Now that the salt is done being dropped in NE Ohio I was hoping to fix a couple spots of rust before they get worse. What's the best way to prep an area to be painted? A couple of the spots are down on the rocker panel right where the rocker seams to the section of the ext cab sheet metal. I don't know how I can really clean that seam up that well. I was thinking about using a small abrasive blaster and really going at it. I don't think sandpaper or wire brush would get in as good. I realize nothing is 100% without cutting the old out but I'd like to clean it out the best I can before painting it. Any thoughts? And should my '89 F250 have rockers that don't wrap all the way around? Mine run down and turn in but are not enclosed. Which I kind of like so it doesn't trap snow, ice, salt, water, etc. but someone told me they might have been replaced at some point. They're pretty heavy sheet metal if they were. And seem to be very straight and well don't. With the truck being in VA for 24 years I don't think they'd have been replaced.

 

This is the worst of it. Right down where the back corner of the door sill and rocker come together.