Rust damage

[bfensom]

Hey I was just wondering how I can fix a rusted out rocker and bottom of sliding door on a van. I don't want to bother with riveting or welding because its a hassle but would a long strand bondo work?

[MagicRat]

The fiberglass bondo will cover-up the hole temporarily. But usually, the metal behind the bondo will continue to rust and the bondo will eventually fall out, revealing an even-larger hole.

I have had some luck with using a sandblaster to blow-off all the rust, then treating the rust with a rust primer, then applying fiberglass. This sometimes works if moisture does not get behind the bondo through another route.

But, imo the only permanent repair is to cut out all the rusty metal, then weld-in a patch panel, paint the outside and rustproof the whiz out of the inside of the rocker and patch panel.

[dewaynep]

That's too far gone to try to fill with bondo alone. You could try the fiberglass mat route then bondo over that, but the easiest as least expensive would be to puchase some 22 guage sheetmetal, form the curve in it and pop-rivet it over the rust. Thatwould probably get you another 1 to 2 years before it started to look terrible again. The bondo would maybe get you a year before the rust started showing again.

[bfensom]

Thanks for the help guys... I only need it to last about half a year so if the bondo would last a year it would be perfect. Thats the only reason I wasn't going to worry about welding sheet metal on it. Thanks again