New to me 2017 Ram. Rear axle rust

[Troutman561]

Good evening everyone. This is my first post here. Just got a 9 month old 2017 Ram with the 5.7. So far I love the truck. Came out of a 2001 Tundra I had since 2004 so the size and driving experience are quite different and refined. Anyhow, my truck has 16k miles and lived up north for all of 6 months before getting down here to Florida. For whatever reason, I didn’t catch this when I bought the truck, but I noticed it has quite a bit of rust on the rear axle. They had to have had something on it to hide it as I feel like I would have seen this, but that’s beside the fact that to me, this seems like a lot of rust for such a young truck. I understand the drive shaft will have surface rust, but this is a “painted” part. Now, my 17 year old Tundra has near 0 rust on it and it spent 3 years in Pennsylvania before I got it and then near every weekend saltwater fishing for the rest of it’s life. Sorry for the long winded post I’m just curious to see if this needs to be addressed or not. Thanks in advance.

 

[FXCLM5]

It just takes 1 drive on salt roads to do that with no maintenance.

Sorry but the previous owner should have sprayed the undercarriage.

Rams are notorious for becoming rust buckets without protection.

When you said where the truck came from the past explains it all.

 

[Jetsfan122]

That does not look normal to me for a 2017. My 2016 does not look like that and I live in New York, so my truck has seen its fair share of salt in the 2 years I’ve had it. It could be the previous owner didn’t properly maintain it ? I make sure to wash under my truck after every snowstorm.

 

[Troutman561]

I understand maintenance is key but literally only 6 months? Only 2 if which were winter time. I just don’t want it getting worse since I’m always around salt water and I keep vehicles for a long time . I don’t ever get my tires wet but sometimes you can’t help it at certain ramps. Any chance Ram would cover a recoating? If I have to do it myself so be it but I’m having a hard time accepting this is “normal” when I have a 17 year old truck known for rusting, with less rust.

 

[69GWC]

Its not normal, mines a 16 and does not have near that kind of rust on it.

 

[2010 Infantry Vet]

I doubt ram will fix it. They will say they offered to sell undercoating. I wire wheeled my rust off and sprayed self etching primer, then rustoleum truck bed liner on it. Mine is a 2010 from canada, but looks just like yours.

 

[VB712]

Every truck I’ve owned I have undercoated the underbody and then used semi gloss black on the axles. Looks great and easy touch up years down the road.

 

[BiGMERF]

wow.. i know they had a bad winter.. but wow... by the way i need to look into that under carriage coating.. welcome op

 

[Troutman561]

Hey guys just seeing these newer replies now. Looks like ill probably be redoing it myself. Truck is at the dealer right now and they are blaming it on the 3 months the truck spent up north. It is just funny that my Tundra that was part of the frame replacement recall due to rust had pretty much none on it at 17 years old.

 

[Pull Ya]

Looks like your going to be spending a little time on a creeper or the concrete with a brush and some rattle cans. It wasn't so bad when your young---us old guys, not so much---LOL
Jay