Dodge Caravan spring shackle corrosion

[Oldtom]

I have a 2003 Dodge Caravan that I THOUGHT was rust free. The vehicle has very little rust as I rarely drive it in the winter. I just looked under the vehicle and the rear spring shackles are heavily rusted. The cussed things look like they spent 15 years in the ocean. I grabbed an old paintbrush and coated the shackles with Fluid Film. I plan to Fluid Film the underside to protect things like brake lines.

If you have a Dodge Caravan, check your rear spring shackles. Dodge apparently makes them from " rust while you watch " alloy. In fairness, Toyota uses this material for truck frames as well

 

[Nick1994]

If it's as bad as it sounds like, you should have it repaired. I doubt that's going to stop it from getting worse.

 

[edwardh1]

lots of caravans in u pick junk yards

 

[supton]

Not to pick on you... but I must. You "thought" it was rust free yet didn't look underneath before buying? Seems like shackles are easily seen.

First thing I do when sizing up a vehicle is drop to the ground and crawl underneath, and start my inspection from there. Car problems start from the bottom and go up from there. Either look at cars in a parking lot or bring a movers blanket with you (HF often runs coupons on theirs).

 

[69GTX]

Spring shackles are made of untreated steel and given a useless top coat of black paint for initial appearances only. Same for rear pumpkins and axle housings. K frames too. So they flake a bit. I don't consider that rust. I've never seen a rusted spring shackle on any 1960's or 1970's or 1980's Mopar. I wouldn't expect to find one on a 2003 Dodge unless it routinely sits in ocean waters delivering boats or something.

One of my 1970's Dodge Darts had a "spring shackle" failure back in the 1980's. The whole darn assembly fell out of the car...lol. But the springs were fine. It was the mounts and hardware that had failed. I've had some Mopars that were 40 yrs old...never seen a rusted spring shackle. If you can rust through a spring shackle to require replacement, then your sheet metal should have completely dissolved years earlier.

 

[copcarguy]

I traded in my '07 Caravan that we bought new for the same exact reason.

The summer of 2016 the rockers began to give up right in front of the rear tires. Here in PA you'll fail your annual inspection if there's rust on the body. I did a quick bondo job to pass inspection. I noticed the rear most shackles didn't look great while there.

Fast forward to this summer and they seemed like they vaporized. It's as if the metal just gave up lol. It spread to the "framerail" too...

I didn't trust that anything I could do (or have done) would make me not worry about the structural integrity and the safety of the vehicle.

Once it decided to start rusting, it was scary how rapidly it spread.

My van was very very clean as well, except for the shackle area and the rockers.

 

[Ethan1]

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
2003 Dodge Caravan

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
" rust while you watch " alloy

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
2003

Originally Posted By: Oldtom
watch


16 years is waaaaaay too long to watch your spring shackles

 

[eljefino]

The left rear brake line near the tire is the first to go.

 

[andyd]

The Rat has 4 new rear shackles/ Not uncommon to replace them in the rust belt

 

[MasterSolenoid]

I had a 1977 Dodge D100 Pick-Up.
It was a rust bucket because I (young & stupid) did not know about oil undercoating at the time.

One day the left/rear end was hanging down.
The Frame rusted out around the Shackle.

My Father and I jacked it back up and he welded the Frame/Shakle back together.

Today, I am (older & wiser) and a big fan of using Fluid Film.
FF will seep thru the rust and contact the base metal.
That should stop any further rusting.

 

[Mac6168]

does anyone have an old can of Bondo or Duraglas they are willing to sell? Prefer 1970s and 1980s vintage.