New owner's questions about tires and rust!

[Scottsand]

Hi everyone, I'm about to become a new AT4(sierra 1500) owner, and I'm glad to have such a vibrant forum. I'd like to figure out the rust prevention and tire size before I get the car, so I'd appreciate your help!

Friend told me that full-size pickup trucks often have rust issues, especially around the wheel arches, doors, and front end. He suggested I get a full ceramic coating and PPF done after I get the truck, but the price is too high for me, and I can't do something so technically demanding myself. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Regarding tires, I know this is a topic that's been discussed to death. I'm trying to install 33x12 50R20 tires at the stock height, which requires a rim with a low ET number. I'm considering ET-0 and ET+10. I don't want to cramp the interior space, but I also don't want to rub against the wheel arches. Does anyone have a reliable solution they can offer? Thanks again!

 

AT4 Forum Fav 👍

American Flag Metal Trailer Hitch Cover - Grab one through Amazon!

[john151ama]

PPF and ceramic coating keep your paint looking good but arnt for rust. Vehicles come with pretty good underbody protection across the board. Wheel arches can develop rust on any vehicle but that is more due to those areas collecting mud and debris and holding in road salt against the back side of the body panels so they rust out from behind. Not really an issue in a lot of states. I am in Oregon and road salting is very rare out here and I have never had a vehicle body panel rust ever even on my first 1976 Chevy truck. Different for those in the NE. But if you are in a road salt application area my advice would be to wash out the wheel well areas really well regularly and a number of people get sprinklers they can run under their trucks in the winter to blast off the gunk and salt to prevent rusting.

You can also get underbody rubberized spray coating in rattle cans and you can spray that on to back side of body panels and the frame to add a protective layer to prevent rusting. It is cheap and anyone could spray it on.