Rusty Tailgate

[willn513]

Ok so we all know our wonderful 360 platform vehicles are susceptible to rust in certain trouble spots. Mine is rusting at the bottom of all four doors, but what is really looking bad are the bottom two corners of the lift gate.

My question is what are my options here? I have never really used bondo or any other body filler, but I would like to try to do SOMETHING to remedy this without dumping boatloads of $$$ into the fix. Any good/reasonably priced DIY solutions I could try??
Here are the pics for a better idea of what I am dealing with.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[meerschm]

I do not think anything is easy, quick, or cheap.

basic repair is to sand away the rust, kill the rust, fill the hole, prime, paint and pray.

you have to get to the other side for a long term repair, since that is where the corrosion is happening. need to stop water from getting to the back side.

How To Repair Rust Holes

above should give you an idea. you might not need the fiberglass, but I would not be surprised if you ended up with a few holes after sanding down the rust.

lots of sanding involved which means lots of sanding dust. also will be a challenge to get the surface to look right after the fix.

you also might want to go to amazon, search for auto rust repair, and read the reviews for various products.

 

[hockeyman]

As mentioned, sanding and a thin layer of body filler is the way to go.

If you want to stay on the cheap, you can buy a can of stock colored spraypaint and a clearcoat from somewhere like automotivetouchup.com Be sure to first apply primer after the sanding is complete though!

You can lightly sand the primer after it's dry, but do not sand the basecoat once it's sprayed down.. If you absolutely must, then you'll need to apply another layer of basecoat over top, or the sanding marks will show through the clearcoat once you're finished.

Start the procedure by sanding with either 180 or 220 grit sandpaper. After the rust is sanded out, apply a light layer of primer, then start applying the filler. Once the filler is dry, use the sandpaper in these steps; Start with 180 grit to get most of the filler sanded down, then move to 200, then to 320, then 400, and finish with 500. As the last step before painting, use the 500 grit with water to smooth the finish (aka: wesanding).

You may need to re-apply filler again to bring up any low spots. Then repeat the procedure above.

Let dry, then wipe clean with a clean towel soaked in something like this: Eastwood Pre Painting Prep ...or another type of solvent that quickly evaporates.

Begin the painting process, starting with primer.

[disclaimer]
I am no professional. I just do bodywork and custom painting as a hobby, and to keep evil thoughts out of my head. Everyone has their own methods too. Not saying mine is 100% right, but not saying it's wrong either... Form your own opinions during the process.
Good luck, stay calm, and keep beer close by...because it helps

 

[northcreek]

You are in luck because your truck happens to be the color of duct tape......
Seriously it's going to cost some $$ or look like you did it on the cheap.On a vehicle that's getting up there in age why not ride it out,who knows what's next,you could put a fortune in the body only to have a major mechanical problem,personally I would live with it..just sayin'..Mike.

 

[willn513]

Thanks hockey man. This maybe a good winter time garage project for me to attempt. Just need the time and motivation...

personally I would live with it..just sayin'

That's what I'm going to do and have been doing.

Here's hoping some wealthy old woman rear-ends me at a stoplight.

 

[northcreek]

Here's hoping some wealthy old woman rear-ends me at a stoplight.

That's better than the other way around