I know this is a common problem with our trucks. I bought mine certified pre-owned 3 years ago with no rust. I take care of my truck but, unfortunately the wheel well rust is really taking over. Before I got purchased my truck, it spent 3 years in Michigan. Im going to get a estimate from a body shop to have it fixed but, I was wondering if there is anything I can do to stop the rust. I removed the tail lights and had a look in the quarters and It looks like there is enough room to spray a rust inhibitor of some kind. Is there any you guys suggest that are worth it or are rust inhibitors worthless and a waste of money? Worst case is the body shop is too expensive and I would need to stop the rust and install flares of some kind.

Thanks for any input

 

What you really want to do is have it undercoated but you have to have all the bad spots and rust removed first, sealing in rust is a bad thing.

I always had my vehicles undercoated when I lived in the northern salt states. But I always have and continue to spray up into and underneath the wheel wells. I even go so far as to set an oscillating sprinkler under my vehicles if I'm at the beach or fishing the intercoastal as soon as I get home.

Aside from my first truck, an '82 Jeep J-10 which I bought used and it had rust issues when I bought it, I've NEVER had a rust problem, even when I had my '89 Dodge Raider for 11 years, the first three in upstate NY...

 

While I did not have my truck undercoated I routinely over winter and summer spray off the underside of the vehicle... normally go to a local DIY car wash that has a high pressure soap/water washer.. just spray the underside and get all the dirt off.. the one I go to also has a spray wax setting that puts some form of wax in the water... or so they say.. either way I spray that like all mighty hell on the underside.. So far no rust underside looks great.