Small areas of rust are moderately easy to fix. You can fix most of these small spots in the comfort of your garage with a few basic tools. If you have rusted through holes, and very large severely damaged areas of rust then I suggest replacing the rusted area with new crash parts or seeking the help of a competent body shop.

The first step is to find the affected areas and prep them for rust treatment. You will need either paint thinner or rubbing alchohol (which is much more handy in most homes) and a wire brush or coarse grit sandpaper. Using the sandpaper or brush remove any loose particles or chipped paint. You are not trying to achieve a smooth surface, just a surface that is free of loose particles. After you are satisfied that all the particles have been loosened up and removed use a shop rag and some thinner/alcohol to wipe the affected areas down removing the fine surface contaminants as best you can.

Next, using a coarse grit sandpaper, grind down to a clean (rust free) paint sample at about 2 inches around the affected area and over also grind the area itself. The goal here is not to achieve a perfectly smooth surface but to achieve a decently smooth surface and make sure that there are no immediate areas around your repair that will be a problem after the job is done. Using your brush lightly brush away any dust particles left by the sandpaper. Tape off the area you are working on from the rest of the vehicle in order to avoid paint overspray (if you plan on painting when you are finished) and bondo from marring the rest of the vehicle.

Next, apply the bondo to the area with a plastic putty knife. You don’t need a large amount just enough to leave as smooth a surface as possible. The bondo fills all of the rusted pit marks and any scratches from your brush and sandpaper in. Let it dry according to the manufacturers directions. While you are waiting on it to dry, and if you plan on finishing the job with paint, take a sample of your paint or your code from your glovebox to a reputable automotive paint dealer or body shop, and have more than enough made to cover the affected areas. Also, don’t forget to buy a primer and a clear to go along with it!

Finally, using a medium/fine grit sand paper work the bondo down to a smooth even contoured surface. Give it a quick wipe down with a clean rag and thinner allow the thinner to evaporate and then wipe down with a tack rag. Apply the primer according to directions, and allow the proper time to dry. Now apply the color coat according to direction, achieving a clean uniform coat, and allow the proper dry time. Finish up the paint process by applying the clear coat according to direction, and allow the proper dry time. When your paint has dried completely, you can do a light wetsand, and a buff to achieve the nice smooth glossy surface you are looking for.

 

instead of using bondo you could do a quick spray of black spray pain on the primer. Follow with wet sanding with a 600 grit till you get all the black spray paint completely gone, then follow that with 1200 grit wet sand for a short while to smooth out any scraths. then you wipe down with achoal or thinnerthen paint to match.

 

thanks this helps

 

"buy a primer and a clear to go along with it!" any specific names you could recommend? And for applying the paint what would I need to buy.. any certain spray gun or brush? Frist time doing this. Also what is wetsanding and what would be best to use for buffing it afterwards. Thanks

 

How much faith would you put into "Rust Converters"? Do they really even work?

 

Some of these replies are old but I figured I'd take the step to answer some of your questions. First I'd like to add that paint thinner may not be the most effective way to remove paint or to clear up your area. You can buy wax and grease removal in a spray can that works wonders. Wax and grease removal will be more safe to use and is what we all use in the automotive industry. If you're sanding, get a compressor and a nozzle to spray off any extra dust first and then apply wax and grease removal before spraying.

TheSzokes,

As far as primer and clear coat goes, it's based on preference. You can get a * etch primer (bonds to the metal) and build primer in a spray can.* I went to auto collision school and I'm used to spraying it out of a gun. However, spraying it out of the can is the same concept. It will work just as good.

As far as spraying and what will you need will depend on your budget. If you're only going to be doing a minor rust repair then it would be crazy to go and buy a new gun, an air compressor (if you don't have one), and many other materials you would need. Your best bet; to stay within a small budget would be to stay away from buying a spray gun. You can go to an automotive shop and have them mix up your body color paint and put it inside a spray can. You can also get clear coat this way too (a lot are already on the shelf already). Just make sure what you choose will bond with the others. Don't buy crappy primer as the primer is also helping a ton to seal and protect the bare metal from water, air, etc. that causes rust.

Wet sanding is basically how it sounds. Basically you put the sand paper in water (make sure it's used for wet sanding, it's usually black or gray) and you apply to the body. Wet sanding is used over primer, paint, and c/c to create a smooth surface. You gradually go up in grit to create a more smoother surface. The reason you're still sanding is because between each coat the sanding is what helps the next stage coat bond to the undercoats. Buffing is used as the final step to smooth out those very defined sand/scratch marks. The best way would be to buy a buffer/polisher with an extra cut compound and final stage polish. I use 3M, and I'm going to tell you that the stuff isn't cheap. It will last forever but if you go this route, expect to pay at least $100 just for the buffing compound. The next best thing is to get hand glaze. 3M also makes this product and it will work wonders. It's an odd color but it works and yes I use the product. This is best used for door jams and places where a normal sizes buffer will not be able to "fit." Tight areas and things are where the hand glaze can do it's work. Before you do anything remember to apply wax and grease removal. Then just take a clean paper towel and apply some hand glaze and rotate clockwise or counter clockwise.



hubbmatt,

When it comes to Rust Converters I have no experience in it. I personally would rather get it down to bare metal and make sure that the metal is rust free than to shoot for hopes and dreams. I even know people that use other materials (will get back to you, can't remember the name off the top of my head) on bare metal to scrub into the metal to get extra hard to get rust particles out of the metal. I've used them personally and they work great as well. In my opinion, taking the extra time the first time around is going to save you a lot of frustration later on. Would you rather spend 30 more minutes taking the extra steps, or would you like to re-mask, and then take the proper steps the second time around? Everyone has their own preference so go by it. I'm just saying there's a way to do it right and there's a way to just get by.



I hope that helped some. If anyone is interested I may be repairing a few bare metal/chipped paint as well as repainting my zr2 fender flares when I find time to do so. I may do a write-up with the proper materials needed and the step and process I take.




Devin

* = edit. I had to clear up what I meant by the primers.

 

Thanx TurboAddiction, that actually cleared up quite a bit. I took Auto Body Collision Repair for a year @ my local Tech School so I hear where your coming from. The reason I asked is cause there were quite a few guyz in class that invested large amounts of $ in rust converters and the response was about 50/50, but like I said, I wuz only there a year so there could be tailgates fallin off into the road as I type =).

 

umm for clearing the area of rust instead of busting ur ***** with sandpaper, alchohal, and a wire brush you can gust take a grinder with a wire buffing wheel on it and it will strip it clean of rust in a few seconds, hope that helps

~justin~

 

Sorry for the late response again.

Jimmy1996,

Yes you can do that, or you can also save the time and sand blast the area.

 

The only good rust converter is Rust Mort. I used it on my blazer and the rust has not come back for four years but I also used a good sealer. I'm a ticked painter and this is highly recommended by someone in the trade.


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