I agree with the rail dust. Have you ever seen new vehicles coming off the truck all wrapped up in a white paper. This is'nt put on to protect from scratches, it's placed on vehicles to protect them from rail dust/metal fragments coming off the rail car brakes. Maybe your truck wasn't wrapped before it being shipped.

 

This is what Ford calls the rust spots on the sides of my white '01 F150. The dealer says the small orange spots that cover the fenders, doors, box, and tailgate are from railroads. This is crazy. It doesn't take much to tell that the problem is coming from the wheel wells, specifically the brakes. Metallic particles seem to seperate from the pads and adhere to the paint and subsequently rust on the paint surface leaving a terrible mess. This is the same problem I had on a '94 Explorer and had to use a clay bar treatment to remove the spots. Seems that Ford could remedy this problem over the period of six years if they really wanted to. This may be my last Henry. I am very dissapointed with the way the factory choose to ignore the problem. I have heard of brake pads that are of a kevlar composition and wonder if the lack of metallic in the material would solve the problem. Any suggestions?

 

It is very possible that the spots are in fact "rail dust". Of course it's also possible that they could be metal fragments from the brakes, but I doubt the brakes would throw up that much stuff over such a broad area. Rail dust does exist, just listen to the metal wheels on the metal track sound the next time you're at a crossing, then imagine all the dust being thrown up from ALL of those wheels over several hundred or thousands of miles. I'm not trying to doubt you, but I don't think rail dust is BS either.

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2000 F-150SC 5.4L 4X4ORP
DEEP WEDGEWOOD BLUE
AUTO, 3.55LS, TOW PKG.
RAVIN Z-55 DUAL EXHAUST
CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS,
REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY
REAR SLIDER
PREMIUM SOUND w/ CD
RHINO LINER
STATE ISSUED UNIV.OF GA. PLATE.
UGA RECEIVER COVER
UGA LICENSE PLATE(FRONT)

WISH LIST:
AIRAID FIPK
SUPERCHIP
TINTED WINDOWS
HOOD DEFLECTOR(PAINTED)

A NATIONAL TITLE FOR UGA(FOOTBALL)
Then maybe when I get more money:

3" BODY LIFT KIT
BIGGER TIRES

etc., etc., etc.

 

My truck had rail dust damage to the point that the paint pitted. Ford repainted my truck under the 12/12 paint warranty.