I have an '02 that started rusting at the rear wheel well. I grounded out the rust used some rust treatment and then rustoleum paint. To cover the patch work I then installed some fender flares.

Now I have rust on the bottom of my drivers door. Looks like a little inside of the door (seam where inside / outside meet) and some on the outside. I can grind it out and prime the area, but am not capable of painting it.

Any suggestion? The truck has 100,400 miles is not a work truck, never been off-road or abused, and has been waxed several times a year.

 

Maybe use some por-15

 

That would cover the rust, but you would see the black POR when looking at the truck.

 

When I lived in the east and fought the road salt rust, i used to tape off about 2 inches up the door and paint the whole side from that line down with black spray on undercoating to keep the rot out. Not real pretty, but straight lines and protected.

I would guess you could get some spray on chip guard in a rattle can that is a pretty close match, or pick a color to make a nice offset and paint the entire lower portion like i used to with undercoating..

 

is your truck 2 toned? if not then you could just go down to line-x and make it a 2 tone truck with the line-x being the bottom color. or if it is 2 toned then just have the lower color done with line-x. that should take care of that nasty road salt......

also you could take off the flares and line-x the fender well curves. is your truck undercoated?

i live in indiana and did live in new jersey fro about 3 1/2 years so i have always lived in the salt belt and preventing that crap is always a number one priority. if its not undercoated i would highly suggest it.........

 

Would line-x hold on a door?

 

sure......

they would have to sandblast it down then coat it just like they do the beds. you could always drive over to one and talk to them about it........

 

I think I will next week. I assumed that it needed a surface parallel to the ground for support.

 

Wow, I had the same fender rust, treated it the same way, and have the same door rust in the same place! However, I am choosing to ignore it!

 

I would rather fix it now then have a biggerr cleanup later.

 

Anything you do on the door short of replacing it will only last 1 year and will be showing again. I 100% garauntee it. Once that seam rusts it will never go away. It is rusting between the layers of metal where you cannot repair. Sorry to deliver bad news but it is a simple fact of living in the salt belt.

 

That stinks. My cars have a 10 year rust warrenty, I'm pissed the truck only has a 5 year.

 

I hear ya there. Mine is starting to show a few spots here and there also and I only have 57,000 miles on mine.

 

I have the same spots rusting. My truck has been in MI since new.
A friend that has been in the bodywork business for years told me the only way to cure it is to replace the metal. He did recommend a product called rust Rust-Mort.
I plan to clean up, treat with something and touch up. It's only a matter of time b4 it starts somewhere else...

 

My 2002 F350 also rusted along the driver side rear fender area, paint started to bubble first, then the rust came. Took it to the dealer after the warranty expired a few months earlier. Service Manager said it was not Ford's fault, even after admiting my truck was well taken care of. Service Manager said he would call a Ford Rep after I continued to complain and remind them I was a loyal customer. With that said Ford denied my claim, so I no longer take my truck to that dealer and do most routine maintance myself. I ended up getting my truck repaired at a local body shop. They had to replace the L/R fender and repaint. Truck looks great again, even that bodyshop owner said it was weird how the left rear driver side fender rusted. I personally think this is a Ford issue just like the oil pans that are rusting. I really enjoy my truck but disapointed Ford will not stand behind issues such as this. I am also noticing a rust problem lower driver side door.