Repair time - What type fo Bondo?

I have a 4 inch patch of scaled rust that developed underneath the body molding of my '88 2-door XJ. It has rusted through to the inside in the worst places. I used a wire brush and some Emory paper to remove the scaled rust and treated the rusted area with some rust converter as a temporary fix. In moving forward, what type of filler (glass or putty) should I use on this repair? The Bondo site lists the Professional grade putty type of filler for newer vehicles. Is glass filler the way to go? Any tips on the repair would be helpful, as this is my first attempt at body work. Other than this, my XJ is rust free (outside of surface rust from rock chips).

Note: I would post pictures, but I don't have permission to do so. How do I get the ability to post pics?

The only way to properly repair rust is to cut out the affected part, and put metal back in.
I have used screws, rivets, brazing, and Mig welding.

Filler is used to smooth over the repaired area to cover imperfections and joints.
I find that if I make the repaired area must be slightly lower than the normal surface area I get better results. Be patient and apply in layers. Use a body file or wood file to work the pudy when it is 80-90% dry and you will cut down on a lot of sanding.

My favorite filler is DuPont Duraglass.

There is a FAQ in about how to post pictures in the Forum.

Definitely follow WB9YZU's advice and use metal. Even with rivets you can tap a recess in the metal and use filler to make it look perfect. I prefer "Rage Gold" from Evercoat: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fge-112.

It sands nicely, is easy to apply, doesn't crack and finishes up very well.

HTH
Todd

WB9YZU said:

There is a FAQ in about how to post pictures in the Forum.

Click to expand...

Yes, I read that and, if I understood the FAQ correctly, I should have been able to attach a photo when I used the New Tread button. However, in my "Posting Rules" box towards the bottom of the page, it states that may not post attachments. I can't find out what I need to do to change that. Is there a minimum post count required?

Try this host, http://postimage.org/ simple and uncomplicated (not like some hosting sites which are way to complicated).

Browse for your photo. Mark family safe, hit upload, copy (a) forums link (I usually use to top forums link) and paste into your post.

I'm not a big fan of bondo. You have to clean, prep and seal both sides or it will eventually crack, especially in the Desert (heat) or someplace that really freezes. Bondo (generic term) expands and contracts at a different rate than metal does. Sometimes you get lucky and it lasts, most times it is just a matter of time before it cracks. Thin coats tend to hold better than thick coats.

Once moisture gets in the cracks, it accelerates rot.

Here is a picture I just uploaded in less than a minute, original size.


bild hochladen

x2 for duraglass. it seems to holy up much better than bondo long term

OK, let's try to post a couple pictures via the link that 8Mud provided (Thanks, BTW).

The first picture is the exterior after removing the scaled rust and applying rust transformer.



This second picture is what was waiting for me behind the interior panel.

Wire wheel that thing inside and out removing the rust. Get you a piece of brass and lay behind it and spot weld up those holes. Grind and smooth then put chassis saver inside and out.