seam rust advice (picture) for newbie

[CovKid]

Fozzie, chances are its worse than it looks actually. I did post a WIKI on this job quite recently. I'll be honest, you stand little chance of stopping the rust on this part without cutting out. See: https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ar ... outer_sill" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Fozzie]

Fozzie, chances are its worse than it looks actually.

Yes, I imagine it is... I'm just hoping that I can slow down the inevitable until I have more time/facilities to devote to it. At the moment I have no off-road space and no welding/cutting experience - not sure I want this kind of baptism of fire until I've made all the mistakes on something smaller!

[CovKid]

Fair enough, although the WIKI allows for the inexperienced. If you've no time to deal with it, rake out what you can then coat it inside and out with Vactan and paint - until you can sort properly. It will slow it down but thats all.

[scottbott]

the wiki article is very good,at least actually seeing it done is so much easier than reading pages and pages of text,my floor inside the van can have a fist put through the hole(nightmare)

[CovKid]

I feel a lot more reassured that I've sorted that area now. I'm no expert at body work but not undaunted, case of getting stuck in and doing it. Having seen bugs lifted from their chassis, its a minor job in comparison really - once you get started. Its confidence more than expertise thats needed really. Besides, once you've cut it open like I did, you HAVE to sort it then

No more horizontal seam either which i think looks better and less chance of seeing a repeat.

[sandwedge]

The only way you will stop the rust comming back through is to:

1. Have the areas spot blasted this will take the surface and the seam back to clean metal, it impossible to get all the rust out of the seam with wet and dry or a wire wheel.
2. Treat the surface with Genolite it converts any rust to iron dioxide which is inert and wont react any further.
3. Get a good self etch primer from some one like http://www.rigbytaylor.com/paints/html/investment.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; give the area two coats.
4. Get some high build primer that is compatible with you top coat, again 2 to 3 coats allow to dry.
5. Lightly spray a contrasing colour over the repair, this guide coat will help show low spots when sanding.
5. Flat with 400 grit wet and dry and the 800 to 1200 grit to finish(get the 3M stuff the grit stay on the paper not like the cheep halfrauds stuff), use a bucket of warm water with some washing up liquid in it, keep flushing the paper while you sand, sand at 45 degrees using a sanding block, try to follow the body contours. Sand until guide coat is gone or got to 6.
6. If any of the guide coat is left spray another coat or 2 of high build primer and repeat 5.
7.Spray top coat, start by lightly coating the area first, it will help stop runs, paint at least 3 to 4 coats allow flash time between coats or paint will sag, dont worry if you get some small runs at this point.
8 Let paint dry for at least a week unless its 2k paint, the polish back with rubbing compound. If there are any runs use a block and 1400 grit paper and gently sand back use loads of water.

Just a point to note when spot repairing an area make sure you blend the edges out when rubbing back or after spot blasting, you will need to rub back a bigger area than you intend to paint, the edges should show a gradual transition from top coat thought primer to steel of at least 1.5 inches.
If you dont do this its hard to hide the edges or the repair.

Also wash the panel down and T cut all the dirt off before you start, other wise you will see a dirt line, between new and old paint when you cut it back.

[purplecrocs]

good advice thanks. Also what can I do where the sticker goes over the seam? Would I have remove and replace the whole sticker along the vehicle to make a good finished job of that area... can you get 'bits' of the stripe and just graft them in...?

oh, and where to you get Vactan from (as everybody seems to rave about that stuff)

[eatcustard]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VACTAN-RUST-CONVE ... 286.c0.m14" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[purplecrocs]

Ta, ordered....

[CovKid]

Wear latex gloves - its not so much harmful but it dries on fingers like PVA glue and goes black - pain to to get off. Its nice and watery too - permeates well.

[ricicles]

i used a grit blaster on the seams i could not chop out. that little quarter panel is not expensive. put a new one in and get rid if the rust. i also used por15 paint in the seams i did 18months ago and its all looking ok. i also stripped out the van and did the seams from behind, again por15 and waxoil on top of that.i believe all you are doing is slowing it down like covkid says so i am saving up for a full body acid dip

[mark1967]

Hopefully following the above advice will get your van tidied up for a few years,but just as a warning heres what I found when I started poking in the seams

IMG_0120.jpg

Must be one of those new six piece arch repairs Thankfully its out of surgery now and on the way to recovery

[sandwedge]

Ive tried por15 and am not keen on it. I found even if all the steps were followed that it still came off, and once it lifts it comes away in sheets.

A good self etch primer should key into the metal very well if the area is well degrease.

Some thing I forgot to put earlier spirit wip down the bare steel, and after flatting, also tack rag between coats to lift off any dust, hair, or residue from flatting.

[eatcustard]

Forget POR15 its pants and falls off unless it goes on rust

I have used KBS rustseal on the underneath of my van and its still on.

http://www.therustshop.com/shop/index.p ... t&catId=50" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[purplecrocs]

re ricicles advice on just replacing that little panel in the corner... just checked the panel itself is only £12, so roughly, how much would I be paying somebody to replace that panel (x2) do you think?