We live in a very dry climate, yet I see rust on some of the drivetrain components on a 2 year old JKU.

Is this common and no big deal?

Would it be something that can easily be corrected and prevented from re-occuring?

 

2 years.....? Really? That's good. I got rust on mine after 2 months. Of course I live in the northeast.

 

The rusty drive line components are normal, and not a big deal.
That doesn't mean you have to like it, though.

Brush off any loose rust and apply some rust converter. Top coat with the color of your choice.

 

Dana Spicer told me that the surface rust is by design and actually a protective layer of oxidation to protect against further rusting. I aint making this up.

 

There is some truth to that. I see it on new bridges quite often.
In fact, that's how stainless steel works. It has a layer of corrosion so thin it can't be seen. Scratch it and thin corrosion fills it in quickly.
Our JK exhaust parts are 409 stainless. It doesn't stay bright like 304 stainless, so you can see the protective layer of corrosion. The exhaust system on my 8 year old JK looks rusty in patches, but has not rusted through in this salty winter environment.

 

im relieved , because ive never seen any vehicle rust up so much in my 51 years of living. ill sleep better now knowing its there for good purpose in fact ill put the hose to it before bed time

 

I noticed rust in mine a week or so after purchase. 65,000 miles later no issues.

 

My only complaint are the factory driveshafts surface rust, they look like $hit coated with that much rust, I'm just lazy to brush all that up and then paint them for the rest of the little spots with surface rust, I'll simply spray them with black rusteloum.