ideas on how to fix rust?

[86silverado]

Any ideas on how to fix the rust above doors on cab, like under drip rail?  can it just be welded and ground down?

[86silverado]

you can see rust in the pic on the pillar,  that is what im talking about

[bake74]

     If it is surface rust you can remove the rust and prime and paint.  If it has eaten the metal, you need to remove the affected metal and replace with a donor, if you just go and paint over it, it will eventually eat through.  That area is not easy to fix, but it is doable.

[86silverado]

yeah it has started to pit and is bubblin in places. Will i just need to cut that out and use real small pieces of filler metal?

[bake74]

     If you know how to weld, the best way is to cut the strip out and replace it, or the whole door dip rail if you can find one that is not rusted.

[thirsty]

Get a small handheld blaster and see how bad it is. Might not be as bad as you think.

[86silverado]

would it need replaced if its pitted? I guess it would be better to do it that way and not have to worry about it in future

[Bitzer!]

Rather than blasting, use a wire wheel on a drill and skim off the paint. If it's rusty but complete I'm sure you can get some rust killer that preserves the metal. Use that then skim prime and paint.

[jaredts]

Mine was similar, with no holes but some areas of ugly pitting.  I used an angle grinder with a 4" wire cup wheel and a gel type rust converter.  I alternated between the two and laid on it hard for a few hours per side.  That includes 20 minutes or more for the converter to work.  It's not the best way but its a way.  Seam sealer, prime, paint.

[HAULIN IT]

I agree with Thirsty, it most likely isn't as bad as it looks. I've seen/fixed many that looked similar to what is in your picture. Use a scraper & clean off the seam sealer, then use a sandblaster to clean it real good (cover your door opening, even with a hand-held unit...the dust goes everywhere!). On some, the top layer is just "nibbled" a bit on the edge...I've cut that 1/8" or so off with a wizz wheel & re-seamsealed. If the bottom layer has holes in it, it depends on how large of an area is effected, what tools & equipment you have. In a spot like that, a swipe of fiberglass filler in a few pinholes is really not the worse thing you could ever do. My Two Cents, Lorne