Rust!

[royalkangaroo]

Okay, so this is more of a gripe post than anything. However, anyone with body work experience, feel free to chime in.

 

I removed my wheel well liners this weekend to change my spark plugs. And noticed some rust starting on the inner fender lip.

 

The gripe: When I purchased the truck, I told the dealership I wanted a set of molded mudflaps included in the price of the truck. They would not budge, so I decided I’d install some Weathertech no-drill ones myself. I was then told I couldn’t legally drive the truck off the lot without mudflaps, and they would put their own cheap dealership branded ones on. Those of which they crudely attached with self tapping screws.

 

Fast forward to today, these screw holes seem to be the culprit of where the rust started. Partial blame on me for not inspecting sooner, I suppose.

 

The fix: I cleaned up the spot for now and put a healthy coverage of fluid film on until spring; along with the entire wheel wells.

 

Come spring I plan on:

 

1) grind the area to bare metal

2) metal prep solution?

3) epoxy primer (or rust encapsulator? I should be able to remove all the rust)

4) skim coat of filler

5) sand, seal, paint

 

It’s under the plastic wheel hoop trim, so it doesn’t have to be flawless. I just want to make sure it’s protected for the years to come. I’ve had it from day one, now with 70,000 miles and in excellent shape. The other three corners are much better, this one by far the worst. Let me know what you folks think!

 

 

 

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[catpartsman]

I want to know more of the legal reason you had to have mud flaps to drive it off the lot?


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[royalkangaroo]

I want to know more of the legal reason you had to have mud flaps to drive it off the lot?


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State law, at least for rear mudflaps.

“No person may operate or cause to be operated any bus, truck, trailer, or semi-trailer upon any highway in this state unless the bus, truck, trailer, or semi-trailer is equipped with suitable metal protectors or substantial flexible flaps behind the rearmost wheels to prevent, as far as practicable, the wheels from throwing dirt, water, or any other materials on the windshields of vehicles following or approaching. The flaps shall be of a type and size as specified by the motor vehicle department.”


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[Salsa De Piña]

I'm no expert in Vermont law, but I can say with 99% certainty that what you have written there applies to heavy trucks, not pickups.  Sorry your fenders got buggered.

[JimCost2014]

Yea, have them define truck, it will be classified by weight, 1500 will not apply. 

 

They probably jack you on tabs, like Washington, we have different plates than cars and SUV's, but you will still not be considered a commercial vehicle. 

[catpartsman]

I read that as commercial vehicles. Most states have that law. For passenger vehicles such as cars, pickup trucks and SUV’s I’m betting that law doesn’t apply. Your fenders should be legal enough.


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[royalkangaroo]

I think you’re all correct, it probably isn’t an issue for half ton pickups. I did find another blurb about mudflaps required for any lifted vehicle.

Regardless, it was likely a lie by the dealership just so they could throw on their logo mudflaps.

It’s more or the fact that a dealership would carelessly screw into the metal of a brand new truck, especially here in salt country. The more interactions I have with dealerships, the more I realize their incompetence, however.


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[Yondu]

I'm sorry that happened to you man.  I haven't seen rust on any K2xx trucks that wasn't related to an unfixed fender bender or similar.  I'm hoping they hold up better than that GMT900 trucks.  Just typical frame rust.

[slide187]

Yeah that was shifty of them man. If that were legit they’d also have to give you a map so you could get home w/o driving down any of those residential streets with the signs that say “no trucks.”

So weird that a dealer would want to just blow screws thru a brand new truck. SMH.


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[JimCost2014]

15 hours ago, royalkangaroo said:

I think you’re all correct, it probably isn’t an issue for half ton pickups. I did find another blurb about mudflaps required for any lifted vehicle.

Regardless, it was likely a lie by the dealership just so they could throw on their logo mudflaps.

It’s more or the fact that a dealership would carelessly screw into the metal of a brand new truck, especially here in salt country. The more interactions I have with dealerships, the more I realize their incompetence, however.


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You can post negative reviews anytime you like on their website, if they treated you and your truck like this, they do it to everyone.

 

It all finds it way back to GM, who can pull their franchise rights anytime they want.  

Edited December 2, 2020 by JimCost2014

[Lsgun1]

I bought a full set of factory flaps when I got my truck, got home to install and saw they wanted me to drill into the body so I returned them. Dumb idea, they can easily punch another hole and the factory and paint it.

[It's Tim]

That truck will fail from a serious electrical issue long before it rusts out, guaranteed. Peeps that expect 300,000 miles and 20 years out of these trucks are dreaming.

[Daly]

Haven't heard that about ever generation of truck ever built...

[catpartsman]

That truck will fail from a serious electrical issue long before it rusts out, guaranteed. Peeps that expect 300,000 miles and 20 years out of these trucks are dreaming.

That’s not necessarily true. My boss has a 14 Silverado 1500 with the 5.3 and he has over 300K on it with nothing more than brakes, tires and a tranny and torque replacement. He may be an exception to the norm but it’s not out of the question.


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[It's Tim]

52 minutes ago, catpartsman said:

That’s not necessarily true. My boss has a 14 Silverado 1500 with the 5.3 and he has over 300K on it with nothing more than brakes, tires and a tranny and torque replacement. He may be an exception to the norm but it’s not out of the question.


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Let me how it's running in 14 years. These are not even close to OBS trucks.

Edited December 2, 2020 by It's Tim