my 91 ctd is pretty clean except the rocker panels and at the front of the roof line it's starting to rust. ***??? my 91 w250 the roof rusted so bad the front of the roof blew off going down the highway and it sounded like somebody was running a jack hammer on the rooftop!!! what the hell is with these dodges and the rockers and roof lines rust out? and how to prevent it? thanks, pete

 

There was a thread a few months ago on this problem. It probably has to do with the double roof on the Dodge and condensation buildup being trapped between the panels. Mine doesn't have a headliner installed and the holes are open where the headliner screws would go which may allow some circulation. I haven't had a rust problem (knock on wood). I would think that it should help to drill a hole in the inner panel and spray some rust inhibitor or maybe some lubricant into the panels. If you can get good coverage that should stop the rust.

 

I think the general assumption is all of our trucks have roof rust progressing in one form or another due to it's original design. The trucks environment and exposure to things such as humidity, salt water, and salt air determines the rate of rust. Be happy if you live in the desert south west because yours will last a long time. I bought one out of Florida and it has roof rust from the salt air.

 

I also have this roof rust just above the windshield going along the whole length of it. It's worst on the driver's side and it's so bad that you could take a screwdriver and poke through the metal. It sucks because the truck has just over 101,000 original miles, runs like a top, and really has no other rust anywhere on the truck (even on the cab floor there is no rust through). With the way the roof of these 1st GEN cabs are designed does anyone think I could go to a very reputable body shop have it cut out and new metal welded in? Question is would they be able to match the upward lip of the cab metal right before it goes down an inch to the windshield glass? I really need to get it done soon because it's a huge turn off that really makes the truck seem like it's been abused (when it really hasn't since my dad has owned it). Of course it was used as a snow plow truck before my dad bought it. That may have caused a lot of what's on the truck to start with.

 

Fords and Chevys of the same vintage have open tunnels up the front and rear pillars, big enough for a cat to crawl through.

From what I gather, the cab-roof of a Dodge is a closed chamber; right or wrong ???

What makes the roof-rot such a ticklish situation is the design over the windshield, where it is near impossible to rebuild.

I saw one truck where the guy grafted the top of one of those fancy fiber-glass toppers onto his cab, the hi-rise type that has the aerodynamic shaped glass above the truck-cab.

It looked REAL NEAT.

If one of ours gets beyond tiger-hair repair, I will probably also use the fiber-glass topper trick, probably stretching the cab in the process.

 

My truck is rusting in the drip rail area too. I chipped all the paint and rust off, put on the rust stop acid and then put silicon sealer in the rail. I hope this will keep the moisture from it.

 

mine rusted real bad over the whole area above the windsheild. 1100.00 had a new roof installed and the cab lights removed 10 years ago. if you have cab lights check them for leaks.

 

When I had the hood and cab roof on my 93 redone last year the body shop removed the windshield and discovered some rust in the area where the winshield gasket goes. Based on that and the comments from this forum, I spray WD40 into the roof area through the sunshade mounting holes and the inside trim screw holes above the windshield hoping this will drive any moisture accumulation out.

John

 

My truck does have the cab lights going across the top front of the roof. If I could get a body shop to install a new roof and make the windshield mount in tight with a new gasket I'd probably pay an easy $800-900 for them to do it. I don't have any welding experience yet and I'd have to take it to a professional no matter what. Plus, I'd want a real decent job to be done and it doesn't have to include them painting it. My truck also has the factory paint coming off exposing the gray primer in a few spots (mainly on the hood) and I swear Dodge trucks around this vintage had a problem with the paint/primer. I've even seen Caravans and Neons with the same paint problem my truck has. The truck's cab needs a whole new paint job, which I'm willing to get done soon but I need the roof fixed first. Any other advice? Thanks.

Salvy

 

Admittedly, cab-lights do call for holes through the roof where water could possibly enter; BUT, properly maintained, cab-lights can remain leak-free.

What happens is that people will take one loose, for whatever reason, and then expect the twenty-plus-year-old seal to still be good, and just screw it back on, with no thought to sealing.

Also, the lenses become cracked and brittle, with a million tiny cracks where water can enter.

The bond between amber lens and plastic housing can also fail.

Examine the cab-light lenses for old-age and replace them, if cracking is evident; new seals will come with new lights.

After-market, "big truck" style, cab-lights are a better choice than the el-cheapo plastic ones that Dodge used.

If the lenses are decent, then carefully lift loose the lights from the sheet-metal and apply a bead of clear LEXEL sealant around the perimeter, and around each screw-hole.

To reseal any gaps where the amber lens is fused to the housing, a generous application of clear nail-polish will work.

If you are financially embarassed, old sun-cracked lenses can also be made more water-tight by coating them, inside and out, with several layers of clear nail-polish.

 

I better not let the girlfriend see me doing this, she already thinks I spend too much time with the truck.

 

well i havn't herd of an anwser yet, as to what is the cause, and what to do to keep the rust away. there were a couple good speculations though. ???????? my drip edge is getting pretty crusty and it needs tending too soon. i did the old grin it down and por-15 the drip edge, but that's a band -aid not getting to the real problem to prevent the rust. thanks, pete

 

my rockers looked like swiss cheese when I got my 92. I was very surprised how cheap the rockers were and that I was able to find them. 2 days in the shop and she looks good as new.

 

i think the first gen trucks, the rockers started rusting shortly after they got unloaded off the truck at the dealer when they were new!!ha-ha unfortunately it's not that funny either all the rockers on my dodges are shot. later, pete

 

You said no answer-

The dodge design has a closed chamber between the outer panel and reinforment edging for the windshield. With temperature changes, condensation forms inside and they rust. If you can drill a few holes and liberally apply a rust converter or Por-15. Outside clean any metal seams of sealer, Por-15 or rustconverer the seam, the prime the area with an acid etching epoxy primer. Then you can apply your seam sealer- I would buy the urethane stuff as it sands nicely.
If you've got well primed metal without rust- Wurth sells a spray wax which is more how a newer car would be rust proofed.