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Bed Rusting Again!!!

24K views 42 replies 22 participants last post by  Widowson 
#1 ·
I'm not sure how many people have dealt with rust issues around the bed wheel wells, but I'm dealing with it for a second time and I'm really getting frustrated. Let me explain.

My truck is a 2001 that I bought used in March of 2003 with 21k miles. In the summer of 2006 I noticed that rust was starting around the rear wheel wells right in the location where the inner fender and outer fender are attached using that foam adhesive. Ford gave me a song and dance and decided they wouldn't fix it. So in August of 2007 I bought a new 2008 take-off bed thinking I won't have to deal with any rust issues for a long long time. Well just the other day I noticed rust starting to pop through in the same exact location as my old truck bed. Right where that foam adhesive is. I can't believe that this has happened twice both times right around the 5-5 1/2 year mark. This is unbelievable. I know I live in the rust belt of America, but come on!! I take very good care of truck and this is just unacceptable. Is this a common problem with everyone else? It can't be just me, can it? I was planning on getting a used '09 or '10 superduty in the next year or two but I'm thinking I will just have the same problem again. I'm just very frustrated and disappointed that I can't get more than 5 years out of a truck before it starts rusting like that.

Any thoughts or advice?
 
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#2 ·
Thats why we work. To keep buying new vehicles because they put so much salt and liquid calcium down so that Harry Home Owner can go shopping when there is a full blizzard going on. They can't get any law suits cause they are putting the salt to it. Remember this, The SALT MONSTER eats till there is no more steal to eat. The dealerships love it cause sales stay right up there. My motto is keep it out of the salt and it won't rust.
 
#3 ·
The only thing you can do is undercoat the living crap out of the underside of your bed

LineX (or a different good bed liner) around the outside of your truck helps as well.

I also know of people putting lariat fender flares on or chrome rings and undercoating under them and then greasing under them to hind the rust and stop any more from comming

My dads 2007 is starting to rust and i already replaaced the bed on my 01 it sucks living in ohio
 
#5 ·
The ONLY way to stop it is to
Remove the inner wheel well.
Sandblast all the rust away on the back of the bedside and inner wheel well(before you have rust on the outside).
Make DRAIN HOLES in the inner wheel well
Paint the inner wheel well and back side of the bed skin.
Then GLUE the inner wheel well back in.

NOW you can WASH up in there and the dirt, SALT and water will drain out

UNDERCOAT is the WORST thing you can do. all that crap does is TRAP MOISTURE against the panel and rot it out while you cant see what is going on till you have holes

Another thing to worry about is the cross members on the SD beds. I like to sandblast the ENTIRE underside, POR15 then topcoat with tractor paint




Inner wheel wells modified
 
#6 ·
you under coated your bed with por15 but say not to under coat your bed because it traps moisture. How does that work?

btw i like the hole idea
 
#8 ·
What's the difference between paint and undercoating, when I say undercoat I mean use por15 or 395a
 
#9 ·
Undercoat is Undercoat.
It sticks better to itself, than it does to the surface it is going on . Get one pin hole in it and the moisture gets in and cannot get out. It will lift, allowing More moisture in and more rust to occur. Very similar to powder coat. Ever see a powder coated snow plow that is about 5 years old? VS a snow plow that is JUST painted? The painted one is in MUCH better shape. It may have Surface rust, but not ROT

Paint on the other hand, if it get a pin hole in it will lift and PEAL off allowing the moisture OUT and you can see the "bad" spot and touch it up.

I used to cringe when I worked at dealers and someone paid to have their new 30k vehicle undercoated:doh:. 5 years later you would see ROT all over yet the car that were left alone were JUST starting to rust
 
#10 ·
well i 395a everything on my truck so im golden
 
#11 ·
my 99 has been in CT since it was new. when i bought it it had no rust. eventually my cab corner rusted out but i fixed that. none of my fenders or wheel wells even have the slightest rot....and i rarley rinse it off in the winter.... guess i got lucky? however my bed rails have some questionable spots...beds getting pulled off this spring and getting cleaned up before it does have rust issues
 
#13 ·
I just had my bed sides fixed and had my doors reskinned. Plus cab corners installed. I like Ohio, but the road salt sucks! I had everything Rhinolined after all the new metal was put in, even the inside of the doors got lined as well as the rocker panels and from the body line down counting wheel arches. Turned out good when they got done with it.
 
#14 ·
I learned 1 thing since I been here. Listen to brad when it comes to the body and chassis of a truck. He knows the ins and outs of this sorta stuff. Me myself my 96 has only 2 spots if rust in the bed side fender wells. This summer I'm fixing that so what I don't understand is how these newer trucks have rust so bad I mean I probably a hour or so from brad so same climate . I'm at the bottom of Pa
 
#15 ·
I don't understand is how these newer trucks have rust so bad I mean I probably a hour or so from brad so same climate . I'm at the bottom of Pa
The superduty beds use a sponge like adhesive that they use to attach the wheel well to the fender. Apparently this material loves to soak up water, dirt, and salt. Great job Ford!
 
#16 ·
Spray the truck with hot oil. That's what i do. 2006 that still looks new! Not one spec of rust on the doors, fenders, tailgate, bed, etc.
 
#23 ·
How do you remove the inner fenderwell? And is there.a.way to leave it out? So.stuff.cant get trapped? Im gearing up for wheelwell job.number three on my 00 and its getting old.

My plan was to prime, paint, and then bedline the underside/back of the bed, entirely.
 
#27 ·
It is spot welded in. You need to drill out the spot welds.

I personally would put drain holes in it, then GLUE it back in. That way it will block 90% of the flying dirt from getting in there but then have drain holes for the 10% to get out
 
#25 ·
I cant stand living in Michigan cause of this....I just finished up my rockers and cab corners on my truck today. this stuff is pissin me off. I think this is the last winter im driving it. I think it'll be parked in the winter unless the roads are all completely dry from now on.
 
#30 ·
Can someone please explain exactly where this foam is? When I look up under the wheel wheel, I see where the two pieces of metal are crimped or spot welded to together. I had a small area of rust there, i cleaned it out and spray paint into it last year. This rust is not at all visible until you look from inside the wheel well and it seemed to be causing the two pieces of metal to pull away from each other in about a 3/4 inch long spot. Again, non of this is visible from the outside. I am going to check on it again and pour fluid film into there. I was afraid to crimp the two pieces back together, as that may make it hard to see what is going on.
Can someone clarify where this foam is? A picture would help. Thanks.
 
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