Has anyone seen rust like this before?

[raKnizek]

2000 SR5 no sunroof

I went to replace my front door seals and noticed this rust running along the driver side rocker panel on the INSIDE of the car. This is under the carpet and door sill plates. It was present in small spots along the entire rocker, front to back. None of it is beyond surface rust and it looks like it’s was around the spot welds and holes for the wiring harness. I can see a small amount of rust on the interior of the rocker (near front driver wheel) when looking inside. zero rust else where. This truck came from SC and isn’t driven in the winter.

The reason I was replacing the seals was due to cracking on the bottom of the driver side seal but I never noticed an leaks or wet carpet.

I am treating the rust but has anyone experienced this or have any ideas how it formed? I have no sunroof so it’s not the drains. I did spray the bottom w fluid film before last winter. Did I plug the pinch welds and cause moisture trapping?

Also worth noting, the passenger side is 100% clean.

 

[raKnizek]

Some more pics

Where I initially found the issue

Grinding away the rust

Rust converter after grinding for good measure (will paint later)

Passenger side for ref (just slightly sandy)

 

[Horsethief]

Honestly, I would think moisture could get in there just from opening the door in the rain. Or, being from the south, all the ridiculous humidity they have down there surely exposes everything to moisture, especially on an 18 year old vehicle.

Even in New England, I have interior screws and whatnot inside my '00 Firebird that are rusted.

 

[T4R2014]

Yup, normal. Probably abrasion by the carpet. who really knows. It's nothing horrible and it doesn't grow very fast in that area. Still good to touch up.

As any vehicle tends to get older, you tend to find common areas of corrosion. I think there was some talks about a corrosion thread. I wouldn't mind contributing to that since I've found a fair bit of common corrosion issues on the bodies of these from seeing so many.

 

[Mark_BC]

Mine has the same, I'm dealing with it. I think I have photos in my build thread.

Edit: I guess I didn't post them in there yet.

 

[Scramble]

Rust is weird & can show up anywhere. You dont have to live in the salt belt to get rust. Any place that traps dirt & moisture will rust.

 

[I_bRAD]

[Crocodile Dundee] That's not rust [/Crocodile Dundee]

 

[raKnizek]

[Crocodile Dundee] That's not rust [/Crocodile Dundee]

I agree it seems pretty insignificant. However I am all too familiar with rust since I grew up in NY and am now in MI. I had a Saturn that had plastic trim over the rockers and I removed that one day after i noticed the jack felt a little squishy...the rockers were quite literally gone from the vehicle.

Ever since then I am on constant corrosion patrol on this thing. My Buick takes the salt abuse.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

 

[I_bRAD]

I agree it seems pretty insignificant. However I am all too familiar with rust since I grew up in NY and am now in MI. I had a Saturn that had plastic trim over the rockers and I removed that one day after i noticed the jack felt a little squishy...the rockers were quite literally gone from the vehicle.

Ever since then I am on constant corrosion patrol on this thing. My Buick takes the salt abuse.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

I'm just jealous.

 

[Atomic6]

I had the same thing and took care of it in a similar fashion on top of the rockers.

I agree it seems pretty insignificant. However I am all too familiar with rust since I grew up in NY and am now in MI. I had a Saturn that had plastic trim over the rockers and I removed that one day after i noticed the jack felt a little squishy...the rockers were quite literally gone from the vehicle.

Now the actual rockers and rear fenders were a different story. Mine were so roached I cut the whole rockers out and replaced them with some rectangular steel. The fenders had the plastic SR5 flares (similar idea as your old Saturn) that were hiding/propagating some rust that I had to cut out as well.





Good job taking care of that as soon as you saw it. Gotta get in front of the issue before it gets out of hand. As you said, it was pretty insignificant, but I bet you sleep better knowing you fixed it properly.

 

[xcmtb83]

I had the same thing and took care of it in a similar fashion on top of the rockers.



Now the actual rockers and rear fenders were a different story. Mine were so roached I cut the whole rockers out and replaced them with some rectangular steel. The fenders had the plastic SR5 flares (similar idea as your old Saturn) that were hiding/propagating some rust that I had to cut out as well.





Good job taking care of that as soon as you saw it. Gotta get in front of the issue before it gets out of hand. As you said, it was pretty insignificant, but I bet you sleep better knowing you fixed it properly.

Any "after" pics?

 

[raKnizek]

I had the same thing and took care of it in a similar fashion on top of the rockers.

Now the actual rockers and rear fenders were a different story. Mine were so roached I cut the whole rockers out and replaced them with some rectangular steel. The fenders had the plastic SR5 flares (similar idea as your old Saturn) that were hiding/propagating some rust that I had to cut out as well.

Good job taking care of that as soon as you saw it. Gotta get in front of the issue before it gets out of hand. As you said, it was pretty insignificant, but I bet you sleep better knowing you fixed it properly.

Thanks! You got that right, I feel better about it. Way to put in the work to solve the issue on your vehicle.

 

[dogtail]

2000 SR5 no sunroof

I went to replace my front door seals and noticed this rust running along the driver side rocker panel on the INSIDE of the car. This is under the carpet and door sill plates. It was present in small spots along the entire rocker, front to back. None of it is beyond surface rust and it looks like it’s was around the spot welds and holes for the wiring harness. I can see a small amount of rust on the interior of the rocker (near front driver wheel) when looking inside. zero rust else where. This truck came from SC and isn’t driven in the winter.

The reason I was replacing the seals was due to cracking on the bottom of the driver side seal but I never noticed an leaks or wet carpet.

I am treating the rust but has anyone experienced this or have any ideas how it formed? I have no sunroof so it’s not the drains. I did spray the bottom w fluid film before last winter. Did I plug the pinch welds and cause moisture trapping?

Also worth noting, the passenger side is 100% clean.

Looks like surface from maybe an occasional wet carpet, leaving window open by mistake or something, not a big deal just treat it, but.....Make sure rocker drain holes are clear of debris, I took a small screw driver and made them a little bigger. I do a yearly spray of WD40 inside of the rocker drain holes spraying the entire inside to prevent rot from inside, moisture can definitely build up in there and do a creeping rust death march.

 

[kolelt]

Yes. Have dealt with it to.

People must not forget. YOUR 2 FRONT SUNROOF DRAINS. DRAIN INTO YOUR ROCKER PANELS!! If your pinch holes are clogged. Water will build up inside rocker panels!!

Also it can be from wet carpet occasionally!! Try and scrape as much rust between the two metals as possible. I did and used por 15!!

 

[kolelt]

I have also put thin amount of fluid film along that area. !!!

 

[Scramble]

I had the same thing and took care of it in a similar fashion on top of the rockers.



Now the actual rockers and rear fenders were a different story. Mine were so roached I cut the whole rockers out and replaced them with some rectangular steel. The fenders had the plastic SR5 flares (similar idea as your old Saturn) that were hiding/propagating some rust that I had to cut out as well.





Good job taking care of that as soon as you saw it. Gotta get in front of the issue before it gets out of hand. As you said, it was pretty insignificant, but I bet you sleep better knowing you fixed it properly.

I've never seen rust like that from Colorado, did it come from another state? I've read that some parts of CO salt the roads. Also I though that fender flares were plastic? That rusted one must be metal?

 

[cstmg8]

I had the same thing and took care of it in a similar fashion on top of the rockers.



Now the actual rockers and rear fenders were a different story. Mine were so roached I cut the whole rockers out and replaced them with some rectangular steel. The fenders had the plastic SR5 flares (similar idea as your old Saturn) that were hiding/propagating some rust that I had to cut out as well.





Good job taking care of that as soon as you saw it. Gotta get in front of the issue before it gets out of hand. As you said, it was pretty insignificant, but I bet you sleep better knowing you fixed it properly.

Any pics of the tube steel repair?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Atomic6]

Thanks! You got that right, I feel better about it. Way to put in the work to solve the issue on your vehicle.

Thanks! It was a lot of work, but this truck is worth saving to me

I've never seen rust like that from Colorado, did it come from another state? I've read that some parts of CO salt the roads. Also I though that fender flares were plastic? That rusted one must be metal?

It's a Chicago car. I moved to CO 1.5 years ago. The flares are plastic... the rust is/was on the steel body (under the flares).

Any "after" pics?

Any pics of the tube steel repair?

Check out my build thread (post 43, 58, and 67 for the rust repairs). I don't want to clutter up the OP's thread more than I already have! Link is in my signature.