Painted bumpers... WTF is up with the quality?

[iminaquagmire]

The front bumper bar is good on mine, but the end caps are in need of some paint. Never been hit or scraped, but the gelcoat or whatever it is has popped in places. The rear bumper is all rust on the backside. The rear bumper endcaps and the front impact bar will be taken off in a few weeks for powdercoat all around.

[rbt2]

I saw an '08 Denali (Summit White) which had significant rust spots on both front and rear bumpers. Not yet rust through, but bubbling-up corrosion. Of course the white made it instantly visible.

 

Does anyone with '09 or later have this issue? Does anyone with an older model (GMT-800) have this issue? Wondering if perhaps it was something with that model-year, or just inevitable as Ryan suggested, since the bumpers get significant rock hits?

[waumo1]

There have been duds for a long time. My 98 K1500 chrome bumpers totally disintegrated from behind. The chrome was still good but the steel bumper was gone. Never saw metal just go away like that before. It was only about 6 years old and garage kept.

[Wires]

I never had an issue with my GMT-800. Sure, you could get a rust spot if a stone chipped the Chrome. I'm finding on those cheap tin GMT-900 bumpers that the stone chips, and then it's just a nasty rusty welt that takes a couple of months to become dime sized.....

 

I just find it frustrating. My truck is 4 years old, has 20k miles on it, garage kept, and for $60k it's rusting, leaking oil, scratched to crap and makes me pretty bitter.

 

$60k is a boat load of dough for something in this shape. If I'd paid $20k, then whatever....

[Lv1G6He3V2]

I've heard good things about the 3M clear bra.

 

Apparently the kits are also available online for like $100; some shops or the dealership sell and install it for $200 to $300.

[Wires]

3M works awesome. Issue on the front is I managed to take a stone right at the edge (where the bra doesn't cover), so a quarter sized cancerous weld grew.

 

I'm still clueless on why I have a bunch of rusting stone chips on the back bumper though. Might have to install a car-cam. Maybe the wife is doing mach-400 in reverse.

[Lv1G6He3V2]

Could it be where you park, e.g. someone drives behind (off the pavement) and kicks stuff into your rear bumper?

 

Some people mash the pedal in dirt/stone parking lots.

[adamjeeps]

I have a theory that when you park in a garage after driving through rain/snow, it takes much longer for the water to evaporate since the air is still. This could lead to metal actually rusting faster than if you were parked outside in the open air/sun.

 

Somebody tell me if I'm crazy cause it's just a thought.

[Wires]

No, i think what you're asying is very valid.

 

I noticed last winter is was a lot more mild, and the garage tending so have a damp floor and be a lot more humid.

 

It's just if you had a chip on a hood/body panel, it wouldn't typically snow ball into a giant weld.