How To Repair Rust On A Pickup Truck?

You'd just weld a metal plate over any holes and be done with it in an ideal world. However, welding is a risky and challenging job if you don't know what you're doing. Hiring a professional to perform it for you is equally costly. Thankfully, you may use a few strategies to repair rust damage on your truck without spending a lot of money. Here's a quick rundown of the procedure.

Preparation 

Preparing the space and eliminating any rust is the first step in repairing body corrosion. Then you'll be able to determine the total amount of damage. Start by masking off any areas that aren't impacted by the rust. Use many layers of paper or masking tape for further protection. You'll need a wire brush and some sandpaper for the rust removal procedure, and you don't want to scratch any of the surrounding areas.

With a wire brush wheel, remove the rust

After you've completely covered the unrusted areas, start removing the rust using a drill and a wire brush wheel. This is a vigorous procedure that involves a lot of elbow grease and physical effort, but the aim is to remove the majority of the rust as rapidly as possible. Don't worry if you break through the body or expand a hole. You want to keep going until you can't take any more rust off with the wire brush wheel.

Remove any remaining rust with sandpaper

After you've removed all you can with the wire brush wheel:

1. Go over any remaining rust with 80-grit sandpaper.
2. Remember that rust may penetrate the surface and harm painted regions.
3. Remove some paint around the perimeter of the sanded area to confirm that all of the rust has been removed.

Remove dust and sediment

After you've finished sanding, wash the truck to remove any collected silt and dust, and check the truck surface carefully for any leftover rust.

Use rust restorer or chemical rust remover

You may use a chemical rust remover or rust restorer to offer an extra layer of assurance that you've eliminated all the rust. If you do so, be sure to follow all of the manufacturer's directions, particularly when it comes to wearing the proper safety gear.

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Patch any holes and paint the truck 

After cleaning and drying the truck, apply a rust prevention primer to any exposed metal. Apply an even layer, being careful not to miss around the margins of any holes and the bottom of the bed where paint may have peeled away. This is where you would weld a patch in place if you intend to do so later in the procedure. On the other hand, body filler is a safer and more accessible option for most individuals.

Use body filler

Body filler is valuable for filling holes left by rust and corrosion. But before you start mixing the filler, make sure you apply any patching mesh or other materials included with your patching kit. After you've finished using the patching mesh, start mixing the filler, being sure to follow the manufacturer's directions. You must carefully follow these directions because if the proportions are off, the filler will solidify too soon or not at all.

Sand the patch to a smooth finish

The filler usually takes around 2 hours to set completely. However, this might vary depending on the material—Sand the filler smooth with your 150-grit sandpaper after curing. Use finer grit to make your way down to the body level to smooth the surface even more.

Using Primer

Apply an automotive primer to the repair and any exposed metal after it has been smoothed out to your satisfaction. After the primer has dried for approximately an hour, sand the area using 400-grit sandpaper. Apply a second layer of primer once you've finished sanding and let it dry before smoothing with the same paper.

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Follow these steps, and you will be able to overcome problems caused by rust on your pickup truck. 

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