DIY Rust Repair and Respray...

[iammooks]

Planning on doing a couple of repairs to the car while things are a bit weird out there, and decided I want to sort out some rust inside the offside rear door.

Thankfully it's on the inside, so it won't show too much if I don't do the best job, but what I'm thinking it needs is just to be sanded down, primed, sprayed and then lacquered? I've looked into rust inhibitors, but I'd imagine I don't really need to go that far if it's only surface rust? It looks like I won't need to mask too much given where it is, but any advice would be really helpful.

How much time am I going to have to give this kind of job? Where I live, I've only got on-street parking, but if I wait until the lockdown is over, I can do this on the parents' driveway and leave it to dry with the doors open.

If anyone's got any advice, this would be great - at the same time if it sounds like I'm going to do something awful, let me know before I start sanding things down...!

 

[Compo1]

Your going to need to treat the inside of that arch also take out the arch and see what rust is in there.

Grind or wire wheel both side of the rust and then treat with Bilt Hamber Deox Gel i can not recommend this stuff enough it will kill the rust and stop it spreading further best stuff ive every used on rust. Use filler if needed then flat back with 600 grit then 1000 the 1500 and then etch primer and paint.

For the inner arch treat it with something like waxoil or dynax s50 , if things are tight grease to keep moisture away form the repair.

 

[iammooks]

Your going to need to treat the inside of that arch also take out the arch and see what rust is in there.

Grind or wire wheel both side of the rust and then treat with Bilt Hamber Deox Gel i can not recommend this stuff enough it will kill the rust and stop it spreading further best stuff ive every used on rust. Use filler if needed then flat back with 600 grit then 1000 the 1500 and then etch primer and paint.

For the inner arch treat it with something like waxoil or dynax s50 , if things are tight grease to keep moisture away form the repair.

Thank you - it's never as straightforward as you want it to be, is it? I've got a lot of time for Bilt Hamber stuff - their clay bars are incredible, plus I've got a couple of other things I need to treat for rust, so I'll get my money's worth from it.

You think it might be rusting from inside the wheel arch? That doesn't sound like good news, but you could be right. That said, I had to have the door and the bit between the door and the wheel repaired a few years back, so it could be related to that. Fingers crossed it'll only be surface rust when I take the lining off...


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[Compo1]

Thank you - it's never as straightforward as you want it to be, is it? I've got a lot of time for Bilt Hamber stuff - their clay bars are incredible, plus I've got a couple of other things I need to treat for rust, so I'll get my money's worth from it.

You think it might be rusting from inside the wheel arch? That doesn't sound like good news, but you could be right. That said, I had to have the door and the bit between the door and the wheel repaired a few years back, so it could be related to that. Fingers crossed it'll only be surface rust when I take the lining off...


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Looking at the picture mate it does look like its coming in from the wheel arch.

Done a lot of this stuff in my time and thats how i see it.

 

[Rich.T]

Wierd place to get rust on a Leon isnt it?

 

[BigJase88]

Thank you - it's never as straightforward as you want it to be, is it? I've got a lot of time for Bilt Hamber stuff - their clay bars are incredible, plus I've got a couple of other things I need to treat for rust, so I'll get my money's worth from it.

You think it might be rusting from inside the wheel arch? That doesn't sound like good news, but you could be right. That said, I had to have the door and the bit between the door and the wheel repaired a few years back, so it could be related to that. Fingers crossed it'll only be surface rust when I take the lining off...


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100% related to previous shoddy repair i’m afraid

 

[iammooks]

Well, that sucks.

I should have my new bumper arriving in the next week, so I'll stick the car out the front of the house when I do that so I can get the rear wheel off and take a look at what's underneath the arch.

It is frustrating - all the things I've found that are wrong on the car are things I haven't done. I hate coming across things that have been bodged.


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[Compo1]

Well, that sucks.

I should have my new bumper arriving in the next week, so I'll stick the car out the front of the house when I do that so I can get the rear wheel off and take a look at what's underneath the arch.

It is frustrating - all the things I've found that are wrong on the car are things I haven't done. I hate coming across things that have been bodged.


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What's annoying is repairers take no pride in their work and are not bothered about longevity beyond the 12 month warranty or whatever they give. To seal that repair properly would of taken all of 5 mins and avoided this.

Feel your pain mate i hate to find a bodge.

 

[Manic172]

Looking at the rust you got it's hopefully not that bad. Seams to have come from the front rather than in the arch and come threw.
So best option is to remove with a wire wheel but don't come out to far as the different edges give you places to loose the fade out of your painting as you will never get a perfect match.. your cars paint is over 15 years old.
So wire wheel out the rust. You may need to use a little filler to fill any deep sections.
Using 180 grade to flat any filler smooth. Work your way up to about 600 grit.
180-240-400 then 600. Make sure it's flat and you can see all the paint layers as rings so you got a nice gradual decline in night from your top coat down to the bear metal repair.
Best of using high build primer. First thing is to mask up around the repair to stop over spray going every where. Then using news paper (best option laying about).
Then mask further out fill the door shut and wheel arch. Mask up the main outer face of your wheel arch as you don't wanna get any thing on this as it will he a bitch to match and fair in with aerosol cans.
Right give your self about 5-6 layers of the primer as stuff in cans in 1k so when it drys it's threw evaporation and reduces in thickness by about half. Don't just slap it on do it gradual as if it's to thick then the paint under neath can't evaporate as quick then you get sinkage when it does dry.....in the end. So slowly build up the layers. But don't go up to the masking tape as then that will give you a solid edge that's a pain to deal with..
Once nearly dry take your masking tape off and leave over night to dry.
Then using a black aerosol give the primer a light dusting of paint. This is a guide coat to show that you have flatter the whole area and to show any high or low spots. Use 800 grit with load sofa water and even some washing up liquid it help it glide . Do your best not to get finger lines threw the sanding lo. You should be ok cos of where the repair is.
When happy it's smooth and all flatted then using some green scrowering pad from the kitchen sand a larger area till it's dull showing you have keyed the area. Again mask up a larger area so you don't get a solid edge finish.
Same again with the paint colour give it plenty of layers but thin and slowly to let it nearly dry each time. Don't rush it as you will kick your self when it runs.
Again let it nearly dry then do the same with the laqure nice even coats but keep it in the door shut area and not on the external wheel arch.
Now leave for a few days in this nice weather to completely dry. Then you can use 2000 grit to smooth it in then 2500 to finish with. One it's nice smooth and happy then using some fine compound bring the shine out and give it a few good layers of polish.
Cos the 1k aerosol is no where near as hard wearing a 2k paint that they use in body shops but you will get a good finish.. just take your time don't rush and work clean. Oh I forgot to say before painting any thing wipe it over with white spirit and then wipe it clean to remove any grease and debris.... good luck

 

[iammooks]

What's annoying is repairers take no pride in their work and are not bothered about longevity beyond the 12 month warranty or whatever they give. To seal that repair properly would of taken all of 5 mins and avoided this.

Feel your pain mate i hate to find a bodge.

In short, yep. I had a crash several years ago, got it repaired at the insurer's approved repair place, and after a few years found that the lacquer was coming off, especially around the tow point cover and a few other places. Looked them up to get it repaired and the place has folded. Some of these places are dodgy as you like, and have no interest at all in doing a good job, because the insurers keep sending jobs their way, and because they're attached to a main dealer or something like that, they don't have to go looking because apparently they're instantly reputable.

 

[iammooks]

Looking at the rust you got it's hopefully not that bad. Seams to have come from the front rather than in the arch and come threw.
So best option is to remove with a wire wheel but don't come out to far as the different edges give you places to loose the fade out of your painting as you will never get a perfect match.. your cars paint is over 15 years old.
So wire wheel out the rust. You may need to use a little filler to fill any deep sections.
Using 180 grade to flat any filler smooth. Work your way up to about 600 grit.
180-240-400 then 600. Make sure it's flat and you can see all the paint layers as rings so you got a nice gradual decline in night from your top coat down to the bear metal repair.
Best of using high build primer. First thing is to mask up around the repair to stop over spray going every where. Then using news paper (best option laying about).
Then mask further out fill the door shut and wheel arch. Mask up the main outer face of your wheel arch as you don't wanna get any thing on this as it will he a bitch to match and fair in with aerosol cans.
Right give your self about 5-6 layers of the primer as stuff in cans in 1k so when it drys it's threw evaporation and reduces in thickness by about half. Don't just slap it on do it gradual as if it's to thick then the paint under neath can't evaporate as quick then you get sinkage when it does dry.....in the end. So slowly build up the layers. But don't go up to the masking tape as then that will give you a solid edge that's a pain to deal with..
Once nearly dry take your masking tape off and leave over night to dry.
Then using a black aerosol give the primer a light dusting of paint. This is a guide coat to show that you have flatter the whole area and to show any high or low spots. Use 800 grit with load sofa water and even some washing up liquid it help it glide . Do your best not to get finger lines threw the sanding lo. You should be ok cos of where the repair is.
When happy it's smooth and all flatted then using some green scrowering pad from the kitchen sand a larger area till it's dull showing you have keyed the area. Again mask up a larger area so you don't get a solid edge finish.
Same again with the paint colour give it plenty of layers but thin and slowly to let it nearly dry each time. Don't rush it as you will kick your self when it runs.
Again let it nearly dry then do the same with the laqure nice even coats but keep it in the door shut area and not on the external wheel arch.
Now leave for a few days in this nice weather to completely dry. Then you can use 2000 grit to smooth it in then 2500 to finish with. One it's nice smooth and happy then using some fine compound bring the shine out and give it a few good layers of polish.
Cos the 1k aerosol is no where near as hard wearing a 2k paint that they use in body shops but you will get a good finish.. just take your time don't rush and work clean. Oh I forgot to say before painting any thing wipe it over with white spirit and then wipe it clean to remove any grease and debris.... good luck

I'm not going to be doing the work for a while yet, but wanted to say thank you for such a detailed guide. So much of the stuff I've done on the car is because I've been getting such good advice from the forum, and so wanted to say how much I appreciate this.

There will be a pint in this if we're ever allowed to leave our homes again...

 

[Nam-uk]

i had a bit of rust on rear arch, was in a odd place when i looked it was down too a bad repair as they never re-sealed the seam. cleaned it up, used some waxoil underseal and got a colour matched spray, not come back since.
they may of just put a top coat on and nothing else, but id be taking that wheel or just remove the inner arch cover to look at least, id take car to be colour coded as well due to age/fading over the years as silver is one of the hardest colours to match.

 

[iammooks]

Before :

After:

It's not perfect - although the places where it looks like it's not blended are just reflections - but if it stops the rust getting any worse for a few years, I'll be happy. Two applications of Bilt Hamber Deox and a lot of sanding.

I have to keep reminding myself that it doesn't have to be perfect, but I don't like doing anything half-arsed.


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[BigJase88]

I’m sure it will see the rest of its life out anyways

 

[iammooks]

I’m sure it will see the rest of its life out anyways

At the moment, that's looking like six months...!


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