I have a few small rust bubbles above the rear wheel on my '03 ram.

I went and got a few estimates this morning. All seemed kind of suprised that the truck would have rust. One guy asked if I went to a dealer to see if it was covered.

Any chance it is covered?
Anyone else have rust on the bed sides?


I am in New England so rust is expected at some point just seems a little too soon.

 

ive got some rust bubbles on the same spot... not too happy about it... its the only place on my 02 with rust. you mind me asking what you got quoted? i dont think its covered by the dealer but never know

 

All three shops were about $800. Thats to cut out a section and weld in a new one.
One shop said they could replace the side of the bed for 2K.

 

man sucks... mine is just bubbles in the paint.. my buddy said he thinks it can just be sanded down so no metal would have to be cut out.. we will see

 

Kind of what I thought. I noticed it right after I went through a car wash, late winter.

I thought maybe it had something to do with warm water and cold air.

I think it got a little worse but I may try to sand and paint it. If it sands out and there is no visible hole, I should be good.

 

I'm not sure how Dodge builds the beds but if it's like the Ford Super Duty's I know why they rust out at top of wheel lip normally towards backside/top. More a design/engineering flaw.

My dad has a '01 F250 that has bubbles on passenger side and driver side rusted thru. I had to cut out the metal and form new piece and weld it in. I found cutting the bad out that the outer wheel house is about a 1/4" from outside of quarter panel. Only touching at lip. The vertical gap was filled with some sort of foam. This foam is very porous and it seems once the outside skin cracks/breaks it sucks up water. Only to rust quarter out from inside.

 

my 03 bed rusted so bad i know have a hole and rust all over the wheel well, it started with bubbles and then within a few months it just went south so im throwing fender flares on it till i can afford a new bed, round here there on craigslist for around 600$