Repairing Rust Holes With Bondo – It needs to be fixed before winter, and my wife has no free time to fix it herself; And I don’t want to pay $150-200 to get it done at a body shop.
The first step is to scrape off the loose paint around the rust spot, and remove most of the rust.
Repairing Rust Holes With Bondo
I found, in the outer layer of metal, what I thought were extra layers of rusty, chipping metal, actually dense foam padding. I removed more metal chips from the foam. Then I taped the area, and sprayed the Rust Treatment on it.
Bondo Self Adhesive Body Patch, Stage 2, For Large Rust Outs And Damaged Areas, 2 Patches, 5.9 In X 5.8 In
Following the instructions on the can, I let the rust treatment sit overnight before continuing. (The rust treatment turns the clean, dry black.)
On day 2, I sanded around the area again, removing the paint around the hole to prepare it for construction. To remove the rust and paint, I used 60 grit sandpaper.
At this point, I used a metal mesh body patch (Bondo brand) to fill in the holes, replace the missing metal, and make room for the Bondo.
Using simple scissors, I cut the mesh to roughly the right size, and then began to fit into the hole between the metal and the foam. At the bottom, I had to pry the foam off the metal using a screwdriver. Since the area is curved, I have to make a patch as I work, and take the last (top left) corner to take some work.
Body Work, Rust Repair (94)
The body patch is self-adhesive, and has a removable backing. You can see in the photo that when I was rolling the patch in place it shrank. Per the instructions, I had to take the patch back, cut the back, and put it back on. But if I get it and resize it, it doesn’t come back, and I decided I don’t care if it has a little plastic sticker on it.
The next step is to patch the hole with Bondo body filler. That’s interesting, because I’ve never used that stuff before.
It comes in two parts, the Body Filler Putty (Grey), and the Hardener Cream (Red), which are mixed together and then applied.
The directions say to use golf ball-sized putty and a half-inch of hardener. It says to blend on a non-porous surface and use in 2-3 minutes.
Rocker Panel Rust Hole, Repair Ideas? [pics]
A few lessons learned: Mix up what works in 30 seconds. This material dries quickly, and after drying cannot be used. After the first batch, and trying to clean the non-porous surface, I switched to a half-batch of pee on a wax-coated paper plate that can be scooped out.
Since the rust hole is close to the ledge under the gas tank door, part of the repair plan is to repair the underside of the plastic rim, to protect the repair from gas or water. This made the application and sanding a little more difficult, but I’m happy with the results. Hopefully the extra work will make the repair last longer.
I used my own etching, sandable primer and followed the directions in the can. When I was done I tapped the corner. Once that was done, I used 600 grit sandpaper to smooth the edges of the primer, and paint the surrounding paint.
This is me. Photo by my wonderful husband, who is not worried about his wife trying to fix the car body. , ,
How To Repair A Rust Holes And Weld Body Panels Youtube
Hand sanding takes extra time, but it gives me extra control. Here you can see that I have applied the primer under the plastic lip. I also put tape and newspaper over the lower (plastic) fender, as I don’t want to scratch it when sanding the bottom edge of the metal fender.
The final stage is painting. The first color used is wrong. When standing and looking at the car from a few feet, it looks to be on top of the can; But once in a while, it’s very light.
I chose the next shade darker, and when I placed the spray could cover the bottom of the car without the reflection of sunlight to skewer the color.
2. Do not reverse the direction. Spray through, stop while walking. Spray in the opposite direction, stop while walking. A thin stack on the opposite side leads to drips that need to be discarded and re-terminated.
Bondo Body Patch Self Adhesive Repair
3. The lacquer adds two light coats and then one wet coat. “Wet coat” does not mean “heavy coat”. A heavy coat causes bubbles. Which pain to medicate when you’re almost done.
In my opinion, it turned out really well. I have learned a lot. It cost me about $60 to supply, and some time over the course of three days.
My husband really liked my little gift for him, and I’m proud of myself to know it. We use cookies to make it great. By using our site, you agree to our Cookie Policy. Cookie Settings
This article was co-authored with Tom Eisenberg. Tom Eisenberg is the owner and general manager of West Coast Tires & Service in Los Angeles, California, a family-owned AAA approved and certified auto shop. Tom has over 10 years of experience in the automotive industry. Modern Tire Dealer Magazine has selected the store as one of the 10 best operations in the country.
Easy Ways To Fill Rust Holes In Metal
15 references are cited in this article, and they can be found at the bottom of the page.
When rust isn’t caught early enough, it can eat through a car’s metal. As long as these rust holes are left untreated, they will continue to grow. Fixing rust holes in your car requires removing the rust and affected metal, then filling the holes with fiberglass body filler. From there, it’s just a matter of giving the finished area a makeover you’re happy with.
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This article was co-authored with Tom Eisenberg. Tom Eisenberg is the owner and general manager of West Coast Tires & Service in Los Angeles, California, a family-owned AAA approved and certified auto shop. Tom has over 10 years of experience in the automotive industry. Modern Tire Dealer Magazine has selected the store as one of the 10 best operations in the country. This article has been viewed 101,468 times.
Bondo Professional Body Repair Kit, 30 Oz
To fix a rust hole in your car, you must first get rid of all the rust. Remove all paint around the hole with the wire brush attachment on the drill. You will also need to cut the affected metal with a grinder or a piece of tin. After removing the metal, cover the hole with wax paper and apply a mixture of fiberglass filler and hardener. Let the mixture dry for about an hour, then remove the wax paper. You can also sand the patch with 220-grit sandpaper to smooth out imperfections. Keep reading for tips on how to keep stains from rusting again! A fiberglass rust-out repair is cheap and effective. I’ve been doing this for years and it’s going well. After two or three years, some touch ups may be required around the edges. The biggest advantage of fiberglass: It doesn’t rust.
1) Start with a putty knife and remove as much loose paint and rust pieces as possible. Watch for the paint to rise. There is rust below. Use a chisel and hammer to remove loose material if necessary.
2) Attach a rotary wire brush to the drill to remove any loose paint and rust. A special paint removal drill attachment helps remove looser paint.
3) Open up the bare metal an inch or two from the edge of the rust by sanding with a drill-mounted round 5 inch sanding disc and coarse sandpaper. The hard-to-reach parts of the damaged areas should be removed by hand or with a small rotary tool such as a Dremel tool. I like to use the cut-off wheel.
Bondo Body Filler, 00261es, 14 Fl. Oz.
1) Create a rust pattern to transfer to a sheet of fiberglass. Tape a sheet of paper (probably newsprint) over the rust and mark an inch beyond the edge of the rust with a sharps marker. Cut it out and then put it back on top of the rust with masking tape and add or cut if necessary.
Now place the paper pattern on the fiberglass fabric and trace it with a marker. Cut the mat with fine scissors. Double tape all the rust around the top edge every few inches. Now carefully place the top of the fiberglass cloth on the tape line and hang it there.
1) Check the product label for matching instructions. The 14 drops of hardener in the My Bondo brand fiberglass kit requires 1oz (28g) of resin. I only need a small batch for the initial deal
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