2008 silverado 1500 quick rust question

[Motodox]

So i bought my truck about 2 years ago didnt have any sign of rust.  Well now im pissed.  I have bubbles coming in on rear wheel wells and underside of doors. As im reading i see these truck have this problem with the 2 piece bed where the v shape of the two sheet metals met at the wheel well.  I noticed the 3 rubber plugs you can remove. My question is should i just leave them out?

 

Seriously my truck is immaculate untill now. And it went from one bubble to about 10 in less then a year.  Kills me 

 

and the bottom side of doors are just as bad.  Is that plastic dust gaurd on the bottom of doors what causes the problem?  Should i remove those?  (Crew cab). 

 

Im gonna show some pics too.  

[Motodox]

[Motodox]

[Motodox]

[Logan Lanfear]

Its a 10 year old truck.  Undercoat it and keep the salt off of it to keep it decent.  My 2008 GMC did the same thing.  

[Grumpy Bear]

That's a shame. Most of us blame the salt but the real issue is the trucks construction. All manufactures seem to go out of their way to create and accelerate rust. Spot welded double panels that are not seam sealed and missing plugs that allow salt water access are inexcusable in my book and yet the stock and trade of the auto industry. The interiors of these panels are not uniformly coated and even if they were the act of the spot welding process compromised it. They use too zinc chromate prime some panels. 

 

The photo's look like inside out rust but bubbles can occur from pin pricks in the paint that pierce the primer . Waxing and fixing chips is huge in repelling outside in rust. I don't think you can stop it at this point without a body shop but it can be slowed down. Oil after clear water rinse and air dry. Assure drains are open. For the doors the window seals loose their give after a few years. Replace missing plugs and seal them with some RTV. Whatever else you can think of that puts a barrier between oxygen and steel. Salt is just a accelerator, it's O2 that's the killer and water has tons of O2. 

[Motodeficient]

Make sure you wash all the dirt and sand off those little "shelves" of the bed right above the rear wheelsthoroughly and often. I'm sure this will drastically reduce the rust in those areas. All the Silverados around here have the same problem after 8 years or so, but its sad to see that happen because I'm sure it would be prevented if that area saw a garden hose twice a month. Otherwise there is salty, wet sand sitting on those shelves above the rear wheels eating away at the metal all year round.

[e_schott]

Rust will grow at an accelerated rate once it starts from my experience. And I will also say, what you can see is nothing compared to what you can't see. The backside of that panel is likely coated with heavy rust because they rot from the inside out. It hurts, I know but there is not much that you can really do at this point besides keeping it clean. It is a 10 year old truck and unfrotuantely that is just the way that it goes when you are living in a state with salty roads. You could always put a set of "street" style flares that are not bulky to cover up the rust so you don't have to look at it. That is what a lot of guys around my way do and I have done it on previous trucks. 

[Motodox]

Alrighty guys,  i really appreciate everyones feedback.   I guess ill just drive it till the wheels fall off.   Really bums me out chevy had such a silly design.    I keep the truck in the garage most the time through winter now.   Sad part is i have a 1996 ford ranger my daily driver that dont have a single rust bubble on it.  11 year older truck!!  I mean the cab corners and wheel wells are rock solid. Lol.