First off the names Hontz and i'm new to the forums! Hope you guys can gimme a little help.

I got an 03' Dodge Ram Reg cab short bed with the 4.7. Awesome truck! Keeps up with the Hemi's around town haha. I live in Buffalo so rust is inevitable. My wheel wells on my bed are bubbling up really bad. I went to 3 body shops today and 2 denied me service saying they don't touch beds on truck cause they can't gaurentee it won't be back so. The one shop will do it for a $1500 (patch primer and paint both sides of the bed). He also said it's gunna come back so he won't warranty anything. I don't know anything about body work and just don't have the time to prep it and do it myself. Was wondering if my best option would be to buy a southern bed, and seal the wheel wells up or i've been looking at new bed sides? I can only find the bedsides i have linked below. They look really good too. I found fiberglass ones too which i won't have to deal with rust either but i'm not sure how hard it would be to put new bedsides on a truck. I'v never done it so... Any suggestions on what i should do, i'd appreciate it and anyone if these bedsides are similar to factory? or anywhere else i can find a factory bedsides?



http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/...s-p-18825.html

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/...od-p-1635.html

 

Welcome to the forums, Hontz.
I would try to find a rust free bed and undercoat the snot out of it. $1000 for bedsides plus installation and painting etc. is a bit high.

 

I seen a take off bed right in Albany for $800. MINT.
Those fenders lin the links are 4.5" flared. That's gonna make your stock tires look puny as hell.

 

Yeah i've been looking at the bedsides and they would look pretty gawdy looking. Where abouts in albany did you see that bed dirtydog? any number i can call on it? I'm a good distance from there for a leisure ride to check it out, so i would have to call first. Thanks for the quick responses guys

 

your name makes me laugh ...i have no reason to post ...just that

 

I agree. I would do an undercoat and then rhino line it.

 

HAHA hontz? It's all good, i think my names sweet. And yeah i'm in the process of looking for a bed right now. I have ads on craigs list and keeping a look out on ebay.

 

In short I'm just having a body guy take out the rust, patch it and seal teh crap out of it then put flares on. BUT since it's at the dealer for service today and I had them look at the rust and got the Oh it probably won't be covered BS.... When I get the truck back tomorrow I'm going from the service desk over to the sales office and walk in to the salesman's office that I bought TWO new vehicles from within 4 years and let him ask what I'm doing and I'll say I'm truck shopping as I shake his hand and when he asks what I'm looking for I'll say a nice new F150 right down the road..... Chrysler just lost a customer and here's why.... If a truck can't last 7 years and not start rusting I'll never in hell buy another Dodge.

 

And you think a Ford F150 is not prone to rust when when exposed to salt and sand? LOL

Welcome to the site and I hate to break it to you but Ford and everyone else out there makes thier rides from the same metals and materials.

Your truck is an 03 and it is now 2011. Thats about 8 yrs old +/-.

Go buy an 2011 Ford and wait 8 years in states that lay sand and salt and you will see what I mean. When i used to travel up north for Xmas, I was **** about pressure washing the underside of my car all the time.

 

I can tell you unequivocally that in the area I live-smack in the middle of the rust belt-Dodges most certainly DO rust out before Fords. My boss's 05 Dodge 1500 has been rusting since at least 08, along with about every other Dodge from that generation. My father's 96 Ford F250, with a lot harder life, has nowhere close to the rust. My 89 F250 has only a little more rust around the fenders. My bro-in-law's 04 F150 has no rust. My friend's 06 F150 has no rust. My 88 Bronco II has nowhere near the rust. Another bro-in-law's 04 Silverado has no rust. Another bro-in-law's[yes, I have lots of them] 05 Dodge 2500 has the rust. These are all people living in a 20 mile radius, and most of the trucks never see the inside of a garage, except my boss's Dodge, imagine that... Don't tell me a Ford, Chevy, or GMC rusts like the Dodge does. You've got Mopar infesting your brain, my friend.
Heck, I even like the Dodge trucks overall. But I won't have a tin can that can't stand up to an Indiana winter.