Mysterious Dents & Crinkles Along Bed Fender

[JamGear]

I picked up my 2014 Silverado 1500 with the 11,200 lbs max tow package. I must say I am very impressed with the thoughtfulness of this new design. I bought this truck to pull my 10,000lbs 5th wheel. I use a PullRite Super Glide 16k removable bed hitch. It tows the rig beautifully! I put in a set of Timbrens on the rear bump stops because I was about an inch too low on the rears. Other than some up-bounce that I think is inherent in all 5th will set ups, all other aspects work great!

 

So here is the mystery. Since delivery of my truck in May 2014, I have noticed an ever increasing amount of dents and crinkles in the upper part of the driver side outer bed fender an inch or so below the rail cap. First one showed up, then two and now I have 10 dents and crinkles almost in a straight line along the top of the fender from front to rear. I brought it to the dealer's auto body guy as well as my own. Both concur that these dents are not from an outside force such as being hit with a ball or Frisbee. It is certainly not a shopping cart (too high on the fender).

 

I admit I am at or very close to the payload and tow limits of the truck, But I am in no way over them. The way the 5th wheel hitch is mounted completely on the frame has it not touching the bed at all. The dealer thinks the hitch is mounted wrong or some other owner misuse is the culprit. But that is just silly. I had the hitch professionally installed. Besides, an improperly installed 5th wheel hitch would cause many more noticeable and dangerous issues than crinkling on the fender.

 

The bed has never even been touched by the 5th wheel over hang. So it is not that. Could it be from towing? I have only towed the unit twice so far. Next week I go on a 2,500 mile trip. I guess we will see if the trailer is causing stress on the fender panel.

 

Anyway, has anyone else experienced this? The 2014 Silverado 1500 is on the new design. While the frame is still the 2007 generation, the body has been almost completely redesigned. Maybe the engineers missed a stress calculation? Or, is the metal so fragile that even if I lean on it to reach over the bed rail, it will dent?

 

This issue is more readily and clearly seen by eye. It is difficult to capture in a picture because of the Granite Blue Metallic color and the clean shine I have on it. But believe me, when I look into my driver side mirror, I can see the dents and ripples all along the top of the fender like it was cellulite!

 

Any help demystifying this would be greatly appreciated. Like most Americans that love their truck, I have taken impeccable mechanical and aesthetic care. Whatever this is, it is not coming from the usual causalities of dents and crinkles in body metal.

Edited August 23, 2014 by JamGear

[fondupot]

pics??

 

I think the bed is aluminum, so if its getting worse when you tow, you may be somehow adding strain to the bed. Not sure how if the 5th wheel is attached to the frame tho.

 

*edit* bed is not aluminum

Edited August 23, 2014 by fondupot

[Jtherrien]

JamGear,

 

I have the same issue with my 2014 Silverado DC Z-71. I didn't notice it until a few days after I got it home. It looks like a couple of small dents or ripples at the very top of the bed, just under the plastic rail, only on the drivers side of the bed. It kind of bothers me, as I'm pretty sure it was there at the time of delivery and I didn't notice it. Not sure if there is anything that can be done now...

 

One thing that is different from you is that I haven't done any hauling yet, so I don't think my issue relates to that. Would someone putting their elbows on it really dent it? If so, that is pretty weak..

 

Thanks.

['01LS1]

pics??

 

I think the bed is aluminum, so if its getting worse when you tow, you may be somehow adding strain to the bed. Not sure how if the 5th wheel is attached to the frame tho.

 

Pretty sure the only part that was converted to aluminum was the hood.

 

Would have to imagine the dents are from stressing the frame over bumps/irregularities in the road.

May want to stop by a truck stop when you roll out for your trip & pay for a scale. As long as you break the wheels right on the individual scale sections, you can see just how much

weight is on your steer & how much is on your drive along with total weight. Generally $9-$12.

[1997SierraSLT]

I'll take a wild stab you are maxing out the limits of your suspension to absorb shock and all the other rigors of normal road abuse a vehicle must sustain. Whatever the suspension system cannot absorb gets transmitted through a flexing frame to the body panels.

 

Seems like body panels are continuously getting thinner and thinner to save cost and decrease weight to improve MPG. The body panels on my 97' dented and creased just by looking at them the wrong way.

Edited August 22, 2014 by 97SierraSLT

[anonymous]

Have the same thing on my 14 and also on my 05.

[JamGear]

I'll take a wild stab you are maxing out the limits of your suspension to absorb shock and all the other rigors of normal road abuse a vehicle must sustain. Whatever the suspension system cannot absorb gets transmitted through a flexing frame to the body panels.

 

Seems like body panels are continuously getting thinner and thinner to save cost and decrease weight to improve MPG. The body panels on my 97' dented and creased just by looking at them the wrong way.

 

 

Pretty sure the only part that was converted to aluminum was the hood.

 

Would have to imagine the dents are from stressing the frame over bumps/irregularities in the road.

May want to stop by a truck stop when you roll out for your trip & pay for a scale. As long as you break the wheels right on the individual scale sections, you can see just how much

weight is on your steer & how much is on your drive along with total weight. Generally $9-$12.

Given the shared experience of Jtherrien, the failure does not seem to have anything to do with towing. Furthermore, why only the driver side? I am beginning to think those of us with these mysterious dents got a bad piece of metal or all of our trucks had the same guy mounting the driver side bed fender skin.

[JamGear]

JamGear,

 

I have the same issue with my 2014 Silverado DC Z-71. I didn't notice it until a few days after I got it home. It looks like a couple of small dents or ripples at the very top of the bed, just under the plastic rail, only on the drivers side of the bed. It kind of bothers me, as I'm pretty sure it was there at the time of delivery and I didn't notice it. Not sure if there is anything that can be done now...

 

One thing that is different from you is that I haven't done any hauling yet, so I don't think my issue relates to that. Would someone putting their elbows on it really dent it? If so, that is pretty weak..

 

Thanks.

 

JamGear,

 

I have the same issue with my 2014 Silverado DC Z-71. I didn't notice it until a few days after I got it home. It looks like a couple of small dents or ripples at the very top of the bed, just under the plastic rail, only on the drivers side of the bed. It kind of bothers me, as I'm pretty sure it was there at the time of delivery and I didn't notice it. Not sure if there is anything that can be done now...

 

One thing that is different from you is that I haven't done any hauling yet, so I don't think my issue relates to that. Would someone putting their elbows on it really dent it? If so, that is pretty weak..

 

Thanks.

I think I got the dealership ready to have a dent guy clear it up. The question on everyone's mind is; will it happen again after the repair? You should take it to your dealer and tell him a guy in Passaic County NJ has the same exact issue. Maybe we can get both these dealerships to talk to their factory reps? I am now convinced this is a manufacturing defect or part failure (the sheet metal)

[00Silverado4x4]

I'm with foundupot, does anyone have pics of the damage?

[2strokesmoke]

The question here would be whats your build date? Pictures of the area in question so the rest of us can inspect our trucks .

[JamGear]

pics??

 

I think the bed is aluminum, so if its getting worse when you tow, you may be somehow adding strain to the bed. Not sure how if the 5th wheel is attached to the frame tho.

I know the bed is not aluminum. We had to drill through it to get to the frame underneath the bed. I have attached some pics to my original post.

[JamGear]

The question here would be whats your build date? Pictures of the area in question so the rest of us can inspect our trucks .

I put some pics on my original post. Where would I find the build date?

[JamGear]

pics??

 

I think the bed is aluminum, so if its getting worse when you tow, you may be somehow adding strain to the bed. Not sure how if the 5th wheel is attached to the frame tho.

You truck looks great! I do not think the inner bed is aluminum. We had to cut through it to mount the hitch. It is definitely sheet metal and, I am happy to say, rather thick.

[2strokesmoke]

Lower drivers door area, but on the body rocker area.

Build sticker.

[2strokesmoke]

Only the hood is aluminum, and I believe it is a stamping issue the rippling/dents, or excessive heat during side box panel weld up. Not normal this is a defect! Unless it is proven the truck can not support the towing numbers you are pulling I would believe damage would be noticeable on both sides.