Rust Proofing - do these things still rot out?

[ramffml]

I'm less interested in replies along the lines of "I always rust proof and never have any issues".

What I'm wondering, who here has a 4th or 5th gen ram, has never rust proofed it, drives in salty winter roads, and terribly regrets that decision? This will be the 5th winter my truck has not been rust proofed and I'm just wondering if I will regret that. I see many 4th and 5th gens in my area that are not rust proofed and still in pretty great condition, older trucks seemed to rot out around the wheel wells.

 

[rzr6-4]

I see lots of early 4th gens in the mid west starting to rust. You likely don't see late 4th & 5th gens rusty.......because they are only a couple years old. Give them 5-10 years and I'm sure they will all have rust in one place or another.

 

[Dinky]

Rust proof would be leaving a place that salts the roads

 

[ramffml]

Rust proof would be leaving a place that salts the roads

As if I need even more incentive to leave this frozen wasteland, eh?

 

[Ramfanski]

I live in Michigan. My fourth GEN 2011 1500 had almost no rust when I sold it last year. I did not do any traditional rustproofing. I sprayed fluid film along the bottoms of the doors, inside the door bottoms, inside the rocker panels, in the bottom of the tailgate, around each wheel, well, and inside the front and rear bumpers, along with the metal around the bumpers. I did this about every second or third year. I would do it on a hot day with about five or six rattle cans of fluid film.

My new truck, a 22 5th gen, I paid a guy to spray the whole underside of the pick up with fluid film. I’ll probably go back after two years and have him touch it up. He got it inside the doors and everywhere he was supposed to.

 

[Dinky]

As if I need even more incentive to leave this frozen wasteland, eh?

I dont think i could do it..... the damage i see caused by salt. They started to salt road here in Oregon when it gets super bad "2in of snow" Good thing there is a big push back from the public on it. We will see snow maybe 1-2 weeks and its over so 99% of the time it is vegetable oil for us.

 

[Tulecreeper]

We don't actually get enough regular "just snow" for them to salt the roads here - a couple times at 2 - 3 inches each time. Our problem is, although most of the time when we do get snow it's only a couple inches, it's almost always preceded by freezing rain and sleet and that is what shuts everything down. So they salt the roads maybe twice a year here, which is not enough for anyone to worry about it causing any rust issues.

 

[Curmudgeon]

I bought my 2014 1500 used in 2017 with 22,000 miles. I used it as a commuter/daily driver/grocery getter. I was essential personnel at work, so I drove rain or shine, from 38 miles to 60 miles one-way depending on work location. My truck is stock.

Here in PA they used salt and cinder and some new liquid that melts steel beams, and they would use it on the mere "watch" for winter weather. When we get ice they lay down an inch thick layer of salt. No, I'm not exaggerating. It's like going off-road.

So this year, with 9 years and 105,000 miles on it I had a shop do the whole Fluid Film treatment. I'm retired now and really want this truck to last. It's paid-for and I'm hoping to avoid a new vehicle payment. But before the treatment I crawled under with a bright flashlight to have a look-see.
I was expecting to be horrified.

Instead I was pleasantly surprised. Everything looked very good, and far better than I imagined. Lots of chassis paint in good condition and unpainted surfaces looked like they should. There were a few quarter-size light rust spots here and there, that's it.
I wasn't able to check the body except from the exterior and it is all rust free.

In my case the treatment was preventive. Post treatment I have had 2 mechanics ask about the underside, asking what I did and if I had it painted, or what? They were really impressed, so I'm glad I had it done. The 2 mechs had both seen other treatments before, but never the "clear" Fluid Film.

 

[TotallyHucked]

My 2017 spent 4yrs in PA and 2 yrs in northern NC before I got it. It's got surface rust underneath but nothing worrisome. I think the spare tire winch may give me some issues but otherwise, it's not bad. I've got some rust converter from Eastwood I plan to put on there when I have time

 

[ramffml]

The only thing that looks kinda bad on mine is the hellwig swaybar, the rest just looks pretty minor surface spots here and there.

 

[Jas34]

Rust proof would be leaving a place that salts the roads

I did that. It works! +1 on Fluid Film (or Crown, it works too). Prior to moving down here, I did my 2007 expedition twice a year with Fluid Film up in Central NY (I used a rust proofing gun). Just sold it recently, and it was pretty much rust free underneath.

I hope the newer Rams are better than they used to be. It didn't take too long for them to rust out, and I'd still Fluid Film one if I still lived there. My 2017 Ram is a SC vehicle. There's no surface rust even on any bolts underneath. Salt and cold weather are evil things.

 

[TotallyHucked]

I did that. It works! +1 on Fluid Film (or Crown, it works too). Prior to moving down here, I did my 2007 expedition twice a year with Fluid Film up in Central NY (I used a rust proofing gun). Just sold it recently, and it was pretty much rust free underneath.

I hope the newer Rams are better than they used to be. It didn't take too long for them to rust out, and I'd still Fluid Film one if I still lived there. My 2017 Ram is a SC vehicle. There's no surface rust even on any bolts underneath. Salt and cold weather are evil things.

You'll still get a little corrosion on hardware and whatnot if you're over near the coast. Not anything to worry about but still. I bought a '97 Mustang Cobra years ago that all the hardware on the top of the engine bay and the intake/engine block were all chalky/rusty. Turns out the car spent most of it's life in Florida, I'd never seen that before.

 

[TestPilot57]

Rust proof would be leaving a place that salts the roads

Sorry but that is not the answer either. Plenty of warm, humid coastal places have rust issues worse than the so-called Rust Belt. That salt laden air gets places that slop has no chance of finding.

Regionally, southern AZ, NM, NV should be okay. Or probably Antarctica, though I've never been there.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Sorry but that is not the answer either. Plenty of warm, humid coastal places have rust issues worse than the so-called Rust Belt. That salt laden air gets places that slop has no chance of finding.

Regionally, southern AZ, NM, NV should be okay. Or probably Antarctica, though I've never been there.

And the vast majority of CA, TX, MS, etc.

 

[TestPilot57]

And the vast majority of CA, TX, MS, etc.

Yeah, never been there, either... (well, CA, but not the vast majority of it - thing is larger than most countries).

 

[Dinky]

Sorry but that is not the answer either. Plenty of warm, humid coastal places have rust issues worse than the so-called Rust Belt. That salt laden air gets places that slop has no chance of finding.

Regionally, southern AZ, NM, NV should be okay. Or probably Antarctica, though I've never been there.

Yeah i am 1hr from the beach with a mountain range in between. I go and visit the beach and the snow, not living in it is key lol.

 

[turkeybird56]

As if I need even more incentive to leave this frozen wasteland, eh?

When I was stationed in Upstate NY, or where I grew up on the "shore", back in those days, we never rust proofed. BUT I sure as heck tried to spray and clean underside of any vehicle I owned as much as possible. Actually, had to clean more on the shore, between the Ocean and the roads. In Upstate NY, ride stayed mostly frozen. We all used to go to OMS on Flightline, borrow "ground heater" and defrost our rides.

Here in the middle of TX, not really an issue. More up say in Amarillo area, where they get more "winter" stuff. The problem here is: Weatherman warns ice: They put that Brine mixture all over the place. So I still end up doing cleaning MX under the ride.

 

[CrispyBacon]

I've been taking all of my vehicles to Krown. I live 3 minutes from the biggest salt mine in the world.

 

[06 Dodge]

I'm less interested in replies along the lines of "I always rust proof and never have any issues".

What I'm wondering, who here has a 4th or 5th gen ram, has never rust proofed it, drives in salty winter roads, and terribly regrets that decision? This will be the 5th winter my truck has not been rust proofed and I'm just wondering if I will regret that. I see many 4th and 5th gens in my area that are not rust proofed and still in pretty great condition, older trucks seemed to rot out around the wheel wells.

I never rust proofed my 2006 and when I sold it in 2021 it has minimal rust, in fact much less then many truck its age that spent their life in the Willamette valley of Oregon ( the person who bought it was very surprised how little rust it had for it spending most of its life in the Midwest) it spent all but 3 years of its life on the salt covered winter roads of IA & MN, all I ever did was undercoated it with several rattle cans of undercoating just after I bought it, during its life every time I would run it through the car wash I was sure to wash the underbody of the truck including the winter, that is so long as it was above zero

 

[Dalton]

I live in the snow belt in NE Ohio. First snow this year was 12" on Halloween, another 14" just before Thanksgiving and 6" last week, not even Christmas yet. They salt excessively and use Magnesium Chloride as a pretreat. That **** will eat the flesh off your fingers...lol. My '14 1500 had rust popping through the paint on the nose of the hood and elsewhere. I traded it for 19 2500 and put the 19 away at the first hint of salt. Traded it for a 22, and same, I now buy a winter beater car (2006 Chrysler 300SRT8-nice beater !) and put the truck away every winter. I am 71 and am hoping by putting it away it will be the last truck I will ever buy. Bottom line, you live in a state that uses salt and especially the mag-chlor liquid as a pretreat, you will see rust in 5 years or less.