If you’ve taken delivery or will soon take delivery, check your frame!

[RHOfan]

We’ve all seen photos & videos of SHAP and Ram 1500s “flying” through the assembly line on four support arms. Apparently, the contact points on the Ram’s frame see some friction that wears off the e-coat (see photo). Per an inspection of a 2024 TRX, those friction points used to get “touched up” by someone after the vehicle hit the ground.

I was crawling under my truck & noticed rust stains from water splashing under the truck. I traced the rust stains back to the factory lift friction points under the truck. There are two behind the front sway bar (both sides) and two next to the rear floor storage bins (both sides). The ones by the storage bins apparently don’t see as much friction, as most of the e-coat remains, but you can see where the support arms touched.

Either the touch-up guy was off the day my truck hit the ground, or he’s been laid off. But, my plan is to sand the surface rust off, wash the area with solvent, then coat with automotive grade primer & flat black touch-up paint. I’m in PHX where nothing rusts, but if your RHO is exposed to salt air or salted roads, get this fixed ASAP!

 

[MattH89]

Makes you wonder if there is any corner they didn't cut on these. Would almost make sense if they were just blasting them out the door but they can't even do that.

Cheap, fast, good. Choose none.

 

[RHOfan]

Makes you wonder if there is any corner they didn't cut on these. Would almost make sense if they were just blasting them out the door but they can't even do that.

Cheap, fast, good. Choose none.

What do you mean? This is normal post-delivery maintenance that every truck buyer should expect, right? SMH!

Seriously, hope mine is a “one off”. I know it did sit in a MI storage yard for several weeks before transport, so that’s likely where the rust began.

 

[gram10]

Did my first oil change last weekend, I noticed the same thing on mine. Did you fix this yet? I will soon and document the hell out of it.

 

[matt35hr]

We’ve all seen photos & videos of SHAP and Ram 1500s “flying” through the assembly line on four support arms. Apparently, the contact points on the Ram’s frame see some friction that wears off the e-coat (see photo). Per an inspection of a 2024 TRX, those friction points used to get “touched up” by someone after the vehicle hit the ground.

I was crawling under my truck & noticed rust stains from water splashing under the truck. I traced the rust stains back to the factory lift friction points under the truck. There are two behind the front sway bar (both sides) and two next to the rear floor storage bins (both sides). The ones by the storage bins apparently don’t see as much friction, as most of the e-coat remains, but you can see where the support arms touched.

Either the touch-up guy was off the day my truck hit the ground, or he’s been laid off. But, my plan is to sand the surface rust off, wash the area with soap & water, then coat with automotive grade primer & flat black touch-up paint. I’m in PHX where nothing rusts, but if your RHO is exposed to salt air or salted roads, get this fixed ASAP!

We’ve all seen photos & videos of SHAP and Ram 1500s “flying” through the assembly line on four support arms. Apparently, the contact points on the Ram’s frame see some friction that wears off the e-coat (see photo). Per an inspection of a 2024 TRX, those friction points used to get “touched up” by someone after the vehicle hit the ground.

I was crawling under my truck & noticed rust stains from water splashing under the truck. I traced the rust stains back to the factory lift friction points under the truck. There are two behind the front sway bar (both sides) and two next to the rear floor storage bins (both sides). The ones by the storage bins apparently don’t see as much friction, as most of the e-coat remains, but you can see where the support arms touched.

Either the touch-up guy was off the day my truck hit the ground, or he’s been laid off. But, my plan is to sand the surface rust off, wash the area with soap & water, then coat with automotive grade primer & flat black touch-up paint. I’m in PHX where nothing rusts, but if your RHO is exposed to salt air or salted roads, get this fixed ASAP!

Don't touch it with soap or water
You need to wipe it down with a paint prep cleaning solvent and then apply marhide,which is a sandable rust inhibitor that can be primed. Then apply undercoating

 

[RHOfan]

Did my first oil change last weekend, I noticed the same thing on mine. Did you fix this yet? I will soon and document the hell out of it.

Yes, fixed last weekend.

#1 Sand off rust with 220 grit sandpaper.
#2 Mask area, extending a bit beyond your sanded area.
#3 Sand entire area within mask & clean off dust/debris with paint prep solvent…I used straight alcohol.
#4 Spray rust inhibiting, sandable primer…2 coats, 5-10 minutes apart…do not wait more than 10 minutes for 2nd coat.
#5 After 40 minutes, sand primer with 600 grit sandpaper & clean off with solvent.
#6 Spray chassis black semi-gloss enamel…2 coats, 2-5 minutes apart.
#7 Remove masking & enjoy rust-free frame! Don’t drive for 24-48 hours to allow some cure time, depending on temp & humidity in your area.

 

[MTG]

Haven’t taken delivery yet but likely soon. What would you recommend if we were to check and find this prior to taking delivery?

 

[RHOfan]

Haven’t taken delivery yet but likely soon. What would you recommend if we were to check and find this prior to taking delivery?

Ask the dealer to fix it.

My dealer offered, but I declined. How were they going to fix it? IDK. Figured they might just spray some undercoat or Rust-Oleum over the rust. I wanted to remove the rust 1st, so did it myself.

 

[MTG]

Ask the dealer to fix it.

My dealer offered, but I declined. How were they going to fix it? IDK. Figured they might just spray some undercoat or Rust-Oleum. I wanted to remove the rust 1st, so did it myself.

That’s what I was thinking.. don’t know if I trust them to actually “fix” it.

That being said has this caused any alignment issues for anyone that we know of?

 

[RHOfan]

That’s what I was thinking.. don’t know if I trust them to actually “fix” it.

That being said has this caused any alignment issues for anyone that we know of?

It was just a thin layer of surface rust on mine…came off super easy with a couple sandpaper wipes. Don’t think the frame was measurably compromised, if that’s what you are asking.

 

[balloonatic]

Yes, fixed last weekend.

#1 Sand off rust with 220 grit sandpaper.
#2 Mask area, extending a bit beyond your sanded area.
#3 Sand entire area within mask & clean off dust/debris with paint prep solvent…I used straight alcohol.
#4 Spray rust inhibiting, sandable primer…2 coats, 5-10 minutes apart…do not wait more than 10 minutes for 2nd coat.
#5 After 40 minutes, sand primer with 600 grit sandpaper & clean off with solvent.
#6 Spray chassis black semi-gloss enamel…2 coats, 2-5 minutes apart.
#7 Remove masking & enjoy rust-free frame! Don’t drive for 24-48 hours to allow some cure time, depending on temp & humidity in your area.

I would not have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out. Thank You for the heads up. Mine is not quite as bad: maybe 60% (of what you showed) But definitely worth repairing.

 

[RamFan]

FYI once the rust is dry and has no more water/air exposure it won’t spread. If mine isn’t “fixed” I’ll probably just scuff it and throw some rustoleum on it and call it a day. Then again I live in Texas.

Chris

 

[RHOfan]

I would not have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out. Thank You for the heads up. Mine is not quite as bad: maybe 60% (of what you showed) But definitely worth repairing.

Right side was worst. About 60% as much on left side.

I live in PHX, so probably didn’t need to do anything, but I like my things to be a certain way.

 

[RHOfan]

FYI once the rust is dry and has no more water/air exposure it won’t spread. If mine isn’t “fixed” I’ll probably just scuff it and throw some rustoleum on it and call it a day. Then again I live in Texas.

Chris

Pretty sure that’s what happened at the factory back when TRX was built. Someone on the factory floor hit it with some corrosion resistant spray paint before any rust could form. I personally saw the “touch-up” on a leftover 2024 that had 24 miles on the clock.