Have you been of the roof of your sprinter

I installed a ladder on my 2006 Sprinter Roadtrek, when I got a look at the roof I was suprised to see some surface rusting as will as rusting at the seems.

I found several rust spots from little metal flakes I hadn't thought to remove after I installed a vent cover but there were also some rust tinges on some gutters.

I installed a Fan-tastic vent on the top of my jasper blue 140 hitop. I don't remember seeing any surface rust.

Is it just brown dirt or is the paint really chipped off to expose the metal? What color is your van?

I have read about this before, but it's normally just road dirt.

The only place that shows any form of rust, and I haven't looked at everything closely, is the rear door hinges. But that's to be expected because the paint just scrapes off in that area.

Sikwan,
In the seams it is definitely rust.

Bill was also correct, I believe the other surface rust was caused by cuttings from airconditioneer and sat dish installation.

Hi Dennis:

I see that you both of you have Sprinter conversions. Maybe it has something to do with the particular installers and not DCX themselves?

I'll go look again because I don't remember seeing any rust on top. I didn't walk on my roof either.

Seek

My 2005 2500c 140 Flattop has rust on the edge of the rain gutters on both sides. I live in Central Florida. DC is going to fix under warranty as well as replacing the taillight lenses due to a fungus growing in the plastic seams. I'm having the work done at Winter Haven Dodge. I'll post the outcome when completed.
Frank

The rust spots you are seeing is often called "rail dust" in the automotive industry. This term comes from vehicle's that are transported by train showing rust spots on the surface of the paint. It is a result of metal floating in the air worn of by the train wheels in contact with the rail. This surface rust appearance can be caused by many other things as well; brake dust, pollution fall-out or metal filings left behind by cutting metal. Solution; you can use a rubbing compound safe for clearcoat, a "claybar" made by Mother's products or at the dealership level for best results and speed "acid wash" with a bug mit. This is a yearly spring process for my pearl white Mazda 5. It involves a very mild special acid solution specific to this problem and safe on paint when used correctly. You wash one panel at a time and rinse and when done use a sealer and glaze wax. If the rust is left it will eat through your paint layer and cause bigger problems.

Since we are on the roof of our Sprinters and looking for rust I found this while looking down into my gutters. I see no rust but see black hairline cracks in the white paint at the rear left and right in the photos but also all along the gutters. I wonder if the back is the primer coat? It almost feels like it could be rubber. I would like to fill them with some penetrating sealant to keep rust from starting. Does anyone have any suggestions?

The seams on mine were rusty, and some of the spot welds. The main damage was to the guters where roof rails had bent them letting in water.