2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Ut oh I got the door rot issue

[rowilson]

FWIW I use a product from Canada called Rust Check to spray inside my doors and every seam. I usually get a few cans when I visit a buddy of mine but ran out this year. I called them and they are shipping me a case of it. It displaces the water wherever you use it. I used it on my old 87 LeSabre with 255,000 miles on it and looks good except where I couldn't reach. Like where I got lazy and didn't pull the door panels off to spray. Under the hood where they always rot out around the shock towers look like a new car. This car sits out every day and sees our lovely Ohio winter all the time. I will be pulling the Dodge apart and spraying every place I can get too. As a side note if you plan on visiting Canada they have Rust Check stations like we have rust proofers where they will do this for you.

 

[jcarey]

Here's their web site:



http://www.rustcheck.com/

 

[Diesel Dick]

Here up in Mass. the roads are pretty much white with salt all winter. I was told about a little trick to stop body rust by an old timer from Buffalo I met years ago. He told me to coat all the body panels on the vechicle with motor oil. Thats right motor oil. Apply the motor oil to all the seams. not the out side of the panel. I did this to my 98', which now has 180,000 mi. and no rust or rot. I had bought a 86' Cougar and did this to the car. I sold the car 12 years later with 212,000 mi. on it. The motor was shot, the interior was shot, the body was perferct. I had two people in my driveway bidding on the car for the body. I got $600. 00 more than I was asking.

To do the underside of the bed and the cab I mixed the motor oil at a 25%-75% motor oil and diesel fuel, and spray the mixture on the underside of the truck. If you do this, do it on a nice warm sunny day, put down a large piece of plastic, and have at it. Leave the truck in the sun so the metal warms up. This will cause the oil to work its way into the seams. I also do the inside of the doors and cab. This will require some removal of the interior. To do this is use an oil can and apply just enough to get into the seam. There will be an odor of oil for a little while but it has always gone away.

Think about it, what repels water better than oil.

 

[EBottema]

on the 1996, how do you remove the door panels? It is 3 screws... i dont want to break the clips on the back... . I'm gonna pull them and clean it and undercoat in the door. After that im gonna drill a front drain hole...



Erik

 

[y-knot]

Rust is a very illusive problem, the bed liner sprayed on the bottoms of the doors sounds good, but the problem is rust don't start on the out side where you can see it. Instead, it starts from with-in, down in the cracks and crevasses of the doors, fenders and wheel wells. Number one reason for rust is the built in drains get clogged up and don't allow the water to escape. This trapped water is even worse in winter months, then it becomes trapped salt water. Also, I do not believe Dodge treated all the inner doors the same, I have seen some with a coating and other without? I recently checked my and it was coated and the drains were free, consequently the door was in great shape. It is important to clean the bottom of the doors each time you wash the truck, this area gets alot of build up from the road grim splashed up by the front tires. I suppose this is also what clots the drains? I always go over the doors and their sills, wiping off the grim and looking for any trouble signs, it only takes a few minuets.

Also, any time you add an accessory like wheel well trim, mud flaps, bed accessories or anything body mounted, make sure you use some sealant on the screw threads before final assembly, this coats the freshly drilled whole and seals it against moisture entering at a later date. This is especially true when the areas are on the sides or under the truck, I have seen many trucks that have rust spots that started in areas where something had been attached. Most everyone adds something to their trucks, that is what makes them "Their" truck, just think about it next time you have to drill some mounting. Items like Nerf Bars and running boards are the worst, they live in a high risk environment and if not installed with caution, will be a source of a future rust spot. I think running boards do more harm then good, they require many fasteners to secure them and they fit up tight to the lower body panels. This gives salt,grim and everything else a great place to hang out, by getting trapped between the boards and the body. I have seen many trucks and vans equipped with running boards rusted out in that area, the worst spots seem to be where the front supports attach, which makes séance that is where the front wheel throw the water. Some guys are lucky enough to live where salt is only used as a food spice, but for the other, myself included, extra care has to be taken. I had the popular wheel trims on my truck, the ones made of SS and go over the wheel arches. If you have these or are thinking of adding them, please be very carefully these have two problems. One, they attach to the inner side of the wheel opening, these is a very bad spot to drill and attach something, it is constantly being spa shed with something. Two, the SS wheel trim pieces have a rubber lip that goes around the outer side, it separates the trim from the body of the truck. This rubber breaks down in a year or so and ends up scratching the trucks finish. Also it allows grim and Debra to be trapped between the trucks body and the trim piece, resulting in a perfect place to start rust. By adding these pieces you will also void Dodge from any responsibility of the effected areas, bottom line is you will have to pay to get it fixed. Accessories are nice and everyone likes them just think.

 

[vssman]

Y,



Your right on with sealing the screws. The shop that sold me my boards also installs some and he told me to absolutely paint the drilled holes and then seal the area with clear silicone sealant - make sure there is enough to completely seal it.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Update:



I went back to the in house mopar body shop today as Steve told me to come back just shy of spring. I go there and HE was no longer there so square 1. I played Joe dumb and first asked what the rust warrantee was.



5 years 100,000 miles RUST THRU!!!



My passenger door is in fact Rusted thru now and the drivers isn't quite there . I know why wish rot right??? It's scheduled to go into the body shop in mid may. here is the clincher. I could not get info weather this job is a reskin or a sand / fill / prep / paint deal. I will grab info on this later this week. I am shocked how bad theese doors have become.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

If either of my trucks were under warranty... I'd start rubbing the lower door edges with magnesium chloride to speed along the process.



Matt

 

[todt061458]

I had my auto body shop spray the inside of the doors when they replaced my doors last year I hope this helps the shop also coated all screws ect with something that looks like wax. oh well you should see my Kenworth darn liquid ice melter, just eats metal. My alum trailers are even worse. holes by the DOT bar. A industry wide problem I suppose. :{

 

[EBottema]

do this.....



Plug the holes up with duct take and continuously pour water with lots of salt on the area. it will rust in no time make sure you demand a new door!

 

[WaynesWorld]

ToolManTimTaylor,



When you get the door done, ask if there is anything the dealer says to put in the door to help prevent this from coming back??



WAYNES WORLD

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Might as well face the fact that NO door metal is likely to survive constant moisture and salt fo any length of time - and doors are one of the prime early victims.



I just checked mine after reading this thread - mine are as pristine as new inside and outside as near as I can see - but precaution is LOTS better than after-the-fact recovery.



With that in mind, in past years, I have used a length of semi-stiff plastic tubing attached to a common oil can to insert fully thru the bottom drain holes into the inside of the door along the inside door seams, and slowly apply a stream of oil as I withdraw the tube. Upper vertical seams can usually be reached pretty well too - and a once a year application is usually enough for all but the severest climates.



NO need to remove door panels!



Suitable tubing is usually available at hardware stores or hobby shops - or sinply strip the plastic outer insulation off some #12 house wiring...



Place some shop towels or newspaper under the doors to catch the excess oil as it drips out - application of the oil in the evening and letting the vehicle sit overnight will help avoid as much stray drippage as possible.

 

[WaynesWorld]

> Ut oh I got the door rot issue

Gary,



I assume that any LIGHT oil will do for this. :-{}



That will cut the smell down ?



I'm still inclined to use chassis saver paint. :-laf



WAYNES WORLD

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I normally use whatever is in my oil can, and that is usually 30 wt of some cheap brand or another (*THIS* project doesn't require expensive synthetics!) ... Never noticed any odor problems - it actually doesn't require drowning the seams in oil, just a thin stream, and even voids (missed areas) will "wick" the oil into the seams in a short time.



I'd do most anything to avoid removing door panels...

 

[WaynesWorld]

oh I got the door rot issue

I normally use whatever is in my oil can, and that is usually 30 wt of some cheap brand or another (*THIS* project doesn't require expensive synthetics!) ... Never noticed any odor problems - it actually doesn't require drowning the seams in oil, just a thin stream, and even voids (missed areas) will "wick" the oil into the seams in a short time.



I'd do most anything to avoid removing door panels...

Gary,



Thanks for the oil in the can solution. I'll give it a try. because it makes a lot of sense. Oo. Oo.



We all try to avoid unneeded work. :-laf

WAYNES WORLD

 

[todt061458]

Could you not also use a spray product like WD40 or a simular product? I would think that the fog like spray from the end of that little straw that comes with every can could be lengthened to really get the product into all the door cracks ect. Just a thought and they say it dispells water so would it work? If not why not Tod

 

[WaynesWorld]

oh I got the door rot issue

todt061458,



Tod, WD-40 sounds good, especially the spray hose.



It may have a shorter life span due to its thin viscosity.



It would be a good start, followed by the oil a little down the road.



Not to be confused with an oily road!



Thanks for the idea. Oo.



keep a eye out for a Illinois dyno day coming in April!!!



WAYNES WORLD

 

[todt061458]

Dyno day sounds like fun! count me in any dates yet? If you have the time point your browser to http://www.kanolabs.com look for a product called KROIL better than WD40 also they have a product called GLIT best glass cleaner on the market IMHO I got some from a friend who works for a airline at O'HARE in chicago works better than any other product I have ever tried. I also use it for my fleet of 5 semi's Just a thought. Good luck in whatever you decide to use.

 

[WyattEarp]

Guys All I Can Say Is Por15

I have mudflaps on mine, same deal rusty bottom door seams, hopefully this weather will change so i can get the passenger door done before it eats through, in my opinion i would rather have a solid steel door without a seam at the bottom, where the outer skin folds is where the rust is living, moisture in that seam is the silent killer of our doors.

But i must say the doors that i used Por15 on has no further rust actually it hasn't even thought about rusting, just hope the passenger door isn't to bad when i get a chance to fix it.

Unless you live in the Sand Dunes you can forget about not having rust somewhere. I know it sucks but if i have to i will replace the doors after they have rotted to the point that i can see the yellow line on the highway... . I figure i will be replacing body panels well before i have engine trouble and its looking like thats whats taking place... :{ Tell me does anyone know if ford is having this same problem or is it just lack of sufficient primer and paint by Dodge.

 

[EBottema]

If you could get your door fixed and use a product by 3m called interior undercoating, its a beewax looking substance that stays soft and seals good. Spray the inside of the door good and you will never ever have a problem! Even some light coats of oil 3 times a year to help it might work too!