Hi guys –
I just bought a pickup and while it’s a great truck at a good price, the previous owner had a 5th wheel trailer setup in the bed (don't worry, I kept my Land Cruiser).
After drilling they didn’t paint or seal the drilled holes. The metal is all in good shape (just starting to oxidize) but I want to clean this up and prevent future rust problems.
From the reading here and elsewhere, I understand that welding over the holes is the best long term solution. I don’t really care about what it looks like and also need to consider longer term how to treat the bed (liner?).
Here’s what I’m thinking of doing and seeking input from the experts here:
1. Initially paint (rattle can) with primer and top coat in this area and then use stainless bolts, rubber washers and silicon to seal up the holes as best I can. I was going to avoid using anything a body shop welder guy will be annoyed with. The thinking here is that this is low cost and good short term measure. note: I need to let the bank account recover.
2. Longer term take it to a bodyshop guy that can weld (doesn’t need to look purty) and weld these holes up.
Some more details:
· Pics attached trying to show the size of the holes, location and spacing. Note the 4 holes run right along the overlap point of the sheets. That’s a yellow pencil on one or two shots to give sizing idea but they are about 3/8” of an inch diameter.
· It’s pretty easy to get under these holes from below.
So what do you guys think and how best do I go about rattle canning this?
· Just get some primer and then a top coat?
· How well do I need to clean off oxidized material before primer?
· I’ve sealed up the holes in the top of my 80-series from where the port installed roof rack was by using screws, washers/ o-rings and silicon. That’s worked for many years…
· Also any rough idea how much step 2 above would cost and is it worth doing the interim step? I was thinking when step 2 is done, perhaps do a roll on or spray on bed liner.
Any help is appreciated. Please tell me this isn’t anything I should stress over. I figure this truck was considerable savings with this issue (and lots of newish truck have got other similar crap going on). I am a little type-A on my stuff and trying to relax over this issue and hoping this can be dealt with properly to get a number of years from the truck.
Thanks
Riley
I just bought a pickup and while it’s a great truck at a good price, the previous owner had a 5th wheel trailer setup in the bed (don't worry, I kept my Land Cruiser).
After drilling they didn’t paint or seal the drilled holes. The metal is all in good shape (just starting to oxidize) but I want to clean this up and prevent future rust problems.
From the reading here and elsewhere, I understand that welding over the holes is the best long term solution. I don’t really care about what it looks like and also need to consider longer term how to treat the bed (liner?).
Here’s what I’m thinking of doing and seeking input from the experts here:
1. Initially paint (rattle can) with primer and top coat in this area and then use stainless bolts, rubber washers and silicon to seal up the holes as best I can. I was going to avoid using anything a body shop welder guy will be annoyed with. The thinking here is that this is low cost and good short term measure. note: I need to let the bank account recover.
2. Longer term take it to a bodyshop guy that can weld (doesn’t need to look purty) and weld these holes up.
Some more details:
· Pics attached trying to show the size of the holes, location and spacing. Note the 4 holes run right along the overlap point of the sheets. That’s a yellow pencil on one or two shots to give sizing idea but they are about 3/8” of an inch diameter.
· It’s pretty easy to get under these holes from below.
So what do you guys think and how best do I go about rattle canning this?
· Just get some primer and then a top coat?
· How well do I need to clean off oxidized material before primer?
· I’ve sealed up the holes in the top of my 80-series from where the port installed roof rack was by using screws, washers/ o-rings and silicon. That’s worked for many years…
· Also any rough idea how much step 2 above would cost and is it worth doing the interim step? I was thinking when step 2 is done, perhaps do a roll on or spray on bed liner.
Any help is appreciated. Please tell me this isn’t anything I should stress over. I figure this truck was considerable savings with this issue (and lots of newish truck have got other similar crap going on). I am a little type-A on my stuff and trying to relax over this issue and hoping this can be dealt with properly to get a number of years from the truck.
Thanks
Riley
