Worst 1g Rust spots

[Smitherines]

Heya guys,
Im going to start doing the body work on my car pretty soon, and I was wondering where all the problematic rust spots are, that are hid away somewhere under body panels and such, and the ones that are just plain out in the open, both under body, in the cabin, and on the exterior.

I really appreciate all responses.

 

[for sale]

i had some rust you couldent even see till you got under the car it was at the bottom corner of the door inbetween the door and the bottom of the rear fender

 

[eclipsh]

Another odd place for rust: the door open/close sensors. Mine weren't working so I went to replace them and found huge rust spots underneath them. I've also got rusted out rear bumper mounts.

 

[gameGSX45]

Well, usually the worst of it occurs at the rear quarter where the bumper and quarter meet. Then the rocker panels. Underbody happens to every car, just hope the undercoating held up. Body work is always fun

 

[6barrel-gtx]

I live in Michgan and we get the rust here. I have done several 1g DSM for paint and body and this is a list of the common rust areas.

1. Door rocker molding at dome light switch
2. Rear vent body molding just behing the door. The small vent get pluged with debri and act as a catalyst for rust.
3. Rear bumper attachments and bumper shocks
4. Fuel door seems
5. AWD cars rust bad between the truck floor and tank, especially the fuel pump base plates.
6. behind rear tires, at the interface of the bumper cover and the sheet metal the corner hold debri and lets water collect.

 

[jredgo1234]

6 barrel covered most of it.

I know my car had major just in:

-rear upper control arm camber adjustment bolt. I had to cut the bolt to get 1 arm off.
-rear quarter panels around bumper and gas filler.
-door switches (take off the rubber things)


im sure ill find more

 

[90 TSI FWD]

I have rust where you open the hatch behind the plastic panels on the right side where the rear quarter panel is. i'm still having a hard time finding out where the heck the leak is coming from.

 

[xveganxcowboyx]

Mine rotted really bad on the rear section of side molding )front bottom of rear wheel wells). You couldn't see a bit of it before the molding came off, but it needed new metal.

The side moldings do really trap salt and cause rust. The street side of your car will probably be worse.

 

[Locke]

I had rust holes in front of the tires, behind the lights on the front fenders, on both sides, exact same place, on a 91 Laser. The pinch seams under the car were pretty much gone as well.

 

[mksk415]

I just found that the piece behind the rear bumper cover where the license plate lights mount to is completely rusted. Since the lights have nothing solid to be mounted to, they now just hang. Before I take the bumper cover off to see exactly what it looks like back there, does anyone know if this piece is actually the rear bumper reinforcement?
Thanks.
92 GSX

 

[DSM_dreams]

mine rusted under the moulding between the back of the door and the wheel whell
the front corners rusted off on my front fenders badly

 

[onegeenewbie]

I live in Michgan and we get the rust here. I have done several 1g DSM for paint and body and this is a list of the common rust areas.

1. Door rocker molding at dome light switch
2. Rear vent body molding just behing the door. The small vent get pluged with debri and act as a catalyst for rust.
3. Rear bumper attachments and bumper shocks
4. Fuel door seems
5. AWD cars rust bad between the truck floor and tank, especially the fuel pump base plates.
6. behind rear tires, at the interface of the bumper cover and the sheet metal the corner hold debri and lets water collect.

Is there anything we could do as preventative maintenance?

 

[92awddsm]

I just found that the piece behind the rear bumper cover where the license plate lights mount to is completely rusted. Since the lights have nothing solid to be mounted to, they now just hang. Before I take the bumper cover off to see exactly what it looks like back there, does anyone know if this piece is actually the rear bumper reinforcement?
Thanks.
92 GSX

http://www.machv.com/1grelipllibr.html

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[mksk415]

Thanks. After I posted, I looked in my Chiltons and found this bracket. To be on the safe side, I decided to buy a used license plate bracket and bumper reinforcement because I'm afraid it might be rusted too. I got started removing the bumper cover but didn't get very far. When removing the rear splash panals from the wheel wells, each bolt I tried to remove broke off because of rust. I can see a lot of rust up underneath and I'm afraid of what I'm going to see once I get the bumper cover off. I'm expecting the absorbers might need to be replaced as well. It sure seems like a lot of work just to get the license plate lights mounted to something solid.

 

[eldiabloz13]

Out of all the dsms i have seen. Its always the dome light sensor like someone else said. Now go to the back wheel well and look at the bumper and the top fender. Usually in between there. Now INSIDE the wheel well look left(drivers side) and you usually see rust there(this goes for both sides). The gas tanks are horrbile for this. Anything around the gas tank is bad. EVERYTHING is bad there. Drop the tank and just behold how bad it truely is. Front strust had a lot on mine. I poked a hole in mine with my finger. Those are my bad spots.

 

[JrCRXHF]

Is there any replacement panels that we can buy from the car or is this a cut and tack in your own?

 

[Dr Vic]

I live in MI and I just finished welding some patches on my car. I would denitely check under the body kit/side moulding underneath the doors. When you sand them check to see if the metal has these small holes. That usually means its thin and therefore rusting from the inside. I hit mine with a hammer and rust started dropping from the hole. The wheel wells are definitely an issue as well. From my limited experience gauge 22 steel worked well for all the rusted out parts I had to replace.

 

[need2boostpsi]

Is there any replacement panels that we can buy from the car or is this a cut and tack in your own?

This would make a good place to list rust replacement parts, if you know of any please post a link, I think JNZ use to sell replacement quarter panels.

 

[92awddsm]

This would make a good place to list rust replacement parts, if you know of any please post a link, I think JNZ use to sell replacement quarter panels.

You do realize this thread has been dead for over a year now, right? But you couldnt just let it be.

 

[need2boostpsi]

You do realize this thread has been dead for over a year now, right? But you couldnt just let it be.

yes i do, but i would rather hi-jack a dead thread than to start a new thread about the same topic. I didnt even realize they still made license plate brackets. I'm just hoping they still make other items like replacement quarter panels.

 

[PIMking]

well that is all the rust on my car. I want to cut it out but im not sure what steel to use. Im not going to repaint the whole car just that spot. Other than that its good to go! Tell me what you think. weekend job?

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[Dr Vic]

I would use 22 gauge steel available at lowe's/home depot. Make sure to hammer out all the rusted out areas. There are some areas that appear intact on the surface then if you hit them with a hammer they fall apart. I did that to the area underneath the drivers side and I got two big rust holes. I used a MAP/oxygen torch to weld mine. I didn't use the steel rods because it took too much heat to melt it. Instead I used the brass ones and till now the repairs are holding up despite only being covered in primer.

 

[PIMking]

MAP? Oxy/actealane (sp)?

When I had the panels out on the interior I could see the rust hole and its pretty local. Im happy.

 

[slow4g6392tsi]

I have a little around the moon roof. Like in the lower part and you can only see it when it is open.

 

[Dr Vic]

MAP and oxygen torch. its relatively cheap. You can get a kit at lowe's for about 40-50 bucks. It includes 1 tank of MAP gas and oxygen, a torch, and a few brazing rods. You can learn how to braze metal if you go online and watch videos or I can tell you how to do it here.