Door rust

[Rexter9x]

So I've got some rust forming on the lower-inner portion of my door, which is worse on the rear doors. Any suggestions for what I should do?

[MMGT1]

Wire wheel and some rubberized rocker underbody spray for a quick fix. Little more involved, wire wheel it out, fill the damaged area... I am partial to short strand fiberglass myself but your call, zinc inhibiting primer, prep, paint.

[MMGT1]

oh... and do not fill in that hole at the bottom of your door. That has to stay clear for water that runs down the inside of the door to get out. I have seen cars with a door 1/2 full of water because peple have filled those in.

[Rexter9x]

Yea, I figured leaving the drainage hole would be a good idea. Just trying to keep the cancer from spreading too much. I really should have gotten it oil sprayed years ago, but figure once I get the rust taken care of on the doors that will be the next step

[MMGT1]

If you have it on the doors, in the spring, pull those rocker covers man. If its started there, clean it up now before it gets real bad.

[Rexter9x]

Hmm, good point. The rocker covers are just held on my a screw(s) on each side from what I've seen?

[Rexter9x]

Also for the rockers, you would recommend the the same process as above?

[MMGT1]

yup, I used short strand on mine.

[JLw7123]

i had bad rust on my quarter panels on both sides and on the rockers i acually had to cut lot out and weld new material back in. but i used the rubber spray after i welded everything. I have had no problems since. i waited to long to repair it and i payed the consiquences.

[Rexter9x]

Looks like I've got a project for the spring. From what I can tell its all surface rust, everything feels solid. Just enough to get the paint to start to flake in the affected area. Rockers might be another story

[Papa Rad17]

I had the same problem, I got the drill and a sanding kit and spent a few hours on each door, prime, sand, paint, sand paint. about a year later its not reformed yet. but the spot on the exterior has :(

[billytheman1188]

Hmm, good point. The rocker covers are just held on my a screw(s) on each side from what I've seen?

No....not just 2 screws or else the thing would have fallen off. Screws at the end, under it and there are clips that hold it onto the body. I've taken apart over a thousand cars and i dont think i've ever taken the rocker cover off of an alero :lol: So i cant tell you how the clips come out....some cars you just slide it back and it pops off....some you have to be gentle with and push the tabs in with a flat head (or clip tool). Just be careful and dont force it if it doesn't wanna come off....or you will be making a trip to the junk yard or the auto body shop:lol:

[bdyman]

jesus fuckin christ its fuckin amatuer hour on aleromod
why on gods green earth are we just putting a band aid on rust?????? people bondo is not going to fix rust, fiberglass is MORE POURUS THEN BONDO IS!!!!!! even though bondo is now water proof it still doesnt make it the cure all for all fixes!!!

save your money, take it to a shop and have it done right!!!! im not going to keep explaining body work, and the correct way to do things, wow just wow!!!

[guiguilandry]

finally bdy I was waiting you to get here lol

[billytheman1188]

save your money, take it to a shop and have it done right!!!!

You just contradicted yourself there body.....saving money would be doing a hack job :lol: Nobody wants to spend 2k to fix rust on a car thats is prob worth 3k.

Go ahead and fix it the way you want, but just know it WONT last. Just a temporary fix.


not going to keep explaining body work, and the correct way to do things, wow just wow!!!

You said it to me before....you CAN'T explain it online....it takes a while to learn how to do things correctly...hands on work. I know you already know this but i'm just repeating it for the "noobs" out there.

Instead of paying a shop to fix all your rust go find some good looking doors at the scrap yard, have them painted and put on the car. Def cheaper than paying a tech to restore it.

Body, i know your passionate about your work and you hate to see hack jobs (as do i) but you gotta realize these guys are just looking for a cheap fix...not everyone cares if their car looks show quality or not. People dont have the $$$$ to pay for correct body work. Times are hard....they wanna save money.

[Rexter9x]

This is why I asked. If there was a fairly cheap and easy way to keep some surface rust from spreading, and getting worse, then fine. If not, then I'll just leave it be.

[Rexter9x]

Plus, finding doors around here at a junk yard that arent in worse condition then what mine are in or that are rust free is going to be pretty tough. The amount of road salt they use around here in the winter is ridiculous

[tw0123]

lol you would be better off having them shipped from alberta where they only use sand on the roads lol... and good luck on cheap shipping for doors...

i patched my coupe with gutter mesh and bondo... almost 2 years later and its still holding... paint is flaking off, but i bought the car for a bottle of tequila... definitely not spending 2k to fix some rust...

[Rexter9x]

Heh, Ive seen your black coupe before you got it. Im running the snow tires/rims off of it. But I do remember the body on that car looking rough

[billytheman1188]

The amount of road salt they use around here in the winter is ridiculous

YES....here too....although our winters aren't as bad as yours. This year we haven't even gotten an inch of snow! :eek: Usually by this time we had 2-3 storms with more than 5 inches. But yea, when it does snow....they use a RIDICULOUS amount of salt. They NEED to use an alternative method....but that will never come....cause they just want our cars to rust out so we have to buy another one.

[Alerojester]

we have gotten about 7in. of snow when usually by this time we have gotten about 28ish inches, heck we have seen more 40*+ days since january then ever

[JLw7123]

YES....here too....although our winters aren't as bad as yours. This year we haven't even gotten an inch of snow! :eek: Usually by this time we had 2-3 storms with more than 5 inches. But yea, when it does snow....they use a RIDICULOUS amount of salt. They NEED to use an alternative method....but that will never come....cause they just want our cars to rust out so we have to buy another one.

ya were i live we usually have had a couple of storms with 12+ inches the only big storm this year was on halloween when we for 30 inches. last winter we got well over 100 inches of snow.

[Goodman]

oh... and do not fill in that hole at the bottom of your door. That has to stay clear for water that runs down the inside of the door to get out. I have seen cars with a door 1/2 full of water because peple have filled those in.

:lol: Picture this...
A guy... hey! i just redo my doors no more rust , beautiful yes?
Then a week later...
WTF? my car feels heavier & doesn't handle well & is more expensive on gas , ever since the big rain we've got last night , don't know what is going on??:rotflmao:

This is why I asked. If there was a fairly cheap and easy way to keep some surface rust from spreading, and getting worse, then fine. If not, then I'll just leave it be.
Rust or no rust one best way to keep you car in good shape longer & protected against winters is oil treatment once a year only about $100 to shoot the entire car , well worth the money spend
Also wash your car (car wash) when you got to much salt on the car (some winter days are warm enough to wash the car -10c or warmer is ok)

[MMGT1]

[QUOTE=bdyman;610457]jesus effin christ its effin amatuer hour on aleromod
why on gods green earth are we just putting a band aid on rust?????? people bondo is not going to fix rust, fiberglass is MORE POURUS THEN BONDO IS!!!!!! even though bondo is now water proof it still doesnt make it the cure all for all fixes!!!

LOL, figured you chime in there man... its a quick fix, and what I did was just to make it go another couple of years, thats it. These cars are getting to the 12 year mark, and like said, I am sure as hell not spending a couple grand on this thing body wise. But by all means, if you are going to have your car for another 5 years or so, then spend the cash and fix it right. Otherwise its just not worth it man. Hell, we are taking about a bit of rust at the bottom of a door and a rocker panel that is covered in plastic anyway! Sometimes, stepping back and looking at the big picture is the more reasonable way to go... just my 2 cnts guys, that's all

[bdyman]

cool!!!!

[Rexter9x]

Yea, I've regretted not getting it oil sprayed. That will be done soon.

[guiguilandry]

Your car a 2 or 4 door ??
Because I got 2 doors in perfect shape (redid bodywork profesionnally last winter) from my wrecked 2 door that i could sell you for cheap... and there is also an other ontario member wanting both glass...
Maybe we can work something out and meet somewhere, I did this with one time with another ontario member... If you and the other guy can give me a little cash for the gaz, we could work something...
They are a dark blue metallic very close to black (custom color we mixed)
Something like 150 for both doors... look at my for sale thread for some pics

http://www.aleromod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35006

thanks

[Rexter9x]

Sadly its a 4 door

[guiguilandry]

crap...

[tw0123]

Heh, Ive seen your black coupe before you got it. Im running the snow tires/rims off of it. But I do remember the body on that car looking rough

lol that would explain why i had to take my own rims and tires to pick it up lol... but hey, for a bottle of tequila, some bondo and brakes, it is holding up pretty well 2 years later...

[Goodman]

Yea, I've regretted not getting it oil sprayed. That will be done soon.

Yeah! it really helps to keep the car look '"new"
Lucky me the guy that had the my Alero before me sprayed the car every year since he bought it new , except the last year before he sold it

I run the car without oil treatment the first winter i saw the difference on the next spring :eek: so i decided to get it sprayed last year (October) before this winter hopefully my car will still look good this summer...

So basically my car didn't have oil treatment for about 2 1/2 years out of 11 not to bad...
Here are some pics of my car -->http://www.aleromod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34086

BTW:Oil treatment can be done any time of the year even in winters

[billytheman1188]

Here are some pics of my car -->http://www.aleromod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34086

BTW:Oil treatment can be done any time of the year even in winters

Do i see a FULL power seat in there? Did certain years have power seats? Mine only has the up and down controls.

[Goodman]

Do i see a FULL power seat in there? Did certain years have power seats? Mine only has the up and down controls.

Yeah! full control of the seat but only the driver side , i though that was standard on all Alero it was not?

[Papa Rad17]

Yeah! full control of the seat but only the driver side , i though that was standard on all Alero it was not?

Same mine has front/back up and down then forward/backward. The back of the seat is manual

[zzyzzx]

Pics of the rust would be helpful.

[kwhauck]

get new doors, problem solved.......

[djinxd1101]

I used Naval Jelly on my doors because it was just surface rust. Cleaned it right up and then I primed and painted.

[billytheman1188]

Yeah! full control of the seat but only the driver side , i though that was standard on all Alero it was not?

Hm....i have an 02 and don't have it. I wonder if they stopped after 01.

[Rexter9x]

Mines an 03 with full power control