Have many of you guys had trouble with the front cab mounts rotting out? The ones behind the front wheels. I always rinsed underneath through the winter months and I still got the rust. I think the Dodges are pretty poorly designed when it comes to prohibiting rust. My bed floor has rust coming through where the supports underneath meet up with the bed floor. The same thing is happening with the cab floor where the supports are spot welded, not as bad as the bed floor but theres surface rust showing. The bottom of the doors are another story, the drivers side has been repaired and the passenger side is now shot. This truck has had a well taken care of life too, like I said, it always got washed underneath. The bottom of the doors got rinsed out along with the door jambs and everything still rusted. The trucks paid for and mechanically sound but the body is gonna kill me here shortly. I'm at a loss.

 

Million mile engine in a 100K chassis

 

If you put a finger inside the cab mount youll probably find a pile of sand and junk thats been trapping water. Best thing to do is to clear that out and may be drill some holes so it cant stay up there. when I was doing my floorpan I was under there and my finger went right thru the thing and about a pound of sand fell on me. I just took some sheet metal and welded a patch on the rusted part and cut another piece and welded it over the front of the cab mount. I was going to drill some holes and tack the cab support to the floor a bit where it was pulling away but I got lazy. Silicone caulking is a good idea all around that area.
Another good idea is some phosphoric acid / zinc product like must for rust or POR-15's metal ready. Then silicone over that. The acid etches the metal and the zinc is deposited in a coating.

 

Yeah, I was able to poke my finger through the mount also and a pile of sand fell out. I really wish I could find something that would kill the rust i've got forming in other spots. Is that what that acid product does you're talking about? Where did you get it and how'd you apply it? I want to do whatever I can to save this truck, at least the cab anyway. I'll do something with the bed, throw it in the dump if I have to.

 

Google for 'must for rust' and 'POR-15 metal ready' youll find a couple good ones to try. Paint over that with a good rust-inhibiting primer and you should increase the life of the metal a bit.
I had an 80's chevy before this dodge and it was the worst rotbox Ive ever owned. Spent more time chasing rust than driving it.

 

Hey Kawi600, Have you had trouble with rust over the rear wheels too? I can just start to see a tiny spot about 3/16" in diameter where it looks like rust is about to come through. I pulled out the taillight to get a better look up there and sure enough I can see rust forming. Another **** poor design on Dodges part. Theres two raised spots on the steel inner fender that just about touch the outside quarter panel and thats where its starting. All the rest of that inner fender are about 3/4" away and they're fine.
And Dodge could have prevented the cab mounts from rotting out if they made the drain holes bigger, instead they put a barely 1/2" hole in it to drain all the water and sand out. You'd think they'd make it a 1" drain hole or something at minimum.

 

Theres not much on the bed on mine, a few spots here and there. I also have bubbling paint where water got behind it somehow. Dunno how that happens unless its rotted from behind.

 

Oh, if you look at the outside of my truck it looks near showroom but once you start climbing under it you'll start seeing stuff. If you climb under the bed and look at the 5 or so "U" supports that weld to the bottom of the bed floor you'll probably see some rust forming there. Or you could be one of the lucky ones. Those are the spots that work there way up and put small holes in the bed floor.

 

anyone know where to buy replacement cab mounts?

 

You would need to cut them off a clean cab. Easy enough to do, just a lot of work. Get a section of the rockers at the same time.

I had a body shop make mine when they fixed my cab corners and rockers. "Never Again" was his words. Next time I get bad rust on "Lil' Mason", its getting rebodied.

 

Not true.