No turning back now

[SUX2BU99]

Well, it's been bugging me for a while, so this weekend I got out the wire brush and screwdriver and tackled a rust spot on my passenger cab corner. My plan is to cut out the bad metal and epoxy in a patch panel, and POR15 all in behind all the areas I can possibley reach. Here is what it was before surgery started, but after me peeling off a rather large chunk of bubbling material:


And after attacking it with a wire wheel on my drill, and cleaning out what I could with a flat screwdriver:



So you can see where I marked off to cut out. I'm not liking how close I will be to the bottom edge where the pinch seam is and the front edge where it meets the rocker. The joint between the rocker and the cab corner below the corner of the door was actually filled with a silicone-type material. Not sure if that's factory style or not but the rocker seems to be okay thankfully. There is a hole thru the inner rocker as well, but once I have the outer rocker cut away, I can get in there and clean up the inner as well and get some POR15 in there. What I don't get is the third panel which is visible from underneath where the 'drain hole' (if you can call it that; water obviously doesn't drain there and collects rigth where my rust is  ) is. Like what a way to make it rust, have 3 layers of metal right there.


Anyway, if there are any tips, tricks or suggestions anybody has, I'd most appreciate them. This is my first foray into metal replacement. I won't be welding since I have no welder, don't have access to one, nor know how to weld or can afford to pay a body shop $500+ to repair it. I also don't want the rust to come back hence my desire to POR15 the entire area.

[baddogg79]

that hole you mention, I think there is supposed to be a plastic plug there. There is also one on the rocker, behind the fender. As for tips, I dont have any since I never used epoxy, I only weld.  But I heard really good stuff about it. Im sure someone who knows will chime in.

[SUX2BU99]

No other comments?  I am picking up a new cab corner tomorrow so then I'll know better what needs to be removed from it and how I can get it all epoxied in there.

I saw a product from SEM called Rust Mort. It's a rust converter product that is brushed on, and needs rust to work. It won't work or cure right on clean metal. Anybody used something like this? I was planning on using POR15 on all the inside, hidden metal but saw this. POR15 wouldn't need to be top coated (since it won't be exposed), but this product does.

[VileZambonie]

Well personally I've always welded my panels never used the epoxy stuff. My old body shop guy used rust mort all the time but I still preferred por-15 it's just a B to clean up. Don't get it on your skin lol.

Make sure you fit the cab corners and rockers nicely with the door before you begin to weld and then check to see that it lines up with the bed.

[SUX2BU99]

Thanks Vile. I have a little 4 oz. can of POR15 that I've been waiting to try so I'll use that I think. I'm going to coat as much of the innards as I can. And the backside of the replacement patch too. One thing about welding, if you can't access the back of the patch piece, won't the weld now be exposed and not have a topcoating on it?

I plan to cut out the rusted piece and use it as a template for the patch. Then using strips epoxied in from behind against the rest of the cab corner, the patch will be epoxied to the stripes, leaving hopefully a very small gap. Like 1/16".  I was thinking of using Metal 2 Metal by Evercoat, which is a metallized body filler to fill the gaps. Sand to 100 grit (80?). Then use Rage Gold as a final filler and smoother.  Sand to 400 grit (220?). Then prime with rust primer, and then top coat. What do you think? The doors and rocker won't be moving.

[Blazin]

The back end of the rocker actually extends behind the outer cab corner about and 1" or so. From the picture it looks like that section is gone as well. You don't need it. The factory joint is filled with seam sealer. If you use body filler in there it will crack. The new cab corner will need to be trimmed in that joint to sit flush with the rocker. The epoxy works good as long as its clean metal not rusty or painted. As for the pinch weld you could grind the top layer of metal and the welds off to expose the inner cab corner metal. Then epoxy the new panel to it. Grind the new, & old panels were ever you want the epoxy to stick to it to achieve a mechanical bond. The hole you talk about in the picture is supposed to have a plastic plug in it. If you can get a hold of a small sand blaster you could clean it up even better. A gravity feed will run off a small contractors compressor OK for what you are trying to do. Might have to stop several times and let the air build back up. I ditto the don't get POR15 on your skin or if you do clean it off right away with some thinner. It will stay there for months. Also when you close the can if you have any left over make sure the top is clean as brand new and place some plastic over it first, then the lid. It will glue the lid on and you will destroy the can getting it back off.

[SUX2BU99]

Great info, thanks guys. On my new cab corner, the front leading edge is rolled over all the way down the cab corner. It's not nice and flat though. It's bumpy from where they tried to stamp the metal into a curved shape. I don't plan on keeping that rolled over edge anyway except maybe between the top and bottom of the rocker, cuz all the metal that might have been there (if the factory one has a rolled edge or whatever was in there before) is now gone. This will help when filling the gap I'd think.

I was pondering that, about how well the epoxy will stick if I POR15 all the metal and then try to stick it all together. I'd really rather not have any non-coated metal in that area. I know the repalcement cab corner comes painted with a black 'rustproof' coating, but I don't trust it. I'd really rather not have this area rust again. And that ticks me that hole should have had a plug in it! Grrrrr Anyway, I wasn't planning on removing the pinch weld, but I guess I could since the patch panel comes with one formed into it. Would that make it easier? I'm worried about removing anything around a corner for some reason. I'd rather just replace anything I can that's on the front face.

When you guys repair a cab corner like this, and weld or epoxy, but have exposed metal in there, what do you do to rust-proof the area?

[VileZambonie]

that coating on your tin is not rust proof. It's there to prevent surface but is not designed to be exposed to the elements. It needs to be painted.

As far as sealing up the por-15 - put it in the fridge to store it if you have left overs. I'm serious.

[Blazin]

I spray rubberized undercaot down inside from inside behind the seat.

[SUX2BU99]

^ Good suggestion. I have now cut out the bad metal. Wasn't too hard and went well for my first time using a cutoff wheel. I now can see well what's happening inside. Some surface rust is around and a hole has started beside the factory hole.  So I'll wire wheel and sand off everything I can reasonably access. POR15 the surfaces that won't be getting epoxy on them, and then cut and epoxy in some strips that I can set my patch panel against. Hopefully it will go smoothly and my patch piece will come out sitting flush.  The rust hole I'll patch up as well from inside the cab corner.

I was thinking of some metalized body filler to use for rough filling where the metal meets. There will be a small gap there so filler will be required.

[Blazin]

I use short strand fiberglass filler then body filler to fill my welds.

[SUX2BU99]

I'm going to pick up some short-strand Kitty Hair and seam sealer today and make some progress this weekend. Here is what I got done last weekend:

Cut out the bad metal. You can see a hole to the right of the factory hole. Looks like a thin, vertical black spot right next to what seems to be a lap joint. This hole got bigger after I hammered on the lap joint a little to get the patch piece to fit better.


The bad and it's replacement after being cut out from the donor cab corner:


Backside along with the little can of POR15 I've had for over a year:


The donor cab corner with the patch cut out of it. I found it better to start the cut line with the pneumatic cut-off wheel and then finish the cutting with my jigsaw and a metal blade. Thinner cut, no sparks and my compressor didn't get mad at me:


Front side of patch pieces ground with a 50 grit disc on my drill. The backsides were coated with POR15. The thin, vertical and top small pieces I epoxied to the backside of the cab metal to act as supports for the patch piece:


After applying POR15 to the inside of the corner area. You can see that rust hole. It got bigger after I applied the POR15 and had to hammer down the lap joint. I will POR15 that area again. I will then fill in this hole from the back with Kitty Hair and I might fill the whole cab corner when done with expanding foam:


No pic of the support pieces in place yet but I'll upload them soon. So this weekend I will epoxy the patch piece in place (the POR15 will still be on the backside of the patch, but I will scuff it up so the epoxy can stick), then use Kitty Hair to fill the gap, sand down, primer, use Rage Gold to smooth out, sand, primer again and then paint. And use seam sealer for the gap between the rocker and cab corner. I had one small patch of a support piece not get epoxy or POR15 on it, and it was ground to bare metal. I'm going ot have to try and spray a little Rust Check oil on it so it doesn't rust, as I cannot access it with a brush.

Any comments are always welcome. This is my first foray into bodywork.

[Blazin]

Not a real good idea to put body filler over primer. Go directly over the short strand glass. block sand at 45 with 36, 80,& 120 grit then prime. Keep in mind spray bomb primer has no rust stop ability what so ever. You should get a spray bomb can of SEM or = of self etching primer. You can also buy activated urethane primer in spray bomb now. It has the activator in a glass ball inside. you slam the can to break it then shake well. Urethane primer builds better and is activated unlike lacquer primer. One coat of urethane prime is about thesame as 10 coats of lacquer primer.

[SUX2BU99]

Okay, good info to know. I primered the front side of the patch piece cuz I had some POR15 drips on it and grinded it. I'll grind the primer back off. I have a can of Rust Check rust-prevention primer. Figure it's all bogus eh? I also have a high-build spray bomb primer for other stuff. Coverage is way faster than a regular spray primer. I had to knock out a dent in my rear fender corner under the tailight and I used that on it where the paint flaked off. Still holding up well after about 2 years of doing that job. I'll consider getting a can of etching primer though as you suggest.

I just picked up a can of Everglas short-strand filler and a tube of Dominion Sure Seal seam sealer. When using the short-strand filler, do you wait until fully hardened to sand it or about how long do you suggest? Temps are going to be about 75-80F in the garage this weekend with about 85% humidity.

[Blazin]

I wait till its hard but I also use my air grinder to knock it down, Then 36 grit. Then hit it again if needed, or hit it with regular filler. Some guys cheese grate their filler when it stiff but not hard. The guy that taught me said doing that tends to pull it away from what you want it to stick to.