Rust repair opinion

[rbattelle]

I've always figured if I get major rust or damage on my factory bed I'll buy a service body, probably an aluminum one. Just a thought.

-Ryan

 

[Wayne M.]

Yes. Mines bubbling too! I see Rams all around me like this. #@$%!
I got hit a while back just over where the rust is happening. I'm looking at a whole bedside.
My question is, will the bed need to come off to do this properly? The front seam wraps around behind the cab.

 

[jgillott]

Yes, they are going to do mine with he bed off if I understand correctly. I also believe that they are going to only bring the bed in to the booth. No need to mask the rest of he truck.

 

[Hootguy]

you can also look into GLUING your patches in,,,works BETTER than welding and seals the seams at the same time,,,and no heating of the metal...is done around here for years,,and we have A LOT of salt in the winter,,,my friend glued new fender surounds 5 years ago,,and still looks new...can't tell you how many rocker panels have been glues on rams around here and goes way longer than the welded in jobs,,,BUT,,,you'll likely here all kinds of stories from old time body guys telling you how welding is the best and only way to go,,and how ONLY a qualified bodyman can fix your truck right,,of course saving their jobs and ripping you off royally in the process,,,glueing has made the average owner able to do body repairs we could not easily do before,,,bodywork isn't too hard to do,,but you have to take your time prepairing properly,,but it's not rocket science,,that's for sure,,,now REAL bodymen,,the ones who can create panels and restore vintage vehicles to like new,,THEY are artists in their world for sure,,,

 

[BIGNASTY]

Do yourself a favor and REPLACE THE PANEL patches are just THAT!!! its a patch and will likely lead to more and bigger problems later down the road.

 

[jgillott]

Do yourself a favor and REPLACE THE PANEL patches are just THAT!!! its a patch and will likely lead to more and bigger problems later down the road.

That's the plan. Going to replace the bedside and then have it resprayed at Ziebart. Just waiting on the claim paperwork to go through.

 

[leicafish]

I sure the shop would prefer replacing the panel, alignment is probably much easier. It will also eliminate future headaches.

The previous comment relative to glue/bonding a panel makes a lot of sense for patch, no heat not rust.

Enjoy your truck when it gets done when they replace the panel it will be better than new. Side note when I had mine replace on my 1997 it was because a lady fumbling with a CD rearended me (1 month after my last payment). They replaced my panel and aligned my frame. After the alignment my truck was actually better than new. The shop that did the advise that is a very common result, most frames needed to be aligned

 

[jgillott]

Quick update....I have the claim check in hand from Ziebart and the truck is scheduled to be at the body shop the week after Labor Day. I'm extremely pleased with the ease this process with Ziebart.

 

[jgillott]

Well, the truck goes to the body shop Wednesday of this week. I figured that I would post another pic of the area. Still not large, but the bubbles have probably spread to a good 3"-4" wide at this point. I'm going to be very pleased to have it fixed.

 

[SuperSteeler]

Which body shop is it going to? My fenders are 10X worse than that and I'd like them repaired but the low-budget place I've used before doesn't have the skill to do this correctly.

 

[inlinesix3million]

You should look into installing fender liners. My 04.5 had them since new and I have no rust around any wheel wells. 9 winters in Virginia, NW Pennsyltuckey,and 1 in Idaho.

 

[jgillott]

Which body shop is it going to? My fenders are 10X worse than that and I'd like them repaired but the low-budget place I've used before doesn't have the skill to do this correctly.

Hokes in Mt. Pleasant is doing mine.

 

[rscurtis]

You should look into installing fender liners. My 04.5 had them since new and I have no rust around any wheel wells. 9 winters in Virginia, NW Pennsyltuckey,and 1 in Idaho.

I've had them in my signature truck since new. Should have been standard equipment, IMO.

 

[jgillott]

Truck is back after complete bed side replacement. I'm very pleased with the results.

I have a few pictures from the body shop that I'll post after I get them scanned in.

 

[brods]

jgillott, looks great. Did you get any pictures of the repair process? Do you know what they did on the inside of the fender (if anything) to prevent it from just happening again?

 

[jgillott]

Yes I do have hard copies of pictures from the body shop. I need to get them scanned in so I can post them online. Maybe this weekend.

Anyway, when they cut the bedside off, we found that there was an approx 12"X6" area directly above the wheel where Ziebart missed when they applied the rust proofing. You'll be able to clearly see it once I get the pictures posted. They were very careful to get the area coated completely when they took it back for the respray.

 

[brods]

Thanks. Did they have to replace/patch any metal other than the bedside?

 

[jgillott]

No, everything else was perfect.

 

[MarkEkberg]

Not reading to the end of the posts. Find a used bed from southern state. it will be in the same cost area of fixing yours.

 

[sbjones0112]

do you have any pics with the bed sides off?