Hey guys. This applies to my Excursion but I figured you would benefit from it as well. As most salt belt vehicle owners know rust is something that's hard to evade. My new truck had some rust where it typically starts: on the inner lower seem of the doors. The fix:

- Dupont Spray-on bedliner
- Sandpaper (1000 grit)
- flathead screw driver
- Acetone
- Masking tape & newspaper

1. Start by removing the rubber gasket at the bottom of the door and going over the troubled area with a flat head screw driver very lightly. If there is any indication of rust in this area the surrounding paint is likely ready to chip off and water filled.

2. Go over the area using the screwdriver as a chizel and the paint will come flaking off in the trouble areas. Make sure you get all of the "loose" paint off as any liner sprayed over loose paint will easily come off and will just retain the moisture that is already there.

3. Go over the entire area with the sand paper. I used 1000 grit to maintain a rough surface for the liner to adhere to.

4. Blow off the dust and then go over the entire area with acetone on a rag to ensure that the surface is clean and all the remaining sanding dust is picked up.

5. Mask off the area you want to line.

6. Spray an even coat of liner on the area. A couple helpful hints. This stuff comes out fast and thick so make sure that you start to the side of the area, move through it smoothly, and then stop after the end of the area. Allow 5 minutes between coats and then 15 minutes before removing the masking and reassembling

And here's what it looks like!

Before:


After the removal of the loose paint and sanding


Finished:



For best results, remove the door panel, clean the seem, and also coat the inside taking special care not to clog the drainage holes.

Happy trucking.

 

Nice pics.
Ive been having this problem on my 99 as well. What brand of undercoat did you use? Thanks.

Nate

 

So, you think that solvent based polyurethane spray is going to hold up? I betcha that in 6 months to a year it will peel off. Have a professional product applied, like LINE-X, and you'll have much better results.

 

Nice job. Thankfully, there is no rust on mine yet. I will keep the procedure in mind if I ever need it.

 

Nice job and effort ,but if you had a sandblaster it may last longer because
Rust is microscopic and over time it will be back.
Sand blast and seal with epoxy primer ,then apply any topcoat that will adhere to the expoxy primer is the best way to seal out moisture.

But I aplaud you on your effort and job !
Its all part of keeping it looking nice.
Rich

 

Your efforts are very nicely documented and a plus to this site. I did the preventive route first, and when the truck was new I went to Ziebart and had them do the rustproof thing. Evidently not many others took my approach, and the shop I used has since closed.

 

GREAT post! (your reputation reflects that) Appreciate you sharing the info...

Your finished product looks really good!

biz

 

Perhaps I was a little naive to think that bedliner would last forever. It's the finish and durability I was going after. I also sanded and sprayed the rocker panel as it was lightly scratched and it seems like an area that would also start to rust with time.

I think my next effort will involve a small media blaster to remove all of the rust and then the use of some POR-15 with the bedliner over that for aesthetics.

The look of it now is quite clean which is what I was after. It's one of those things that no one else would notice but that would drive me nuts everytime I swing the door open. The fix was for my sanity if nothing else!

 

Im the same way - it drove me nuts when I found the rust. The problem with that seam is that you will NEVER get all the rust out - even with a blaster. Water seeps down into the seam where there is no paint - eventually, you have rust. I have POR 15ed mine in the spring for the past two years - its holding pretty good, but each year I must sand it down and recoat it. My truck is black, so some black paint over the area after some body filler is in place works fine. We'll see. Good post tho. Wish there was a way to eliminate it all together.

Nate

 

good post, i guess this is one spot we will see these trucks rusting out 10 years downt he road?