I was outside cleaning my truck today when I noticed that my supposed 100% stainless steel muffler has rust chips all over the damn thing. They're on the tips, the pipes, and the muffler body itself. I put the muffler on around Thanksgiving so it hasn't even been two months and this has happened. I live in North Carolina and we have been getting winter weather pretty frequently but I have washed the truck almost religiously and the longest it has sat with salt and brine on the undercarriage is no longer than 48 hours.

So, my question to you guys is why is this happening? I was under the impression that the 304 stainless steel muffler (as it is clearly stated to be more than once on AmericanTrucks.com) was not suppose to do this.

Thanks for any help given!

 

surface rust? aint no thang.

 

If it gets any mild steel particles whatsoever on it it can get the surface rust. Mine is not doing such, but I have an early kit. Some of the newer kits are 409 stainless which gets surface rust but the tips and muffler are 304.

 

Stainless steel does rust, but it takes a much longer time than mild or aluminized steel. My Magnaflows have very small spots of rust, but they have been there for over a year and a half. If the tips start showing rust, polish them up a bit. Rusty tips are unacceptable in my book.

 

That's the thing, it clearly states multiple times that the muffler and all of the components are suppose to be 304, not 409. If they sold me a kit that is 409 I will be asking for my money back and then some because that is not what I purchased according to the website so that would be some heavy false advertising.

I can get over surface rust on the pipes and what not because that isn't what people see, but there shouldn't be near as much rust on the tips considering how long I have had everything installed. I noticed rust on the pipes and around the end of the muffler tip that attaches to the piping a few weeks ago but today was the first time I noticed so much surface rust on the tip itself.

 

Well if it's 409 it should say on the piping. Then you call the seller if it is 409.

 

Yeah a lot of sites kept listing it at 304 when it was 409. Maxout did his last fall IIRC and it was 409

 

Yes read here.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ex...aluminzed.html

 

I was already aware of this before purchasing the muffler and I inspected every square inch of piping that I received and nowhere on there was a sticker stating what type of steel it was. I am starting to believe that AmericanTrucks.com removed the stickers so that they could continue to sell the muffler kit as 304 stainless without anyone being none the wiser.

I don't care what Roush came out and said themselves about the muffler being a different type of steel now, if I paid 600 ****ing dollars for a muffler kit that says it's 304 then I'll be damned if I settle for anything less. I'm going to call them first thing tomorrow morning and see what they have to say. I appreciate everyones help so far.

 

Good idea. Keep us informed.

 

Corrosion. It happens.