<$50 Rust Repair
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From: Gaylord, MI
<$50 Rust Repair
There are alot of questions on here on how to go about fixing rust. So i decided that when I fixed mine I would do my first write up on the repair.
Its pretty simple, I've never really been taught how to do it but I've done it on a few vehicles. Its very simple and requires only a few tools.
Heres what you'll need:
1. A Drill
2. Grinding/stripping pad
3. Bondo
4. Tape
5. Newspaper/Magazine/Paper Bag
6. Rust Preventing Primer
7. Color matched paint
8. Clear coat
First you have to assess what rust your going to fix, and repending on how bad it is you may or may not need the bondo. Here is the rust on my truck I was fixing, on the rear fender right above the tire on both sides.
Ugly!
First thing is to grind/strip all that loose paint and rust off of there. Do this with the drill and pad, carefull not to nick any spots that don't need repair.
Here is a close up of the pitting that happened in one of the spots. Its really not to bad but will still show through the paint if its not bondo'd.
Now after I striped the passenger side I went to the drivers side and started. As soon as I started to strip it I could tell it was much deeper then the other side. Take a screw driver I gave it a small push and found out exactly what I hoped hadn't happened yet.
The rust had worked its way all the way through the metal unfortunatlly, and so I had a gaping hole in the bed of my truck [:@]
And so with this comes time for the Bondo. Easy to use, comes with a tube of hardener, just follow the directions on the bucket. For a small hole like this I didn't use anything as a backer like metal mesh, I just pressed the bondo into the hole making sure it was deep enough in there. Doesn't have to be really pretty at this point, just need to get it on there so it can harden.
After its applied and dries (about 15 mins) comes the process and sanding, reapplying, sanding, ect until you feel its perfect. After a while it will look like this. You will need to finish the sanding with 400 grit paper, you shouldn't be able to feel a lip or ANY differnece when sliding your finger of the bondo and where the paint reaches the bare metal.
After its all striped and flat it is time to tape it off. You don't want over spray coating the rest of your truck. When taping something off like this you will get a line when you peel off the paint, this will be addressed later.
After its all taped off lightly sand the glossy paint with 350-400 grit paper so the primer can stick to it. Clean the area with a damp non-lint cloth so its cleaned up. After this you can apply the primer, following the directions on the can. I recomend 3-4 coats.
After several coats of primer it is time to apply the actual paint. MAKE SURE THE PRIMER IS FULLY DRIED. I would wait at LEAST 1 hour after the last coat of primer was applied. Gently spray the paint, again 3-4 coats, following the directions on the can.
After a few coats and it dries completely ( at LEAST 1 hour) you can apply the clear coat, 2 coats is usually recomended.
After the clear coat dries you can peel the tape and paper off. When peeling the tape off make sure to pull AWAY from the painted area so it doesn't peel some of the good paint off the truck.
You will notice there is a rather noticable line and lip where the tape was peeled off. The way I fixed this was to take some 400 grit sandpaper (The paint MUST BE FULLY DRY. I recomend letting it sit for 24 hours before doing this part) Lightly sand the lip with the sandpaper, this should be very lightly, do not go deep anough to take off the good paint, just enough so you can't see or feel the lip. Clean the area with another damp cloth. After this a got back out the paint and very carefully painted the lip that was just sanded. Do not get to close or you will get runs in the paint, to far and you will spray an area larger than what you want. Let it dry and do a coat of clear over it. Now you shouldn't be able to tell you did anything to the truck.
The common problems is that the new paint isn;t usually as glossy as the original paint, but unless somebody looks at it close you can;t tell, and besides, it looks way better then that rust bubble!!!
Its pretty simple, I've never really been taught how to do it but I've done it on a few vehicles. Its very simple and requires only a few tools.
Heres what you'll need:
1. A Drill
2. Grinding/stripping pad
3. Bondo
4. Tape
5. Newspaper/Magazine/Paper Bag
6. Rust Preventing Primer
7. Color matched paint
8. Clear coat
First you have to assess what rust your going to fix, and repending on how bad it is you may or may not need the bondo. Here is the rust on my truck I was fixing, on the rear fender right above the tire on both sides.
Ugly!
First thing is to grind/strip all that loose paint and rust off of there. Do this with the drill and pad, carefull not to nick any spots that don't need repair.
Here is a close up of the pitting that happened in one of the spots. Its really not to bad but will still show through the paint if its not bondo'd.
Now after I striped the passenger side I went to the drivers side and started. As soon as I started to strip it I could tell it was much deeper then the other side. Take a screw driver I gave it a small push and found out exactly what I hoped hadn't happened yet.
The rust had worked its way all the way through the metal unfortunatlly, and so I had a gaping hole in the bed of my truck [:@]
And so with this comes time for the Bondo. Easy to use, comes with a tube of hardener, just follow the directions on the bucket. For a small hole like this I didn't use anything as a backer like metal mesh, I just pressed the bondo into the hole making sure it was deep enough in there. Doesn't have to be really pretty at this point, just need to get it on there so it can harden.
After its applied and dries (about 15 mins) comes the process and sanding, reapplying, sanding, ect until you feel its perfect. After a while it will look like this. You will need to finish the sanding with 400 grit paper, you shouldn't be able to feel a lip or ANY differnece when sliding your finger of the bondo and where the paint reaches the bare metal.
After its all striped and flat it is time to tape it off. You don't want over spray coating the rest of your truck. When taping something off like this you will get a line when you peel off the paint, this will be addressed later.
After its all taped off lightly sand the glossy paint with 350-400 grit paper so the primer can stick to it. Clean the area with a damp non-lint cloth so its cleaned up. After this you can apply the primer, following the directions on the can. I recomend 3-4 coats.
After several coats of primer it is time to apply the actual paint. MAKE SURE THE PRIMER IS FULLY DRIED. I would wait at LEAST 1 hour after the last coat of primer was applied. Gently spray the paint, again 3-4 coats, following the directions on the can.
After a few coats and it dries completely ( at LEAST 1 hour) you can apply the clear coat, 2 coats is usually recomended.
After the clear coat dries you can peel the tape and paper off. When peeling the tape off make sure to pull AWAY from the painted area so it doesn't peel some of the good paint off the truck.
You will notice there is a rather noticable line and lip where the tape was peeled off. The way I fixed this was to take some 400 grit sandpaper (The paint MUST BE FULLY DRY. I recomend letting it sit for 24 hours before doing this part) Lightly sand the lip with the sandpaper, this should be very lightly, do not go deep anough to take off the good paint, just enough so you can't see or feel the lip. Clean the area with another damp cloth. After this a got back out the paint and very carefully painted the lip that was just sanded. Do not get to close or you will get runs in the paint, to far and you will spray an area larger than what you want. Let it dry and do a coat of clear over it. Now you shouldn't be able to tell you did anything to the truck.
The common problems is that the new paint isn;t usually as glossy as the original paint, but unless somebody looks at it close you can;t tell, and besides, it looks way better then that rust bubble!!!
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,811
Likes: 3
From: Bett-neee
RE: <$50 Rust Repair
i like it.. nice job.. cheep.. fast .. the only thing i would change/recomend is welding in a backing plate to fix that hole ... but i understand some dont have easy access to a welder..
Professional
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RE: <$50 Rust Repair
if u guys havent heard of it there is a product culled rust bullet too that u can use as the primer....i have used it for a primer on my truck on an open spot and it has been there for two years and no rust yet....with regular primer it would have rusted by now so its a pretty good product if anyone wants two give it a try!!!!!
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Gaylord, MI
RE: <$50 Rust Repair
ORIGINAL: shott8283
i like it.. nice job.. cheep.. fast .. the only thing i would change/recomend is welding in a backing plate to fix that hole ... but i understand some dont have easy access to a welder..
i like it.. nice job.. cheep.. fast .. the only thing i would change/recomend is welding in a backing plate to fix that hole ... but i understand some dont have easy access to a welder..
I was just lazy, didn't have any sheet laying around that was less then 1/4" think lolI'll get more pics of the final product later today.
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RE: <$50 Rust Repair
as far as the new paint spot not being as glossy as the rest. I usually wetsand and then use rubbing compound and polish until it's a flawless match. it can be done, just takes time
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RE: <$50 Rust Repair
That's really cool. The '99 Ram I just bought has a little rust on it that I'm going to get fixed at some time. My grandpa used to do body work so I'm hoping that he's going to be able to possibly do it for me. But that doesn't look too hard and I bet it probably looks pretty good.