I only have experience with POR15. It ONLY needs to be top coated if exposed to sunlight. The underside of the bed doesnt see sunlight.

As for removing the inner wheel well support, I found an alternative. The whee; well is still there to stop stones from denting the bed skin from the inside out, but this allows drainage and cleaning

I used a 1" hole saw and dill a bunch of holes where the support would meet the side. Everything was painted, then the paint was stripped where the adhesive needed to go(has to go on BARE metal) to bond the panel to the bed skin(adhesive goes on BOTH panels). Also the Inner wheel well was stripped and the support where they meet and adhesive was put on BOTH panels.
The support get vise gripped to the wheel well at the skin and where it meets the inner wheel well, i used self tapping screws to hold the support the oth inner wheel well. After the adhesive had dried(24 hours) the screws were removed and the adhesive was used to fill the screw holes.

Now the bed has the support that is needed and protection from flying rocks, but it is accessible to be cleaned AND there is ZERO bare metal to start rusting

 

I have been using POR15 for the undercarriage as I have been working on it. Axles, and front section of the frame have been cleaned up and painted with POR15. I know it doesn't react well to UV light, so I haven't used it to do anything that sees the light of day, lol. The fact that the Mastercote can be painted over without the use of a special primer does make it attractive though. That's the only thing about POR15 that is annoying. Supposedly you can't prime for it, paint over it or even clean it up without buying their brand of products. And they're all fairly pricy. Stuff works though!

 

I have had VERY good luck with Black POR15 as a primer then I top coat(while still tacky) with Valspar tractor black on frames

 

Yeah those results are kinda hard to argue with! Of course in my case, it's too late for that. I am fine to leave it the way it is now. It is under the truck anyway. I am more concerned with making it last than with making it a show truck. I still intend to drive it daily, haul firewood and mulch in it, use it like a truck. I just want it to look a little better than it does and be around for my son to drive it in 10 years.

 

The reason that was top coated, was that it was a cab -n- chassis and the frame does see sun

 

Sure I understand that. I followed that build. That ended up being a really sharp looking truck.

 

If you need patches for the bed floor, I found some on ebay for like 20 bucks with 15 bucks shipping, but he will combind shipping for more then one and up to five pannels. Just thought Id throw that out there

 

Thanks Hutch, The bed floor is in good shape. It's just the typical case of rust belt lip rot.

 

Ah, didn't realize that's what you were dealing with here. I have the same issue - hasn't gotten bad yet, so here's the approach I'd like to try:

1) Cut all rusted metal out
2) Thoroughly power-wash, etch, and then prime/seal/encapsulate with Mastercoat
3) Find some sort of simple, low-profile bolt or bond-on arch solution which leaves the inner side open so it can drain and easily be power-washed out any time I wash the truck. This approach could be viable for my truck now, since I'm only going to need to cut out ~8" of the arch peak, so there will be enough structure left to the original sheet metal. Perhaps the factory wheel-arch lip from the '04+ trucks could be an option, but a test-fit would be required.

 

Yeah, I have considered that as an option as well. The wheel well isn't really gone that far up on the bed I am prepping and I am running 285's anyway which stick out just a little past the wheel wells on the rims I am running. Might have to consider that option as well.

 

I've considered something like these...
Bushwacker 20501-02 - Bushwacker Street Fender Flares - Overview - SummitRacing.com

But would really prefer something that is even lower profile (and cost) and thus it might be okay to do just the rear wheels. The '04+ arch is designed to sit flush with the fender rather than proud of it, so it would take some re-engineering to fit and look right. Even then, that may or may not be possible - it would be nice to borrow one to get an idea.

 

The problem I am seeing with the approach of just covering it up with flares is that the rust will continue of you don't remove the cancerous metal and if you do, then you will have nothing to attach the flares to. They attach to the underside of the lip with screws and stick to the fender on the outside with adhesive.

 

I got the panels for my 92 from jeffs bronco graveyard, wheel opening patch and wheel houses. Full quarter panel, NPD sells OEM ford, not like your aftermarket crap that you blow on and it dents, aftermarket for these trucks is garbage.

 

This thread has addressed some questions I've also had, thanks guys. I too have never felt that confident with body work.

P.S. to DIYMechanic - noticed your location is Wooster. I went to school at ATI..

 

Glad it is helping somebody make a decision, lol because it isn't really helping me at all! I am really torn as to what to do now. Like I said I am funding this thing on a shoestring and I just don't have the budget to do it like I would like to.

Small world! I see you're still in the state though! Where are you located now? Nothing wrong with living in the Heartland...