My Brother In-law has a nice 2006 Ram that runs and drives great. Problem is, it has the usual massive rust in the bed over the exterior rear wheel well. Are there and solutions for this? Did they "correct" the bed design in later years so that they don't rot like that? Would a later year bed fit on his 2006? Thanks

Nope, they all do it in the rust belt states. The newer 03's & up seem to do it even worse than the 02 & older Rams.

My 96' Ram 2500 is rusting thru all over but I am seeing 10 year newer Ford's, Chevy's & Dodge's all catching up to mine & some are even worse.

Here's how to keep it from happening. Been using old motor oil for decades. Don't listen to the nay sayers on here saying don't use old oil, I've used it for decades and I know it works.

And you coat the inner steel with oil? Do you repeat this? Why not just shoot it with 3M body Shutz then?

I have never seen a Ram with rust on it. But then again, I do not live in a area where they are actively trying to destroy ,y vehicle by using chemicals on the roads.

My suggestion? Move. Or get a rust free bed from the south and seal it up with something before you install it.

3M body shutz won't creep into the pinch welds like oil. I do this every other year just before winter. That squirter will shoot oil all the way to the front of the bed panels, putting a good coat inside where the rust really starts. I also squirt it into the doors, rockers, tailgate and fenders. You will have to wipe oil off some of the drain areas for a couple days but that's a lot better than having it rust to death. Make sure it's been dry out for a couple days before oiling, you don't want to trap water in there.

Been looking at these used for a while, and they all rust over the rear wheel well. 2002 and newer, as well as the 94-2001's. The comical cure is the hideous flares that are sometimes installed to ALMOST cover the wheel arch rust. Problem is that many times the rear cab corner is rotting too as well as the rockers. The curse of this area.

I grew up in NW Indiana. Note that I don't live there any more and this issue is one of many why.

i have started a LOT of fires on cars where oil is used for rust proofing. if any type of welding is done it will burn.
our shop has actually refused to repair cars where oil is used for rust proofing.


i have used 3M cavity wax rust proofing with excellent results for a LONG time. it's a I-Car recommended product in their corrosion training classes.
3 M cavity wax rustproofing

it is wax based so when it gets warm is seeps into the area between the panels and helps seal it up. it also has corrosion inhibitors to prevent rust from forming and prevent the spread of existing rust.

Wax burns too, that's why it's used in candles.

Mines starting now (bubbles) I'm thinking of cutting out that inner fender down too the spot welds, funny that's where it starts. cant see why it's even needed

Bought a wheel arch for my 05 at Jefferson this spring.

Bed sides are available, both in original Chrysler and import repop form.

I seriously considered going with the bed side, but the truck is going on 14 years old and has been relegated to around town status.

Getting close to the time to send it on its way.

My 2017 is a faster, smother riding truck that gets better mileage anyway.

yes it does.
but the entire inside of your 1/4 won't go up in flames in 20 seconds after a spark hits the oil. i have seen this happen several times.
also when wax based rustproofing ignites it's a small controlled fire that you can easily blow it out with compressed air, even blowing on it from your mouth will put it out. with oil the compressed air actually makes the fire burn hotter and faster.

WOW! A spark will not ignite motor oil. If it did my garage would have burnt down many times. There's oil on my garage floor and I've used a grinder, sending thousands of sparks onto it, never ignited yet. If you think it will, go ahead and fill your gas tank with motor oil and see if your car will start. Good luck with that.

Thats what i use, in the doors and tailgate too.

The old cars with the best floors and no rust.. The ones with the worst oil leaks, motor trans or both.
If a spark would ignite there would be a lot of burn up cars in the yards.

Tons of those flares on trucks here too. When you see them you know to run because if they weren't put on to hide rust they'll create it.

It's a doublewall design which is why they rust. Total trap area for dirt & moisture to get trapped. Since basically nobody rustproofs anymore, this will continue to be a problem. In a few weeks when it's hot, I will pull the rear wheels, the rear wheelwheel liners, & hose these areas out to flush any dirt & remaining salt away. Let everything dry out in the hot weather, then slop a good layer of Texaco rustproof formula in these areas, along with reducing the stuff & spraying it, then button it all back up. It will never rust there after this treatment. My '17 has to last at least 10 years for me.

so be it. maybe it's not the spark maybe it the glowing red hot 1000*+ metal from the weld that starts the fire.
try welding on the panels and let me know how it works out for you.
all i know is in the late 80's i was repairing a cavalier 2 door hit in the rocker panel lower 1/4 in front of the rear wheel.
i welded 4 heavy duty unispotter studs on the dented area about 1/8" apart. to attach a pull clamp to. when i reached for the 4 stud the inner 1/4 panel was filling up with smoke. i knocked the vent on the front of the 1/4 panel to blow the flames out. the flames got bigger after blowing on them. it took 2 fire extinguishers to put the flames out. the owner rustproofed with oil.
a few years later someone was welding a patch on a lower 1/4 after a crash. it was a overlap patch where both layers overlap by about 1". he started tack welding the patch on the corners. he didn'r get 2 welds done and the trunk was filled with smoke. car was also rustproofed with oil.
as i said earlier at out shop we get a car rustproofed with oil we WILL NOT WORK ON IT. this happens 1 or 2 times a year, maybe once every other year.

on a lot of modern cars where the panels are bonded like a ram door. no amount of oil in the world poured inside the door will prevent the rust forming in the lower flange. the reason why they rust there is because when the door is formed the metal is bare steel. where the inner and outer panels join is bonded then the flanges are stamped over the other while the glue is still wet. now there is bare metal exposed to the elements on the flange. ecoating cant get into the lapped seam on the outside and pouring oil inside of the door is worthless because there is a layer of cured adhesive preventing the oil from creeping into the flange.

also the biggest reason why rust forms on the wheel arch is because when the panels are joined there is bare metal. now they overlap the layers and there will be bare metal in the lapped flange. now when they ecoat the box sometimes a air pocket forms in the wheel arch area now you have a bigger bare metal area. also in the flange the outside seam is not sealed up allowing moisture to get into the seam. on some models a light layer of foam/ adhesive is put between the layers for sound control. this foam absorbes moisture that creates rust.
the best way to prevent rust from forming in this area is to apply a quality wax based, to allow it to flow into the seam when it gets warm, rust proofing that has corrosion inhibitors and seam sealing the open flange before driving the car or truck.
SORRY for this long winded response but i have been a bodyman since 1976. i have metal patched several hundred wheel arch rust repairs. i usually metal patch at least 4 VW 1/4 panel wheel arch bottom by the bumper rust repairs a MONTH. have been doing this for the last 5 years or so.

Too bad you are not closer.. I have a rust free 2003 to 2009 short bed..