Help I need some rust advice

[cnpellegrino]

Hey guys, I need some help. I'm kinda clueless on body work and I need to nip this in the butt before it gets any worse. I found a rust spot on the bottom edge of my passenger side rear fender. Its kind of in a complicated awkward spot, but luckily the fender flare attached to the door covers it so you really can't see it. Below are some pictures of what I'm talking about. I'm hesitant to take it to a bodyshop because I feel like they are going to take one look at it and not understand what this truck means to me. I want it fixed right and my previous bodyshop experiences have left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Mark_BC]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/232296-snow-sand-mark_bcs-build-thread-2.html#post3008588

 

[T4R2014]

Where in NJ? One of my trucks has exactly that. The metal is too far gone to fix with bondo. It needs welding. Labor is not cheap in NJ, and a body shop that gives you a "reasonable" quote will do a a job that will be even shittier than the damage. An honest shop will tell you straight up that they don't want to touch it at a price you'd like. I'd estimate this repair to be at least 1000 to get a result I'd be happy with. That means cutting out old metal, welding in new metal, then priming and painting appropriately. This is not cheap work.

What I did was simple: Spray the hell out of it with Fluid Film. Like you said, it's hidden by the flares. I don't recommend learning body work on a car you value the appearance of.

 

[cnpellegrino]

I'm in North Jersey, Hudson county specifically. I was planning on fluid filming the whole truck in the next few weeks and now we are getting snow on Thursday which is killing me. I specifically bought this truck because the frame was so nice for a Northeast truck, see below. I think my plan of attack is going to be to wire wheel the hell out of that area, until there is no compromised metal left. I have some bondo with fiberglass lying around. If there's anything too bad I might use that. Other wise I'm just gonna wire wheel and seal it for now with primer. I'll fluid film the crap out it like you said. I feel like if I made a straight line towards the driver side of the truck right at the top of that piece of rocker trim is and painted it with some fender liner paint it wouldn't look too doofy. I wish there was a product I could seal off the whole area and prevent the rust from getting worse after I knocked off the big flakes. Driver side looks perfect and there is definitely some sort seam sealer installed there from factory.

 

[cnpellegrino]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/232296-snow-sand-mark_bcs-build-thread-2.html#post3008588

My truck isn't as rusty as yours but I think that area is a little worse on mine. I'm definitely gonna try and do what you did with that seam filler. I know it's only been a couple months but how's your repair holding up?

 

[JohnOfTheJungle]

I'm in North Jersey, Hudson county specifically. I was planning on fluid filming the whole truck in the next few weeks and now we are getting snow on Thursday which is killing me. I specifically bought this truck because the frame was so nice for a Northeast truck, see below. I think my plan of attack is going to be to wire wheel the hell out of that area, until there is no compromised metal left. I have some bondo with fiberglass lying around. If there's anything too bad I might use that. Other wise I'm just gonna wire wheel and seal it for now with primer. I'll fluid film the crap out it like you said. I feel like if I made a straight line towards the driver side of the truck right at the top of that piece of rocker trim is and painted it with some fender liner paint it wouldn't look too doofy. I wish there was a product I could seal off the whole area and prevent the rust from getting worse after I knocked off the big flakes. Driver side looks perfect and there is definitely some sort seam sealer installed there from factory.

I would think bondo + fiberglass would just trap more moisture. I’d wire wheel it, spray some phosphoric acid based rust converter, then self etching primer, then rustoleum and fluid film after


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[Mark_BC]

My truck isn't as rusty as yours but I think that area is a little worse on mine. I'm definitely gonna try and do what you did with that seam filler. I know it's only been a couple months but how's your repair holding up?

Holding up well but I haven't driven it much and I'm going to do everything I can to avoid driving in the salt.

There are two sheets of metal coming together there for that little lip. The whole lip edge of the fender is two sheets stamped together and spot welded. The issue is water can get between them and keep rusting it from the inside so you need to make sure it isn't getting in from behind.