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1999 RAM 2500 rusted out cab

2K views 6 replies 2 participants last post by  JD435 
#1 ·
I had purchased a 1999 RAM CTD 2500 HD regular cab truck back in August with a lot of rust. For the price it left a lot of room for repairs Currently working on the frame rust and mechanical issues to get it inspected. But next spring will want to tackle the body rust issues.

Plan to replace the fenders and door, repair the both cab rockers and rear cab corners with new panels. Amazingly the bed is just showing paint blisters above the right rear wheel well. My cab floor boards are in real good condition except by the rockers.

Have heard of three vendors who sell body parts Keystone, Sherman and LMC.

Which vendor offers good fit, thickness and quality metal?

This vendor seems to have a larger selection of body components including cab mounts...
DODGE - PICKUP (full size) - 1994-2001 - Page 1 - Autobody Specialties

This vendor has Dodge panels, doors and rockers...
Browns of Two Rivers


Does any one sells the complete fender already welded as one piece? I have seen the outer and inner panels separate.

Keep trucking,

Bob g.
 
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#2 ·
Man posted this four months ago and no responses.

Does any one have comments or advise - insight?

I am still working on the truck. I from the mechanical side of the fence and just started getting in to body work side. Two years ago had to cut out rotted floor pans in my VW 1998 Jetta TDI and weld in new steel. Came out better decent so not afraid with replacing metal. Guess this truck will practice with filler and paint.

Bob G.
 
#3 ·
Maybe too little too late seeing as how old your post is, but my $0.02. My opinion may be biased as I work for the company you linked to for the panels, doors, and rockers.

Any of the repair panels advertised as "factory style" or "oe style" are going to be much better panels than the "slip over" style panels. Thicker gauge metal that is stamped out for the factory style, vs thinner metal made on a metal brake for the slip over style. If they don't list a style, anything that is silver or bare metal is the slip over style.

The replacement doors aren't bad, but the patch panels to repair the bottom are heavier gauge steel than the replacement doors. If you've just got rust on the bottom edge, you may be better off fixing what you have.

I've never seen the fenders and inner fenders sold as one piece in the aftermarket replacements, they've always been two separate parts. They don't stack very well in two pieces, they'd probably be smashed before they made it off of the boat if they tried to have them welded together like the factory parts.

Rust on the floor by the rockers is a pain to deal with in this truck. The replacement floor pans stop about 6" away from the rocker panel, which is just the area you're dealing with. I haven't seen an aftermarket panel to repair this area even though people have been asking for it for years.

Hope this helps, good luck with the project!
 
#4 ·
Thanks Greg for your response,

Have watched YT to see the difference between the weld-in vs the slip-on and was not impress with the slip-on as a solution.

I notice the panel vendors do not list the the metal thickness. Assume the OEM style replacement panels would be in the 18 to 20 gauge range. Are panels stamp over seas? Any one stamping here in the US?

I haven't seen an aftermarket panel to repair this area even though people have been asking for it for years.

Are you referring where the three panels are clinched together and the door seal is attached to?

Any pointers dealing with stopping/preventing corrosion within the body cavities?

Thanks again,

Bob G.
 
#5 ·
I haven't seen an aftermarket panel to repair this area even though people have been asking for it for years.

Are you referring where the three panels are clinched together and the door seal is attached to?
Yes, that's the area. The floor pan comes out 15 inches from the transmission tunnel, so there's roughly half a foot of floor between where that floor panel ends and the rocker panel begins.


All of the OE style panels are stamped overseas. Ironically, a lot of the slip on parts are US or Canadian. The parts I have are from Key Parts and are 18 gauge. There are other manufacturers that do them out of 20 gauge, there's a lot of that stuff on Amazon and Ebay.

Your guess is as good as mine as far as stopping or preventing the future rust!
 
#6 ·
I also have another rust out location which totally caught me off guard!

I have a broken dash, a leaking heater core and water leak around rear window so removed all of the interior.

After removing the instrument panel from the truck, notice some daylight between driver 'A' pillar and the steering column cab support. Pocked at the sheet metal and my fingers went right through.

Remove the wipers and cowling cover to get a better idea what is going on. Notice on this truck the firewall does not go all the way up to the windshield but there is a large plenum space. The interior cab side of this space the seam sealer coating in the trough has all flaked apart. The space by the driver A pillar has heavy rust from where water was standing. The drains are in the cowling space. Truck was parked outside for three years on a uphill incline so assume this was cause with the water pooled in this location.

Debate course of action - since I will also have to deal with rocker/cab corner replacement on both sides, a cab replacement from a drier southern location may be an option.

Right now leaning to just address the rusted areas and weld in new metal where base metal is thin.

Need suggestion recoating the inside of this plenum space.

Bob G.
 
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