Out of curiousity, is anyone getting rust at the bottom of there doors at the seams? As well as the tailgate? My wheep holes are clean, however there is quite a bit of rust building up right at the seams on both doors, as well as the tailgate. Time to put that 9th grade auto body class to work I guess, and test my grinding/painting skills.
If so has anyone had any success in repairing and keeping the rust away after the repair? If so, what did you do and use?

 

I am getting a tad bit of the exact same rust as you are talking about, and this winter i plan on attempting to fix it also.

 

Just had mine fixed thanks to ford, had to bitch like hell but they fixed it just like new, $2400.00 later.

 

Doors ok so far but tailgate is starting to rust along the bottom seam.

 

My doors are rusted on my 02 with 26k miles. I asked the body shop today about it and they said it's not covered under warranty and there is no TSB. Unbelievable. Just like my transfer case leaking, but that's another post.

 

I figured the first place to start rusting on these trucks is behind the rear wheels. I was washing my truck today and noticed a lot of mud coming from underneath the plastic pieces.
-Matt

 

I have on my truck those rubber box cover type deals on the side of my box, and I notice alot of dirt come from under them when I wash too, might be another place for rust to start.

 

There is a TSB on this issue. TSB 04-10-11 Here's two threads on the deal.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...=tsb+door+rust

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...=tsb+door+rust

 

Mine is a 2000 and it started rusting in 2003 with 30k on it, both of the doors, the tailgate, and the bed just opposite of the tailgate. Tried talking to the dealership, they told me to call Ford as it was perforated so it wasn't covered under warranty. I called Ford, they blew me off, I went rounds with them for a week or so talking with management at their call center with no resolve. I'm usually very persuasive, but they wouldn't budge. I vowed after that it would be the last Ford I bought. Just waiting for something major on it to go wrong and it will be gone and I won't buy from a Ford dealership ever again either.

 

My back doors and the driver door now have rust in the seams. I even had the Protect rust inhibitor sprayed when I bought it new.

 

As I suspected, this is a very common ailment. The rotten end of the deal is that you'll never get completely rid of the rust without completely replacing the doors as a unit. Which I know would be more money than value.

 

WELL ive waxed mine since new, and have one spot on the door and the tailgate is pretty bad, so the last winter i waxed and waxed and im trying vasoline in the tailgate this year i left it on thick see what happens i used to do this with chome wheels back in the day in winter and worked well then clean them in spring....it is kinda pissing me off but i guess when it gets a little worse like you guys are i will grind it down, prime paint and then rhino line it execpt for the drainholes, i was gonna do that when new but i totally forgot about doing it..

 

Rust is the main reason I've always avoided imports. Now that Ford isn't even keeping par with imports on the rust situation, it may be time to reevaluate my choices come next vehicle. I really dispise rust, it's a cancer that once it starts is next to impossible to subdue.

 

I have a 2002 F-150 that has become a "rust queen". It started with the lower tailgate seam and spread to the lower door seams. Had the tailgate seam "fixed" in 2003 and by 2004 the rust was back in full force. Ford refused to "fix" it again . I had my door seams fixed in later 2004. I haven't checked to see whether they are rusting again. If they are I wouldn't be surprised . Ford cheapened out on a few pennies of rust proofing material in the door seams. I have a 1996 Ford Contour that has no rust on it. Yet friends of mine that have 1997 and 1999 Contours are suffering major rust in the door seams. Starting with model year 1997 Ford stopped using the rust proofing method in order to save pennies per vehicle. This also applies to our trucks. My 1989 F-150 still has rust free door seams while my 2002 F-150 already has rusting door seams Of course the rear wheel wells did rust. But that wasn't until it was 12 years old, not 2! Shame on Ford.

Whimsey

 

I have never met a rust repair that worked.

It is disappointing how early these trucks are starting to rust. The wheels on my old 98 started rusting within the first few months of winter when it was new!