03 Ram, Buckstop Bumpers, Serious Rust

[WM-300]

Early in the Winter/Spring of 2004, I bought front and rear Buckstop Bumpers for my new 03 Ram (December 03 Purchase). The Bumpers were purchased in the TDR Group buy. The quality of fabrication is excellent. But it stops there. The powder coat has/is peeling, serious rust has formed on the Buckstop Front and Rear Bumpers. They are so bad, the only fix is to remove them, media blast and paint.



Has anyone else had this powder coat failure/rust problem with their Buckstops ?

Has anyone contacted Dorian at Buckstop seeking remedy ? What was Buckstops response ? Buckstop appeared to make a big point of the High Quality Powder Coat that goes on their bumpers.



Thanks

WM-300

 

[CIverson]

Early in the Winter/Spring of 2004, I bought front and rear Buckstop Bumpers for my new 03 Ram (December 03 Purchase). The Bumpers were purchased in the TDR Group buy. The quality of fabrication is excellent. But it stops there. The powder coat has/is peeling, serious rust has formed on the Buckstop Front and Rear Bumpers. They are so bad, the only fix is to remove them, media blast and paint.



Has anyone else had this powder coat failure/rust problem with their Buckstops ?

Has anyone contacted Dorian at Buckstop seeking remedy ? What was Buckstops response ? Buckstop appeared to make a big point of the High Quality Powder Coat that goes on their bumpers.



Thanks

WM-300

Powdercoat SUCKS. Every item I have ever had that was powdercoated, started to rust a little after one winter. It starts around the edges, then works its way under the powdercoat and it all flakes off.



I will never pay to have anything powdercoated, or rely on that method of coating again.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

Are they silver? Mine are, and when I bought them, they had just gone to a different silver, because they had problems with the one they were using. I would call them, and see if they will do something to help make it right. I am having no issues with mine. The only rust on it, is inside the front receiver hitch. I bought mine in early 05, IIRC.

 

[Paddy McMahon]

I fabricated my own front bumper for my old 1st gen Dodge-it was very similar to the buckstop. once completed I personally sandblasted every square inch of that bumper, inside corners,etc. I took it to a powdercoater and had them apply the powdercoat... ... ... It lasted over 8 years (300 K miles)before a tiny spec of rust showed up in one inside corner. All this while spending half the year in the snow in Idaho and the balance of the year less than a mile from the California beach. I had rust on the rear factory chome bumper way before the powdercoat showed signs of rust. That bumper was used and abused-pushed other trucks, brush, winch cable abrasion, etc. All I can say is the prep on a powdercoat is everything. I made my chimney cap for my house in Idaho out of plate steel and had it powdercoated-This in a town that gets over 400 inches of annual snowfall. No problems. Honestly I believe that the adhesion of the powdercoat to it's substrate is everything. Don't even think that chemically etching or media blasting will create the tooth that actual sandblasting can produce. Powdercoat failure is almost always atributed to a poor bond or area that wasn't pwdercoated at all such as the inside edges of bumpers. Sorry about the long reply, I just get bummed when product performance takes a hit when the culprit is poor workmanship.

 

[WM-300]

Are they silver? Mine are, and when I bought them, they had just gone to a different silver, because they had problems with the one they were using. I would call them, and see if they will do something to help make it right. I am having no issues with mine. The only rust on it, is inside the front receiver hitch. I bought mine in early 05, IIRC.

My bumpers are Black.



wm300