Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

mscher · Feb 25, 2012

I have an 01' Silverado and when i prodded what looked like a rusted paint chip, on the rocker panel, it went clear through.

The rest of the truck show no visible rust yet.

They do have a complete rocker panel, but thats a big job, I might do later.

Anyone know of a good shorter term fix, that might give another year, or so?

minuteman62-64 · Feb 25, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

I had an old rusted '66 Dodge PU that had a couple of small holes like that. Used fibreglass and Bondo, did a half assed job and only covered it with primer. Five years later, when I sold the truck, the repairs were still in place.

I think if you go to Pep Boys or similar store you'll find some books that will tell you all you will need, along with the supplies. I'm guessing Bondo is still an important part of the equation.

rivermouse · Feb 25, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

mscher said:
I have an 01' Silverado and when i prodded what looked like a rusted paint chip, on the rocker panel, it went clear through. The rest of the truck show no visible rust yet.

They do have a complete rocker panel, but thats a big job, I might do later.

Anyone know of a good shorter term fix, that might give another year, or so?

Most rust starts from the inside. By the time you see it there can be real damage. In this case I would drill a couple of holes and with air pressure try to blow out any water that is inside to dry it out and then spray in some rust treatment paint . The next step is to cover any damaged area with bondo/fiberglass /epoxy putty etc and try to conseal it. At best you are just buying time because rust is like cancer.

Cheetah 210es · Feb 25, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

A piece of aluminium checker plate riveted over it.

Bob_VT · Feb 25, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

Once you get it fixed........... OIL the heck out of the inside of the rockers. Up here in salt country (where they use FAR too much) we drill holes in the doors and rockers and have oil sprayed inside.

This past summer I ended up doing FAR FAR too much body work on a neglected 95 Chev that I have. Now it has been oiled following the body work.

I replaced both fenders, rockers, wheel arches, rear fender bottoms http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=245640&page=2&highlight=2500

drrpm · Feb 27, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

Grind out the rust, Bondo, primer and paint. I did that on my parents 1971 Oldsmobile (in 1983) and it looked pretty good for a year and a half. At that point my brother finished it off with an escapade into a farmers field which broke the axle among other things.

buildmark · Feb 27, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

cut it out and weld in a new piece of metal, sand the welds flat and finish it out.

johnsonjam02 · Feb 27, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

The only enemy of a hole is a pile.

korygrandy · Feb 28, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

Rust is like cancer. I've been touching up my '00 Silverado up here in MN for the past 3 years. Thankfully the snow was light this year which equals light salt which equals light cancer on my rust.

All of what folks have mentioned works. Oil in the doors is key if your doors are rusting out on the inside. You can only try to prevent it, you can't actually prevent it.

Fishing Dude too · Feb 28, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

They make a paint that turns rust into somthing like fiberglass, it works well to keep rust from spreading too by sealing the metal.

dolluper · Feb 29, 2012

Re: Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

grind it down to shiny metal ...use a strip of fiberglass cloth with resin sooked and put on shiny metal...apply more resin ater a lite sand and dry....do it again build with more cloth if you have to ....then shape sand prime and paint....will last as long as the shiny metal lasts

Repair Auto Body Rust Holes

Lieutenant

Lieutenant

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Petty Officer 1st Class

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Seaman Apprentice

Seaman Apprentice

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Lieutenant Junior Grade

Captain