Rust Problems :(

[JoshT]

I'm in process of tearing down a 86 Ranger to rebuild/replace my totaled 84. When I pulled the Passenger side inner fender the other day I found an ugly spot of cancer. It's not as bad as many out there, but since I bought this truck because I thought it had a clean rust free cab, it's a major deal for me.

Here's what I saw when I pulled the inner fender off (but after I poked it with a 1/4" extension to see how bad it was):


(Click pic)

This is the inside:





This is the same area on the driver side:



In this last picture you can't really see it but there is a small pin hole started straight down from the pedal. I'm not positive but I think that the water was coming in around the windshield.

I know there have been plenty of these trucks recovered from worse but I am at a loss as to how to progress. If it were mechanical I'd have no problem, but I'm not a body man don't even have to tools for it. If this were in the center of the floor pans it'd be a simple matter of cutting out the old and trying to weld in the new (if dad would let me borrow his welder and I could learn how to use it). I don't have a clue how to go about it with the problem being in the location it is though.

Any help suggestions tips as to how to fix this problem will be appreciated. If you're in the middle GA area and want to fix it for me that's be even better.

Not that I expect that to happen. Aside from minor surface rust this is the only rust I've found on the truck so far, and I'd really like to fix it rather than trying my luck at finding another cab.

 

[bobbywalter]

cut it out and do your best.

 

[RollinWOT]

I'm with bob on this one. Seems like you're gonna need to cut out what you can and weld up some new sheet metal and spray the hell outta what you can't get to with rust reformer.

 

[strvger]

after the cutting and welding, i'd use something like POR-15 or similar to get the best protection from rust. not cheap, but it works. good luck for sure.

 

[7.5L_STX]

thats not a rust problem








yesterday i pressure washed my F150 and the driver side cab corner fell off. it didnt crumble into little pieces either, it fell the fawk off

 

[RollinWOT]

Rust? It's calibrated. Well in AZ we only have to worry about surface rust. After that the sand and heat takes over and makes some sort of dusty crust that pretects against rusting. AZ is wierd like that.

 

[Vanner1993]

I have the same spot on my truck rusting, along with several other floor areas. I have a hole under the computer that i can reach through. Stuffed it with rags but I have to get to it soon.

 

[JoshT]

In preparation for fixing floor pan, I know I need to clean up the area around it. Of course for the most part that's as easy as removing the paint and rust, no problems there. I've also got that rubber sound deadening material inside on the floor pan that needs to be removed in the areas I'll be welding. Any recommendations on how or what to use to remove that stuff. I could get out there with a putty knife and start scraping but I'm thinking there's gotta be an easier way. I'm going to be removing all of it since I'll be undercoating the cab and putting Dynamat (or something similar) on the inside anyway.

 

[sloue]

just finished mine a few months back. i had never welded a panel to a truck in my life till this

that black mat stuff ...the best way i fond was heat gun and putty knife ,then a wire wheel to finish it up . grind where you going to weld to shiny metal ,this makes such a big diff. i did full rockers and cab corners while i had it cut up. by far the the best thing i have learned in my build. the most frustrating also.

 

[Duane867]

You can also use pop rivets and seam filler.

 

[a-5 freak]

I have a similar problem, but my rust runs all the way up the firewall on both sides, and on the passenger side there's a hole that I can reach through (same problem as vanner). I've tried many products, but none of them have worked...

 

[JoshT]

Did not get anything done yesterday, spend it with my parents. They are more important than any truck so gotta do it every once in a while. Among other things I pulled the upper part of the dash off today to inspect for rust. Found practically none up there so at least I won't have to go too deep in there making repairs. Bought a 4.5" grinder and a wire cup brush for it the other day. Hopefully Thursday, Friday, or Saturday I'll be able to make a little progress on getting rid of the rust damage.