2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Door Rust!

[HookMeUp]

My passenger side door along the bottom is starting to rust. Is there anything I can put on it to neutralize the rust until I get time to repair it?

 

[abranz]

Rust bullet on the rust. Take the door panel off, wash out the cavity with water, let dry, and then spray Fluid Film all over the inside of the door. Won't rust again. Idaho is using 100% salt for about 5 months during winter and I have no rust on my 12 yr old truck. I apply the fluid flim to the underside of the truck every fall. Hope this helps, Tony

 

[gahorn]

Door Rust on bottom of both doors

Hope this question isn't out of line, but I also have questions regarding the same problem. I have rust areas on both doors approximately 8-10" long which just appeared this winter. How are members properly making this repair? New door skins? New bottom portions of door skin only? What's the best fix? Would just like to get some feedback so when I go to the body shop I'll have an idea whether they are on the right track to correctly making the repair.



Thanks everyone



Gary

 

[abranz]

A new skin will not last very long if exposed to salt/deicer unless treated with a very good rust preventative agent like por 15 or rust bullet and then coated with something like fluid film. Nearly every european car with a good rust warranty has this oil/wax coating on the inside of panels.

Tony

 

[DSeamans]

A new skin will not last very long if exposed to salt/deicer unless treated with a very good rust preventative agent like por 15 or rust bullet and then coated with something like fluid film. Nearly every european car with a good rust warranty has this oil/wax coating on the inside of panels.

Tony

Very true! Any time two pieces of metal are touching, they hold moisture and rust very fast. Whether they do whole skins or lowers, the two most inportant parts are making sure the seams and rolled edges are COMPLETELY sealed so there is no bare metal to metal contact and then using a high quality coating like fluid film. I haven't used that brand yet, but I liked what I saw on their website and will probably try it when I redo my truck this spring. I think it is similar to the cosmoline they used to store guns with. They would stay boxed for 50+years and never rust. The goal is to seal out all air/moisture from the metal.

 

[Eric Lee]

My poor truck is rusting at the doors too - I ordered Fluid Film from this outfit



Fluid Film Rust Preventive & Industrial Workwear



5 gal for $155 shipped and also ordered the Rust Bullet Automotive product off Amazon - I wish I had taken the advice earlier - I have flaking paint on the outside of the doors now and will probably have to do a little body work. I am going to coat the undercarriage with the Fluid Film to make future work easier. Stuff sounds like a good maintenance coating for my trailers too.



-Eric

 

[abranz]

Eric, you will be impressed and pleased. Anywhere I can get fluid film on has no rust and we have long 5 month winters with massive amounts of salt on the road. My wheels don't even have rust/corrosion on my 96. The inside of the rear bumper/brake & fuel lines, brake drums, etc look like new. I just bought my winter supply of two gallons and spend a few hours every fall applying it to my vehicles and plow which will be driven in winter. If you put it on your wheels, resist the temptation to wash it off mid winter as your wheels will look black. Come spring wash them and they will look great again.

Tony

 

[wcoomes]

I've got the same problem on both doors. Do you paint over the Rust Bullet with automotive paint to match your truck's color or is there a Rust Bullet color to match your truck? I only found it in metallic gray and I don't want that on my black truck.

 

[Eric Lee]

I'm gonna guess Rust Bullet does it's job inside the rust and drys to very thin film if any thickness at all. Any missing material will have to be replaced (filled or cut out) and painted body color. If this product does what it's suppose to do - a 'fill' type repair should stand a chance. I think I can muscle through a little body work - but a full quart of automotive paint isn't cheap. I've got a good paint gun and with some professional guidence I could do it. She's almost 8 w/ 100K and really everything else on the truck looks like it could make 300K easy.



I stopped by the dealer on the off chance they would cover it - and as I was standing there in the shop asking why these trucks rust like this I noticed there was a 2000? Dodge Cummins right behind me with clean solid doors - and a Michigan plate. I felt a little stupid and left. Just some do it I guess.



-Eric

 

[abranz]

If your truck is black I would use por 15 since it's black and you'll never see it. I did that on my beetle. However, on my son's Dakota bumper we used rust bullet followed by primer and glossy ol rustoleum. I'm a bit of a fanatic with my cars so you can imagine the stress salt and everything bad it does to vehicles causes me. Of all the products (and there has been many) I've used spraying fluid film is superior bar none. However, if you've got rust treat it with a paint such as rust bullet or por 15 first, then coat with FF. You won't see rust again. If you do your truck, take out the rear lights and spray the cavity above the wheel arch. They commonly collect dirt and then salty water follwed by rust.

Tony

 

[abranz]

Heck, Morton salt Co even uses fluid film to protect their machinery. Most of the state dept's of transportation use it on their plow trucks. Most golf courses use it on carts due to the rust fertilizer causes. It's very widely used. Obviously I'm a fan and I'm just trying to share my experience with everyone on this forum as I've used info from here for 8 yrs and have never really felt I could contribute much. Well, corrosion will ruin our trucks 10 fold over anything else and I think I've finally got a hold on it.

Tony

 

[SGevers]

Ive been shooting 30 weight oil up through the drain holes every couple of months and leaving the doors open overnight in the garage. Local body man told me this trick