LX450 wheel-well rust help

[AdventureTurtle]

Just purchased this last week, and I’m trying to plan out the best way to go about this.

It seems like this is the only rust(that I can see) on the under body and I want to try and catch this while I can.

Would this be worth taking into a body shop and having them do the work/repaint? Or do you think this would be an easy enough fix if I just got some sheet metal and did the welding myself(friend that has a welder) and just giving it an anti rust paint since it won’t be seen with the door closed anyways?

 

[Malleus]

If that was higher up, you could patch it, paint it and forget it. Where it is, it's just going to get worse. That's a far bigger problem than you think it is.

 

[AdventureTurtle]

If that was higher up, you could patch it, paint it and forget it. Where it is, it's just going to get worse. That's a far bigger problem than you think it is.

Do you think this is something I could DIY if I got my own flux-core welder and learned to weld? I'm not too concerned about painting as it's covered by the door when closed/has the plastic cladding over the front.

 

[Malleus]

Absolutely

 

[AdventureTurtle]

Absolutely

Cool, gonna take the steps/cladding off this weekend when I change the tcase/diff fluid to see what all I'm looking at. Might then try to run to harbor freight and get a cheap welding setup to get practicing.

 

[PAToyota]

Do you think this is something I could DIY if I got my own flux-core welder and learned to weld?

For body work, I'd go for MIG over flux-core. You'll get much nicer welds out of it.