Jeepwalker
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2017
- Posts
- 3,272
- Reaction score
- 3,508
- Location
- WI
- Ram Year
- 2012 Reg Cab, 4x4
- Engine
- 5.7 Hemi
Of course the most important thing might be Stopping Rust pro-actively.
2015 ..makes it almost 8yrs old ...Ohio... yer square in the rust belt. That means you are at a point where you can probably still do something to keep it looking nice. Or let nature (salt) take it's course. Now is the time to make a rust mediation plan. These trucks do rust out, don't want to wait till it's at stage 3. You could literally add years to the 'looks' of your truck by being pro-active.
1) At the minimum, squirt some oil above the rear box wheel openings ..from the inside. You can get at the area from the front side of the tire. It won't be as effective as #2 though. And front/rear of box/door bottoms/tailgate, etc.
2) Best situation is Clean out Wheel housing & other trouble spots: The best would be to get your younger nephew's young arm up there on the inside of the wheel housing, and pay him $40 (or more if he's older), to work all the rocks, stones, sand & gunk out with a thin 18ga tool (the one below is welded at an angle). It's a lot of work to reach up there and work them all out. Unless it's pretty clean, which I doubt it is. Rocks get lodged hard in there and the need to be worked out. Not easy. It's not just rocks: small stones, sand and dirt get thrown up there and accumulate. They have no way to get out. They collect dust/dirt ...and hold moisture between the outer sheet metal and the inner well house (outlined in green). There's no drain hole in the 'center' (thank's chrysler). The gap is a 1/8" wide. If you take your tk to a rust proof shop, they're not going to remove any of that (it's real work!) and just spray their 'oily dr good' (which doesn't deal with moist stuff already up there).
The Ideal situation would be to remove the wheel/tire, remove the plastic rear inner wheel liners, put the tire back on and get up there and remove the debris. Then wash out that narrow crack with a garden hose (not pressure washer) from the taillight area.
3) Allow a couple days to dry, then squirt oil up there and the other trouble spots. Or take it to a rust-proofer. I prefer oil b/c it will run down and seep into small cracks of the sealer Dodge and get inside the wheel lip crimped and welded area. (fluid film 'hangs' doesn't run or 'seep'). Also don't forget about the rear of the box below the taillights, and front corners of the box collect debris too. And 'treat' the rockers, lower doors, tailgate. Go to your nearest HVAC store in your area and get a $3 Zoom Spout bottle of oil and use up your doors & rockers if you need to.
Or, like I say, after you get the rear wheel wells and other areas cleaned ...take it to a rust-proofing shop. Might be the best $250 you spend. The key is to do *something* soon while your truck is still in decent shape, not wait 3 years when rust has started and it's too late (it probably already has, but not too seriously -- hopefully). Then it'll look great that much longer and you'll love it longer.
THIS LINK HERE should scare you straight . I've seen a several 4th gens around here like this, and a buddy's 2013 is starting to look like that too. Just trying to help. But it does illustrate where the problem areas are. You southern guys don't have to deal with this fun! Ha ha...
Post a picture of your new pickup when you get a chance! We'd Love to see it.
2015 ..makes it almost 8yrs old ...Ohio... yer square in the rust belt. That means you are at a point where you can probably still do something to keep it looking nice. Or let nature (salt) take it's course. Now is the time to make a rust mediation plan. These trucks do rust out, don't want to wait till it's at stage 3. You could literally add years to the 'looks' of your truck by being pro-active.
1) At the minimum, squirt some oil above the rear box wheel openings ..from the inside. You can get at the area from the front side of the tire. It won't be as effective as #2 though. And front/rear of box/door bottoms/tailgate, etc.
2) Best situation is Clean out Wheel housing & other trouble spots: The best would be to get your younger nephew's young arm up there on the inside of the wheel housing, and pay him $40 (or more if he's older), to work all the rocks, stones, sand & gunk out with a thin 18ga tool (the one below is welded at an angle). It's a lot of work to reach up there and work them all out. Unless it's pretty clean, which I doubt it is. Rocks get lodged hard in there and the need to be worked out. Not easy. It's not just rocks: small stones, sand and dirt get thrown up there and accumulate. They have no way to get out. They collect dust/dirt ...and hold moisture between the outer sheet metal and the inner well house (outlined in green). There's no drain hole in the 'center' (thank's chrysler). The gap is a 1/8" wide. If you take your tk to a rust proof shop, they're not going to remove any of that (it's real work!) and just spray their 'oily dr good' (which doesn't deal with moist stuff already up there).
The Ideal situation would be to remove the wheel/tire, remove the plastic rear inner wheel liners, put the tire back on and get up there and remove the debris. Then wash out that narrow crack with a garden hose (not pressure washer) from the taillight area.
3) Allow a couple days to dry, then squirt oil up there and the other trouble spots. Or take it to a rust-proofer. I prefer oil b/c it will run down and seep into small cracks of the sealer Dodge and get inside the wheel lip crimped and welded area. (fluid film 'hangs' doesn't run or 'seep'). Also don't forget about the rear of the box below the taillights, and front corners of the box collect debris too. And 'treat' the rockers, lower doors, tailgate. Go to your nearest HVAC store in your area and get a $3 Zoom Spout bottle of oil and use up your doors & rockers if you need to.
Or, like I say, after you get the rear wheel wells and other areas cleaned ...take it to a rust-proofing shop. Might be the best $250 you spend. The key is to do *something* soon while your truck is still in decent shape, not wait 3 years when rust has started and it's too late (it probably already has, but not too seriously -- hopefully). Then it'll look great that much longer and you'll love it longer.
THIS LINK HERE should scare you straight . I've seen a several 4th gens around here like this, and a buddy's 2013 is starting to look like that too. Just trying to help. But it does illustrate where the problem areas are. You southern guys don't have to deal with this fun! Ha ha...
Post a picture of your new pickup when you get a chance! We'd Love to see it.
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