I took off my flares to put new ones on and discovered that there is rust starting to form under the flares with some bubbling and some of the paint is chipping off. What are my options to keep it from getting worse? I figured i could paint the part under the flare after i sanded it down to get rid of the rust but not really sure what to do about the rust that is bubbling the metal or where the paint is chipping off outside of where the flare goes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

My doors on the inside seam where its rolled about half an inch from the bottom is doing the same thing

I would imagine you could sand the loose rust off and put some rust converter on it then slap some primer on it

 

I would do the best to insure the rust doesn't get any worse, then I'd grab some 06+ flares. They're wider and might hide the areas you've worked over.

 

that would be great but i dont like how the 06+ flares look and i already bought 98-05 flares.

 

I hate these flares! lol. Mine is doing the same thing on the back driver side except worse. Im planning on ordering just the lip from online and welding it on then bed lining the lower part and where the flares used to be, leaving the flares off for good.

 

remove any paint thats bubbling until you find rust free metal. i like to chip the paint around all the rusted areas to ensure theres no rust forming underneath. sand down the rust until its all gone. remember, if you dont get rid of it all, it will come back. thats why its called cancer. then paint it with either a really good paint, por-15, maybe some rubberized undercoating or even rollon bedliner.

 

your going to have to remove a lot of paint probably to get rid of all the rust. get some 80 grit sand paper and start sanding in a small spot and work your way out from the rust spot till you find rust free metal them feather in the edges with some finer grit then prime sand again then pain

 

Well here is what it looks like after i got the paint off everywhere it was rusted or bubbling.

Not really sure what to do about the parts that are all the way through yet.

 

how soft are the bad spots? can you poke your finger or a screw driver right threw?

 

finger no, screwdriver not sure i didnt try it.

 

the best thing to do would be to cut it out an replace it. if you are always going to be running flares and dont want to spend much money, i would por-15 it and put a flare on.

 

would it be possible to just cut out the bad parts and leave the holes there and paint it then put the flares on?

 

well, it looks like the bedside is rusted through and the inner fender is the one with the rust on it. take the inner wheel well guard out to get a better look. if thats the case, i wouldnt cut it out and leave the hole. dirt will get in there and collect moister causing more rust.

 

Thanks for all the help. For now i am just going to get some primer and paint on it tomorrow if its not windy so that it doesnt rust worse. The truck is just sitting in the driveway since im at school. When im on summer break i will go back and try cutting it out and fixing.

 

your welcome. after you put the primer on, i would leave the flare off since its just sitting. it will help keep moister from staying in between the fender and flare

 

Ok. I am going to have to anyway because i still have to get the little black pin things that go in the lip.

 

you can probably pick some up at a local body shop for pretty cheap as they buy them in bulk. i dont know the technical term for them, but everyone around here calls them christmas tree's. just bring one with you to get the right size.

 

when i went through and replaced the ones that were missing last year i got them at the local farm store but i was there today and i couldnt find them so i guess I will have to somewhere else.

 

Well got it painted today. the color isnt the same and its not the best paint job but it will work for now untill i have time to fix it better.

 

after a little over a month of sitting outside in the rain some of the paint is bubbling and some rust coming back through already so i guess im going to have to do something else about it.

 

CANCER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha have you thought about spaying on undercoating on there?

 

u need to cut all the rust out and put new sheet metal in

 

Order some glass fenders and bedsides