New truck with chassis rust

OnTheReel · February 13, 2020

I suppose I just don’t see this being a dealer issue, it’s simply maintenance in the rust belt. Even if they touch these areas up, it won’t be long before minor rust pops up elsewhere or even in the same spots again. Ultimately at some point it stops being the dealer’s problem and becomes your own.

My 16 looked new underneath after 3 salty winters, while other used trucks of the same or newer vintage looked like crap already. 3-4 times a year I go under mine and touch up areas as time goes by and rust peeks out. Really not a bother and it beats watching lousy network TV in the dealer lounge while they drop your truck off a lift.

JimCost2014 · February 13, 2020

OP's truck, his warranty, and his time to do as he chooses.

With the bumper to bumper intact, he should use it as he likes to keep his truck in a condition that he is comfortable with.

Edited February 13, 2020 by JimCost2014

Donstar · February 13, 2020

15 hours ago, Giantpeaches said:

I'm in Vancouver, canada

Welcome to this forum! I was Vancouver born & raised! It is very common to see surface rust underneath new vehicles. I'd go back to my dealer and have them clean it up for you. They may not have a body shop but they will be able to sub out any work that can't be done in their shop.

BIGDOGx · February 13, 2020

11 minutes ago, JimCost2014 said:

OP's truck, his warranty, and his time to do as he chooses.

With the bumper to bumper intact, he should use it as he likes to keep his truck in a condition that he is comfortable with.

Many people through the years have been able to get a dealer to fix it, though we are talking rattle can paint and i have seen some dealers with techs that clearly care and treat it as if it was their own, and i have seen others that essentially have just winged it spraying all over the place and making it look worse imo.

I have owned gm trucks for over 30 years and i can guarantee you this. Your frame will not rust through unless you completely lack any cleaning of it and even then you would need to live in a rust belt area and give it a half decade plus before any damage would be done, the frame though no matter what you do will be brownish and surface rust were all the wax has gotten old and flaked off is a definite imo. You can paint it but it's just what it is, imo i would rather see these frames powder coated like some other makes do but there are pluses and minus to both.

amxguy1970 · February 13, 2020

It has zero impact on the longevity of the truck, you never see it and it won't magically spread to the entire side rails. If it makes you feel better get a can of touch up as if you are that worried about it, that will constantly happen every year. Plus it beats waiting at the dealer for them to do the same thing over the course of hours. But it isn't my truck to begin with and I know what does and does not rust. Not to mention all brands have a similar problem with light surface rust on trucks that have been out for a bit in the weather.

Tyler

Giantpeaches · February 13, 2020

7 minutes ago, Donstar said:

Welcome to this forum! I was Vancouver born & raised! It is very common to see surface rust underneath new vehicles. I'd go back to my dealer and have them clean it up for you. They may not have a body shop but they will be able to sub out any work that can't be done in their shop.

I was planning on just sanding and touching it up myself but I figured I might as well as get them to cover it and get her fixed and see what comes out of it.

figured they would apply some sort of touch up wax on top of it?

regardless, thanks everyone for input.

BIGDOGx · February 13, 2020

3 minutes ago, amxguy1970 said:

It has zero impact on the longevity of the truck, you never see it and it won't magically spread to the entire side rails. If it makes you feel better get a can of touch up as if you are that worried about it, that will constantly happen every year. Plus it beats waiting at the dealer for them to do the same thing over the course of hours. But it isn't my truck to begin with and I know what does and does not rust. Not to mention all brands have a similar problem with light surface rust on trucks that have been out for a bit in the weather.

Tyler

I have also seen trucks that regularly get fluid filmed on the underside, this is why i kind of would prefer a powder coated frame because i remember seeing the underside picture of a guy with like a 9 year old tundra that he would get under and clean by hand and would also fluid film and the damn thing looked brand new on the underside, bolts, brake lines everything looked nearly factory fresh with nearly a decade on the clock! The Wax on these frames just won't hold up, once it starts to deteriorate it is a pain to even touch up because unless you actually scrape all that gunk off, paint will never hold on it.

aseibel · February 13, 2020

20 hours ago, Giantpeaches said:

"every truck on their lot is like this."

Yup.

Mine definitely had more rust than that when I bought it with 7 miles on the clock.

I did take mine in just before the warranty ran out and asked about the rusty frame. They did reapply the wax coating to the whole thing for me. But the rust is still there. No way I'm keeping a frame rust free in Wisconsin, so I don't worry too much about it. They spread that fancy blue rock salt on the roads every time it snows here.

you can see my before & after photos in this thread:

Nanotech Environmental · February 14, 2020

2 hours ago, Giantpeaches said:

I was planning on just sanding and touching it up myself but I figured I might as well as get them to cover it and get her fixed and see what comes out of it.

figured they would apply some sort of touch up wax on top of it?

regardless, thanks everyone for input.

Honestly, I wouldn't waste your time with the factory Daubert wax. It'll just quickly come off again anyways. You're much better off to apply the asphalt based undercoating that is sold thru many GM dealers (First Canadian Protection Products is the name it's sold under) It's actually manufactured not far from you on the island in Delta BC.
You can pay the dealer to do it under their 'undercoat' program, but it's pricy & you get the fake 'warranty' with it.
Or, buy the small cans of it from a dealer for about $20-25 ea. and apply it yourself with a schutz gun, or pay a guy who has a hoist to do it.. Save a bunch of cash & you'll get great protection for your frame and underbody. You'll need probably 5 or 6 cans to do the truck. It goes on over the existing frame wax. Sand & fully remove all surface rust before applying. Remove spare and any skidplates etc., before applying. Wear a tyvek suit and a good mask, as the stuff is really sticky and messy.
While you're at it, get a good amber coloured hi-creep underbody oil and do all the body panels and rockers etc.
Inspect and touch it up each year, as well as keep the salt washed off regularly. Your truck will last a long time and look great.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Nanotech Environmental

19Sierra · February 14, 2020

19 hours ago, BIGDOGx said:

I have also seen trucks that regularly get fluid filmed on the underside, this is why i kind of would prefer a powder coated frame because i remember seeing the underside picture of a guy with like a 9 year old tundra that he would get under and clean by hand and would also fluid film and the damn thing looked brand new on the underside, bolts, brake lines everything looked nearly factory fresh with nearly a decade on the clock! The Wax on these frames just won't hold up, once it starts to deteriorate it is a pain to even touch up because unless you actually scrape all that gunk off, paint will never hold on it.

I would prefer that they hot dip galvanized the frames. Only cost 40 cents per pound and with the volume an auto maker would do would most likely bring the price down to 10 - 15 cents per pound. But we all know that wont happen. Cant sell new trucks if the frames never rot out. Lol

BIGDOGx · February 14, 2020

30 minutes ago, 19Sierra said:

I would prefer that they hot dip galvanized the frames. Only cost 40 cents per pound and with the volume an auto maker would do would most likely bring the price down to 10 - 15 cents per pound. But we all know that wont happen. Cant sell new trucks if the frames never rot out. Lol

Yeah i agree, i bet there is a lot of thought put into making things not too good within the automotive sector these days.

Edited February 14, 2020 by BIGDOGx

L86 All Terrain · February 14, 2020

Even having a $2,000 powdercoat box to check on the build sheet. Many people that plan to keep their trucks for 10 years would take advantage of that. Here in northern Ontario with magnesium-chloride 'salt' and temps that can fluctuate 25 Celsius in one day, they don't stand up too long. A few modern box frame GM's have hit our scrap yard for frame rot before the powertrains were done. These are typically lower mile trucks that weren't diligently washed and maintained. Can't get in a box frame to do maintenance like the old C channel frames when you could get a 4.5" grinder and wire wheel in there to clean it up. The have been using C channel on heavy trucks since their invention, don't know why its not good enough for GM now, maybe because you can repair it, rather than junk it and buy a new one?

Maverick0984 · February 17, 2020

It is pretty common. Unfortunately the factory coating is thin in places like those. Buy a can and touch it up unless you really feel like fighting the dealer over it.

https://www.daubertchemical.com/store/product-list/corrosion-prevention/nox-rust-x-121b

Do you apply this directly to the rust or do you sand it off and then spray on the bare metal?

OnTheReel · February 17, 2020

22 minutes ago, Maverick0984 said:

On 2/12/2020 at 8:43 PM, OnTheReel said:

It is pretty common. Unfortunately the factory coating is thin in places like those. Buy a can and touch it up unless you really feel like fighting the dealer over it.

https://www.daubertchemical.com/store/product-list/corrosion-prevention/nox-rust-x-121b

Do you apply this directly to the rust or do you sand it off and then spray on the bare metal?

The company says it can be applied directly over rust so that’s all I’ve ever done. If I were dealing with a big scaly patch of rust I would probably at least wire brush. But the little areas of minor surface rust around the edges, like the original poster showed on his truck...I just went right over top with the NoxRust after a quick underbody flush at the local car wash.

The places I touched up still look good and rust free over a year later so it does a pretty good job stopping further oxidation, much better than a paint would. But you do need to keep up with it because other spots where the factory coating was thin will start to rust if you’re in the salt belt.

Maverick0984 · February 17, 2020

1 minute ago, OnTheReel said:

The company says it can be applied directly over rust so that’s all I’ve ever done. If I were dealing with a big scaly patch of rust I would probably at least wire brush. But the little areas of minor surface rust around the edges, like the original poster showed on his truck...I just went right over top with the NoxRust after a quick underbody flush at the local car wash.

The places I touched up still look good and rust free over a year later so it does a pretty good job stopping further oxidation, much better than a paint would. But you do need to keep up with it because other spots where the factory coating was thin will start to rust if you’re in the salt belt.

Yeah, I am, Chicagoland area.

Previous trucks always had it and I just learned to not notice it even though I cleaned and maintained my trucks very well otherwise.

My new 2019 has some extra fabric guards in the wheel wells that I'm not used to having. They won't stop the frame rust, but they'll stop being able to see it quite a bit.