Rust repair questions

[greyboxer]

First off, yes I did search but couldn't find what I was looking for and second, lots of thanks to ld50 for his awesome rocker replacement thread!

Two questions:
1) I have some surface rust on the bottom of all 4 doors and I'm planning on putting rocker guard on pretty well the whole bottom half of my truck. To get rid of the rust I'm going to grind and wire brush the doors clean and then spray with Rust Check Rust Converter, which claims to leave the surface primed and paintable. Does anyone know if this is true or should I prime the repaired area after using the rust converter?

2) Again, ld50's thread was an incredible read and gave me a lot to think about, but his rust was nowhere near as bad as mine. The rust on the poor old girl has eaten through damn near everything and I find myself having to replace the rear quarter panels as well as dog legs and rockers (including backing metal). Because the body is in such bad shape all the panels and pieces have to come off but this will leave me with no existing metal to use as a guide. Is there a definitive method to making a wholesale replacement? Or even just a preferred way to change the rear quarter panel?

I know I ramble, sorry. But any help/advice is sincerely appreciated.
Thanks

 

[L4CX]

There is always getting a new tub completely. I have a friend who has a bronco and is going to go that route. There is just to many spots of rust. If you do, I'd go with a donor truck from the southern part of the states. No salt or all the stuff we get here in Michigan. I know that's an obvious solution. Just an idea.

 

[greyboxer]

All ideas are appreciated, and yeah I would have to go south for a donor. Anything around here just gets killed from all the road salt!

 

[MONMIX]

rust repair is a nightmare no mater what.
The more rust the greater the nightmare.

 

[greyboxer]

You're not kidding! The further I go the more I want to wake up!

 

[TequilaSnrs087]

Being from the South, I have been pretty spoiled when it comes to rust. I have a 2001 Ranger that has spent a lot of its life driving on really rough unpaved roads, going places a 2WD should not, etc... but the underside is still spotless. Then I bought my Explorer... I was expecting some rust, since the truck is from PA, but wow...this stuff is bad! The previous owner did some Bondo work around the driver's side rocker, but that did pretty much nothing. The front bumper is also covered in rust. Worst of all, the rust ate through the truck's filler neck, so I get to smell gas at every red light, my CEL is on, and I have gas dripping on my frame. It is really a shame, because the truck runs and drives great. At 12 years old and 148K, I can honestly say it runs and drives like new. The interior is also close to perfect, but the body is a mess. At $950 for the truck though, I can't complain too much.

 

[Bmwz389]

Yeah indeed. I'm from Texas and I live in Iowa now. The car conditions up here are so much worse than Texas. An insurance claimer when I totaled my truck quoted my X as a 97, and it's a 92. Goes to show how much rust was on the car =)

I'd go with a donor car. You cant really cut metal the proper way in a bone yard.

Best thing you could do is get the donor car, remove the factory quater panel spot welds, and swap it to your current Explorer. That way you don't have to deal with filling depressions in metal from patching with any filler or lead. You'ld have to remove alot, including your back windows. But I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to make it look right hehe.

I have rust in my rockers near the back wheel wells, didn't catch it until a week ago because of the rubberized paint on my rockers hid it well. I'm spotting in some sheet metal, pulling the frame, radiator support, and rock guard. Either R/R the Right fender or Replace (more than likely R/R). Fix dent in hood and the rest of the character marks. Then painting =). I can't wait until I'm done. She's gonna look show room condition.

I'm a fan of body work hehe.

Good luck to you bud!

- Brandon

 

[greyboxer]

No kidding, Iowa has to be a rude awakening after living in Texas. This is my first attempt at body work and I tell ya, I think I bit off more than I can chew! For anyone that wants to see what a truly cancerous 1st Gen looks like, take a peak at a few pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13775&l=c0be5&id=721670307

Since those pics were taken, I broke down and took the entire rear quarter out, including the back glass and have fabricated all my backing metal for the rocker panel. I'm a little under the gun now, because I really want to have that side closed off in time for snow which will likely be here in about 3 weeks. Everytime I see the light at the end of the tunnel I run into more damage that I didn't think was there or some issue with tying it all together. But I love my Ex and no matter what she ain't going anywhere! I guess that's why we all do it eh?

 

[JMan689]

All ideas are appreciated, and yeah I would have to go south for a donor. Anything around here just gets killed from all the road salt!

Not true, my 94 was owned by a guy that used it as his winter driver (had a supra for summer) and granted it only has 80k miles on it but the only rust is surface rust on the rockers under the side skirts and a tiny super small corner of my hatch. The underside is rusty but its all surface rust. I think i did good by having the underbody washed at least once a week over the past winter.