So I have noticed surface rust on my stock control arms and exhaust pipes...no problem, a little surface rust wont hurt anything.

BUT THEN, I go to wash the beast last weekend to get all the nasty Michigan salt off the ol' rig, and I found FOUR rust spots on my chrome XLT lower bumper. Anyone else found any rust spots on their chrome?

Has anyone had any luck with ford dealerships helping out with this issue in the past? I dont think a 1 yr old truck should have rust spots developing on the bumper....

 

I looked at my bumper today, nothing, no rust al all on them, even the back sides. If you want to see rust, look at your frame! I say mine when it was only 2 months old and it has rust all over it. I then got a rust proofing donw on the underside that stop all that mess.

 

TritonXLT...no problemo, just hit edit, correct, and repost before anybody notices.

Just wish I could correct my keystroke error when I registered, i.e. Curmudgeon vis-a-vis Curmugeon, instead of looking like a perpetual idiot.

 

captboom...no rust on my XLT bumpers, but fortunately we don't have salt on our winter roads in Oregon.

Re: rust on your exhaust. The 'rust' you're observing is referred to as 'oxidation staining' in the SS industry (yes, all rust is a result of oxidation), however the staining of SS is not the flaking, deteriorating type of rust that is so threatening to non-SS.

I polish my tailpipe from the first hanger to the tip with a nylon kitchen scrubber and cleanser powder for a brushed SS appearance. It will stay that way for months if just washed with water/soap. Do not use steel wool to do the initial polishing. Microscopic iron particles will imbed in the SS and you'll have a REAL rust problem.

Good luck.

 

YES DAMNIT! Just finished washing. I have a few rust spots. That's a problem and I'm not to happy here in Mass. Chrome on front bumper has about four rust spots. I waxed in fall and spray wash every chance I get and I shouldn’t have rust already. My 91 Dodge I traded in never had a problem. Wonder if warranty will cover. It’s only 4 months old. I feel your pain

 

Be glad if they don't use magnesium chloride where you live.

This crap has to be worse than salt.

One or two days after you drive in it, it starts to coagulate into something that looks and feels like dried rubber cement and is a bit_h to get off.

I'm sure its not doing cars any good, although the highway department says its "relatively harmless"....

Isn't that what they told people down-wind from the nuclear test sites in Nevada during the 50's?

 

Two winters and I have rust spots on my rear bumper. It's covered by warranty. I'm having the bodyshop give me the new bumper so I can have it sprayed with LineX on the back before they install it.

That'll fix that rust for keeps!

 

That just might look good. When you get it done please post some pics. I Line-X'ed my bed and it looks great. I plan on doing my nerf and may do the front and back. Might try a dry erase marker to get an idea on looks.

 

Yeah i jusy noticed my front and rear bumpers are very bad...i wash my truck at least once a week, the curse of owning a black vehicle. I am bringing it in next week for my 15000 km checkup, and i will get my dealer to replace them as well. The funny thing is my gas cap (billit) looks the same, yet my lower body accents, running boards & tfp door handles are spotless. I guess stainless steel is a better way to go!

Oh well still love my truck.
Trev

 

Actually rust proofing is prooven to make matters worse.

My 97 ranger was rust proofed from my uncle when he owned it, all it does is trap water in and make it spread so when you do see it, its too late.

No rust on eather of the 04s yet. And the shadow grey one has 21,000 highway miles in Clevlenad winters.

 

Your Ranger must have had the rust proofing plug up the holes that are ment to let water out. I had mine done about a month ago, and it's granteed not to rust anywhere on the truck for as long as the truck is a live, even if I sell it to another guy, the warrenty carries over to that guy. They will replace any parts that start to rust ever. I'm not worried

 

Glad to hear I am not alone!! I need to make an apptment to get my PCM reflashed anyway, so I will have them look at the bumpers while I am doing it.

Anyone is detroit have a dealer they really like? I have had ok service from mine, but nothin like what some of you on this site claim to receive...

 

Read your coverage better. This is ONLY if you bring it in once a year and pay a dedcutable to have them look it over and respray it.

I did not know this when I got that truck and it lapsed by the time I found out. Look into it, people that know there **** will tell you not to do it to a new truck. Most new vheicals come zink coated on the bottom anyways.

Its the same story with spray on liners. Half will tell you its the best thing, half will tell you its not. I have a truck with a spray on, at the time I loved it but my love is faded. This truck I went with a drop in.

Surface rust is nothing anyways. Get under there once a year with a wire brush and some black spray paint and be done with it. Im under the impression its how well you take care of it, not the **** you spray on it.

 

i noticed a few rust spots on my chrome bumper when i washed her this weekend. there is so much salt on the roads around here, surprised the whole truck isn't rusty.

there were a number of small spots on the rear bumper behind the tail pipe. i think the combination of the salt and the moisture from the exhaust do a number on the bumper. did not notice any rust spots anywhere else.

i took a little mothers chrome polish, wiped it on, and the spots came right off. its non abrasive.

 

On my 2000, a couple of years ago my front bumper got rust spots on it. The dealer replaced it, no problems, no hasels.
Wayne