely 12 years old now, but still. A coworker has a '10 that's not too far behind...another two years maybe.

There's a couple different camps for people in the rust belt. Either you learn your lesson by letting a vehicle rot, you complain about them rotting, or you trade and buy new every couple years. I learned my lesson on a truck I really really liked.

 

[20IndyRam]

I'm a firm believer in the oil based treatments. Don't use anything that dries hard or is rubberized. They eventually fail. I have been using the fluid film on my 2006 Chrysler for 2 years. It's easier to apply than oil, but I am not sure that it wicks into the tight seams and pinch welds as well. If things still look good in another 2 years, I'll give it a thumbs up.

My issue with the Chrysler corp vehicles is the foam they use in the rockers and around rear wheel wells. It's great for stiffening the panel but makes it impossible to rustproof the inside. The foam is used on all FCA uni-body cars, not sure about the trucks. My GM/Ford vehicles are 2003/2004 vintage. No foam in the panels and I could oil treat. Bodies on both are flawless.

On FCA vehicles I normally just wait for the rockers to rust through, then cut them off and weld in new (real PITA with the foam). I can then oil treat them correctly. In my area it's normally 8-10 years before they rust through. Not too bad compared to the 70's.

 

[njjeff201]

Fulltimerat: I'm pretty sure living by the Panhandle is just as bad as winter time driving. The salt is in the air as is down by the shore anywhere, any State. I would never buy a used vehicle by the Jersey shore, Staten Island, etc.

 

[20IndyRam]

Fulltimerat: I'm pretty sure living by the Panhandle is just as bad as winter time driving. The salt is in the air as is down by the shore anywhere, any State. I would never buy a used vehicle by the Jersey shore, Staten Island, etc.

One of my concerns about buying a "coastal" car has always been hurricane damage (salt water). Most of my vehicles have been purchased used. Need to really watch the registrations to make sure the vehicle wasn't involved in a hurricane event.

I would imagine that vehicles along the southern coast would be far more affected than cars along the northern coasts (unless road salt makes up the difference).

How long do the bodies last on your coastal vehicles? Do you do anything to prevent body corrosion?

Do you have electrical problems attributed to the airborne salt?

 

[Brian2081]

Wait for a nice 50 degree day like we had Friday and Saturday. Aahhh fresh out of the shower sporting the new OEM steps.

 

[CVX20]

My ‘17 Express is my first Ram but I’ve noticed for 20 years that an awful lot of these trucks have the rear wheel arches rotted out on 4-5 year old rigs. I don’t see that cancer on Fords and Chevys.

You do here.Nothing survives the salt here.FCA started putting fender liners in the back that helps but I believe in rustproofing as soon as possible.Give it a fighting chance.