Anyone have rust forming on a 3rd gen yet?

[rbattelle]

I washed my truck today (warm weather) and noticed a lot of scratches through the thin color-coat (not the primer). It got me to thinking about rust. Anyone out there with a 3rd gen have any rust on the outside body panels? I'm not talking about suspension parts, axles, driveshafts, transmissions, or frame rails... just the body panels.



-Ryan

 

[drewRoberts]

not yet, 11,000 on the odometer and only washed it about 3 times since I got it back in August



one of these days I'm gunna yank out the drive shafts and paint them, they look like crap right now.

 

[nickleinonen]

only washed it about 3 times since I got it back in August

i've washed mine about that many times, and i took delievery back in oct 03

 

[ceaman]

i put on 100k last year and had plenty of rock chips... . but I also have a bottle of touch up paint! never any rust.

 

[CMckee]

my buddy has an 04. 5 with just 3000mi on it and just had the rear bumper replaced because it was rusting! he's had it all of 2 months.

 

[Rosco]

20,000 miles on mine with no rust to be seen. However, unlike some I handwash wash my truck just about every week. I think the longest I've gone without washing is 2 1/2 weeks.

 

[RKerner]

my buddy has an 04. 5 with just 3000mi on it and just had the rear bumper replaced because it was rusting! he's had it all of 2 months.

I'll check the body next time I wash it but the rear bumper definitely is rusting already. It appears to be a side effect of narrow body panels and no fender flares as rocks undoubtedly hit the edge of the bumper. Living on a dirt road is raising he!! with the fender lips, wish DC would have stepped up like Chebby and put flares on stock.

 

[RPotter]

NO rust on mine, have had it since Sept 04, and 13,000 miles. I back mine right down into the salt water to offload and load the boat, depending on the steepness of the ramp. I make sure to hose all down afterwards good, and wash the rig. Still no rust. But, I shall now keep a closer watch. Likewise, I wash mine every week, whether it needs it or not..... I know, clean freak!

 

[mberry]

my buddy has an 04. 5 with just 3000mi on it and just had the rear bumper replaced because it was rusting! he's had it all of 2 months.

I washed mine a couple weeks ago and noticed rust on the bumper as well. Only had mine since Sept of '04.

 

[rbattelle]

The inside of my rear bumper has been rusted since the truck was 2 months old. But the outside is fine. Doesn't really bother me... I'll replace it with a Buckstop as soon as I get the cash.



-Ryan

 

[Mopar4u]

rusted

My truck is red with silver on the bottom washed my truck last weekend and found rust on on all of the silver. rims are also rusted as with the rear bumper. I try to wash weekly but Iowa weather doesn't always allow.

 

[CAgnoli]

My chrome clad steel wheels are rusting, I've had the truck since April 04. The front bumper was starting to rust from stone chips, now It's an SRT-10 bumper, so plastic wont' rust Otherwise, the paint seems to be holding up nicely, Bright Silver Metallic, but any stone chips quickly get hit with touch up paint... .

 

[DJennings]

Use Semichrome or rubbing compound on the chrome as soon as you see the rust showing. The rust is coming through the chrome from an imperfection. It doesn't take much effort to keep them shining if you take care if it as it starts. If you let it grow, its all over with. I have had several vehicles that this happened with. Turns out, the OEM's (all of them) just don't seem to do the best job with chrome???



The same thing will happen in the paint. You will see tiny dots of rust if you look very carefully. If you wax/polish the paint often, they won't be as apparent. You can get rid of them pretty easily with a little extra elbow grease when you lay down the wax.

 

[EMathis]

Bought my truck August 04. No rust on any of the plated or painted body surfaces as of yet. Handwash the truck once a week depending on Omaha's weather and have waxed the paint once a month. Maybe I should start waxing the chrome as frequently. The paint held up really well on my '98' hopefully as well on the 04. Take care everyone!

 

[Billy Golightly]

I have 2 spots on mine. One is from tying down a metal sheer I was hauling, and the ratchet strap slightly pulled the sheet metal and the paint flaked off in one of the stake pockets. The other, is in my tailgate that was severely damaged (In a boat towing incident, the trailer tongue broke off) the place where the trailer hit the tail gate and rubbed the paint off is also a little rusty. This is all surface rust and not anything I'm really concerned about. The tailgate needs to be replaced, but I haven't since the boat trailer belonged to a friend and he didn't have insurance on the trailer. I didn't feel like going through all the crap with my own company either, so its still on. Other then that, I haven't seen any. And all of those are my own fault.

 

[ramblin_on]

I washed mine a couple weeks ago and noticed rust on the bumper as well. Only had mine since Sept of '04.

Found rust on rear bumper today my truck has never even seen any salt. Looks like a poor chrome job to me.

 

[mlewis73]

2500 miles on my truck, 800 of which I put on the truck driving from the dealer in MO to home in SC.



1 month old. Rust all over the bed.





On edit: rust was due to aftermarket install of B&W Turnover Ball hitch and installer's failure to sweep/clean out the truck bed.



A little Meguiar's heavy cutting compound took it all out.



Just in time for me to dent the bed with the horse trailer at only 3500 miles (body shop took THAT out!!)



How is that I NEVER have backed into the gooseneck of my horse trailer--after YEARS--with my old '91 Ford, but managed to do it in 2 months of owning the '06 Ram???

 

[lethal injection]

I have a rust bubble on mine where it was hit before I bought it. Wonder if dodge will fix that under warrenty or tell me my after market items void the rust spot.

 

[JWChessell]

Took delivery of my '03 on 7-29-03 in Okla. All white; one color; no silver. Drove it to Oregon and parked it for 3 mos. Then drove it RT from so. Cal. to NJ. After that, made about 10 trips from so. Cal. to Washington State and back, in all sorts of weather. Currently have 51,000 miles. Have washed it about 5 times myself; dealer has washed it 5 or 6 times after routine service. Rust on driveshaft, springs, exposed raw-metal undercarriage parts. NO rust on body.

 

[steved]

I have two PA winters and 89k on the clock... no rust.



But of course, I undercoat every year with oil... everything but the driveshafts still have an oil film on them...



steved