Roof rust

[RockTracXJ]

Here's what I'm looking at:
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5786/pb030032az9.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5172/pb030035sl8.jpg

Seems like an old place for rust, but from the searching I've done, it seems somewhat common.

The Jeep's old enough that I don't want to pay someone else to fix it, but I've not done body work before. Obviously I need to get rid of the rust, but I'm not sure about how to fill the hole that's left. Any suggestions?

[Root Moose]

You good with a MIG?

If it were me I'd be inclined to cut out the entire rough textured area and weld in a new peice of steel. Treat per normal bodyman practice after that.

[OverlandXJ]

I recently had the same issue. I cleaned the area as best i could which opened up a few add'l pinholes. Mixed up some JB weld, let sit for 1/2 hr then applied.

Let the JB cure overnight and sanded it somewhat smooth the next day and covered with POR-15.

I ran a wire brush down the entire length of my gutter and applied POR also.

[RockTracXJ]

I recently had the same issue. I cleaned the area as best i could which opened up a few add'l pinholes. Mixed up some JB weld, let sit for 1/2 hr then applied.

Let the JB cure overnight and sanded it somewhat smooth the next day and covered with POR-15.

I ran a wire brush down the entire length of my gutter and applied POR also.

Did you have any holes as big as mine, or all smaller?

[OverlandXJ]

I had one the same size...and in the same vertical spot. Thats why i needed to let the JB setup some so it didnt just run in.

I didnt want to remove the headliner. You could do so and use a small piece of window type screen on inside to help hold filler.

[87manche]

I had holes like that in an escort wagon once.
Fiberglass works just fine if done right. I'd fiberglass it from the inside, then sand down that nasty metal, body filler it back to level and paint.

[RockTracXJ]

Unfortunately there is no access from the inside. There is sheetmetal there a couple inches from the problem areas.

[Matthew Currie]

My 95 is a good deal worse than that. I just taped over it because it's that kind of beater at this point.

One option if you can't get good access from behind is to cut out the bad area back to sound metal, and make a patch slightly larger than the hole. Now braze or spot weld a little piece of wire to the center of the patch to use as a handle, and slip the piece behind the hole, using the handle to pull it firmly out while you tack weld it. You now have an overlapped patch on the inside of the hole. You can then weld around the margin, and you'll have a slightly recessed patch. Just grind the handle off and use putty to get it flush. It's a little easier to avoid burnthrough this way than with a straight butted patch, and it doesn't matter if the patch is a little lumpy, or if it warps as you install it. You can even solder or braze the patch instead of welding it if you're concerned about burning up the interior.

[Blaine B.]

Bondo, paint, done. I'd remove the roof rack rails and check for surface rust under those too before it's too late.

I had a hole larger than yours, used some of that sticky backed metal grating to hold the bondo over the hole surface. Sanded it down pretty good, painted, wetsanded, painted again and it looks acceptable. 90% better than having rust or a hole!

[ebxjbob]

I had an identical spot of rust on mine, it was a bubble and when I sanded it thats exactly what it looked like.

I sprayed it with some of that stuff that "turns rust black" don't remember what it was called, then I covered it in bondo, sanded it, painted it and its been fine, almost a year now

[Blaine B.]

Ah, anti rust stuff.....I did that too.......Forgot!

[RockTracXJ]

Thanks for all the good ideas! I'm feeling a lot better about it than last night when I started sanding! It is unfortunate that I can't get to it from behind, because I think there is more forming along that roof edge.

[Blaine B.]

Yes, they are hollow rails. Can't. It's only rust, it'll turn out fine if you do it at least half-ass lol.

[johnlv6]

I had roughly the same size hole..i used the JB weld metal filler.

[mjd99xj]

That sux, i have the worst scattered rust on my roof (its a 99) that ive ever seen but none has gone through yet. I keep thinking of d/a sanding the whole damn roof and rhino lining it but havent had the free 10 hours yet..

[johnlv6]

It took me the better part of an afternoon to get a little area straight (2x3").

[Blaine B.]

I had 6 rust areas on the roof, same part of the roof (gutter) exactly across from eachother (3 on each side)

Strange :)

[crunked]

my suggestion would be to sand off ALL the rust you can then por 15 the crap out of it, inside and out, then jbweld/sand/fill/prime/paint. the por 15 will stop the rust you cant sand or grind out. if you cover it with bondo or jb it will rust out around it eventually (because the rust & moisture is still there below your filler of choice). I had a CJ that the po had "fixed" a couple dents with bondo. i was going to redo some of it by removing the bondo, and i had a couple LARGE (fist and basketball sized) holes left under the bondo. the key is to stop it then make it look good.

~scott

[lilredwagn]

Also will want to make sure that the bolts that hold down the roof rails are all in place and watertight to prevent it from happening again.

[Bender]

So what sort of paint do you guys use? Clear coat as well?

[Blaine B.]

Clear coat would always peel, so I didn't use any....just black rustoleum works well!