Rust Repair

[skate1968]

Hey folks.

I was doing a google search trying to learn about repairing rust on my rocker panels -- lots of info on grinding, sanding, welding, tiger hair, bondo, POR15 etc.

But here's best set of instructions that i've found so far:


"Plan a family vacation to Mexico, drive down and have the work done for about 1/10th of what it would cost up here and they do fabulous work."

[CivicSpoon]

http://civic-eg.com/viewtopic.php?t=24
http://www.d-series.org/forums/diy-f...er-panels.html

There are probably a million other threads over at Honda-Tech.com, but their search feature is horrible now that they switched to vBulletin.

[skate1968]

Thanks CS,

Now that i'm back on 'dial up' it'll take me a good amount of time for those pics to load

I'll have a look later.

[skate1968]

I’m looking to cover a relatively large rust hole in my rocker panel with ‘tiger hair’ or some similar stuff. I have not really ever done body work before.

Because the rocker panel is close to the ground of my car I don’t need it too look perfect. I got an estimate of approximately 400 to 600 to fix this and other minor rust spots. At this point it's simply not worth it for me to put the $$ in to the car. (sorry, i don't have a camera. I can't post up pics.)

But i strongly believe that it is worth it for me to have a go at it myself.

1 stop the rust before it significantly weakens the frame -- or at least slow it down (the jack points are still solid)

AND

2 cover and paint the ugly brown holes that are on my white civic (If I screw up it wont look any worse. A ‘ghetto’ paint job would be a great improvement. This area of my car does NOT need to look perfect! )


The hole on my rocker panel is about 2 by 5.5 inches. The other rocker panel is only just starting to show rust – still fairly solid. I understand that these rust spots occurred where collision work was done over twelve years ago. The car was totaled before I got it.

I understand that there is a decent chance that this rust will come back.

The underside of my car was coated and therefore I don’t believe that I have any other significant rust issues. If my engine was in better shape I’d consider having a shop do it proper – cutting and welding new metal on to it.

[skate1968]

I found this fellow posting on Honda Tech. His advice seems to be a good fit for me:

Originally Posted by Duncan90si
you can cut around the bad spots... if you go to use tiger hair, after you pack the rust hole with a the hair, for the final coat of it put the tiger hair on waxed paper. then put it on the rocker and smooth it out through the waxed paper. tape the paper onto the car and when its done remove the waxed paper. it helps hold the tiger hair in the hole while drying and it leaves a smoother finish. (less sanding) my .02 for patching some bad rust holes on beaters.


http://www.honda-tech.com/newreply.p...ply&p=24890971

I understand that i can apply tiger hair in layers? It'd seem that's what i'd need to do. Either that and/or use tiger hair in combination with some other filler product.

POR15 sounds good also.

[turtlecrxsi]

Maybe search for my old pics I posted of the rockers/sideskirts of my old crx. I had to cut tons of rust out... weight reduction. I attached the sideskirts back to the frame with sheet metal and a rivet gun and some bondo where I ghetto molded it to the rear 1/4 panel.

[skate1968]

I had, at one point, a rust patch -- a brown rust spot. After looking at it i saw that the metal around it was way rusted and I pulled some of it off. The hole was then 2 by 5 inches.

After some work this 'patch' turned in to a hole 14 inches wide by 8 high! A much bigger job than what i hoped for -- even with the the power tool it was still a LOT of work.

I spent a lot of time grinding out the rust on the interior of the rocker panel. Then chemical rust inhibitor over all the interior of the panel. Dry weld peices of sheet metal. Fiberglass body filler. Regular 'bondo' body filler over that. Sand. Prime. Paint. Clear gloss coat overtop.

I'm glad to be done with it.