Argh...rocker rust options (1 Viewer)

[ripvanmd]

I sure am getting a crash course in rust with my 01 LC. First had the roof rust from a bad windshield now I have right rear rocker rust that had been hidden by the damnable running boards. Took it to a body shop who wanted minimum 1500$.....that’s not happening. Treated with some POR 15 so far. What have people done for this (did some searches already) specifically weldless applications (fiberglass?) so I can do it myself...

At least I know what to look for in my next cruiser....

You folks are a wealth of knowledge and any help is appreciated!

 

[Dwight S]

Once you have rust started, the only fix is to remove it completely by cutting the panel out and welding in a new section. Fiberglassing over the rust only hides it and allows it to continue to spread. Rust is just like cancer, if it’s not treated properly, it will spread and destroy. Get another estimate, but pay someone to fix it properly.

 

[yeti in ga]

I will be following as I have something I noticed the other day in this area.... Is this rust from the inside out ? or mud dirt on the lip , road grim kicked in this area...

 

[Madbodhi]

A proper repair would entail cutting out every bit of compromised metal and replacing both inner and outer pieces either by welding or panel bonding glue. Fiberglass and filler is a temporary fix at best. Personally I would cut out the rockers and weld in rectangular tube. I did this on a Grand Wagoneer I used to have. Used 10 gauge rectangular tube. Preserved the original sill plate and afew inches of the inner rocker apron and burned it in . Requires fab work and if you have to pay someone will likely run you as much as a proper rust repair. Just a thought but its likely that the rust is far more extensive than it appears at first glance. It always is.

 

[ripvanmd]

I’m going to take it to a cruiser mechanic/restorer in a nearby town and see what my options are. I like the concept of welding in a bar...but just bought step sliders...

 

[Girv24]

@ripvanmd Ever get this addressed? I have rust in the same exact spot but much worse.

 

[yeti in ga]

Mine has opened up on the side and there was mud packed in there and rusted from in side out..

 

[ripvanmd]

Haven’t had time to drop it off for the repair. Hopefully this summer.

 

[Spike555]

I have the same issue, my dad is a retired body man, we are going to take care of it this summer.

I am honestly amazed at how fast these trucks rust. It is a shame that such a well built long lasting truck will be crushed because of rust long before anything major goes wrong with it.

 

[Kabanstva]

I have the same issue, my dad is a retired body man, we are going to take care of it this summer.

I am honestly amazed at how fast these trucks rust. It is a shame that such a well built long lasting truck will be crushed because of rust long before anything major goes wrong with it.

I agree. I have seen ten year old Hondas with much less rust than your typical midwestern 100 series.

I work at a detail shop. One of our customers has a 2015 CRV (original owner). Another one has a 2015 LX570 (original owner). Both daily driven in winter salt, etc. Both have us maintain them similarly and seem to take care of them very well when they don't have us detail them. Both have around 30k miles. The Honda, I kid you not, literally not one spec of rust anywhere on the car. Not on the underside, not in the engine bay, it looks like a southern car but I know it's not. The LX, although not a rust nightmare yet or anything like that, does have your random surface rust starting on alot of undercarriage areas (rear shock brackets on the rear axle, other sections of the frame, random bolts under the hood.

It's pretty amazing. $85k truck VS a $25k truck. Toyota/Lexus should be ashamed.

We have another guy with a late 2016 model Tundra that has a ton of surface rust everywhere on the undercarriage with also around 30k miles. It's a shame.

 

[janz3n]

I have this same thing starting too. Was thinking about just spraying in some fluid film or rust converter from time to time to slow it down.. not sure that will do anything but I will probably never redo body work on it.

 

[Lopott]

I just figure that is a nice large weep hole. Salt and water cannot stay in. And I have driven a Honda um thats not much fun. Your Cruiser is 20 years old the rust may completely take over in another 20 and even a toyota will have give up the ghost.

 

[ripvanmd]

Yeah. I’ll get it fixed and use it as an excuse to repaint. These do rust fast

 

[gatormark91]

Hard to say form the pic, but I think that is where the sunroof drain discharges to. it drains inside there and then empties out a slot in (if I remember right) the pinch weld. Good place for dirt to collect and cause that. I'd just grind it back to clean metal, POR the crap out of it (getting the POR up inside) and mostly forget about it. Just keep an eye out to make sure it doesn't get worse.