Rust repair -looking for some insight

[BEFE]

Hello I have a 2011 Z71 Suburban I have owned since 2012 and plan to keep it forever and ever lol. It is all stock except a bully gt to eliminate AFM and a lift level kit and some other personal items. Nothing mechanical really.

Any how it has developing a rust spot just below the fuel tank door on the drivers side. Its bubbling. Wanted to get thoughts on how to repair it.

Have the rust fixed and repainted

Or

Have the rust fixed and linex it. I have this idea of having it linex or similar commercial product. Just the lower portion of the suburban. Below the door mouldings all the way around. But what about the plastic bumpers and fender flares that come on these Z71s?

Any thoughts?

I will probably just have it painted....if I can find someone local that woll take on the work. Seems like most just want big jobs.

Anyone local to South Dakota that wants to take on the job? I usually keep it pretty clean and can post better/cleaner pics if needed but its been spring snowing here lately.

 

[petethepug]

Take it to the most expensive shop you can find. Get a free estimate. Let them educate you on do rights and (can) do wrongs in the repair of that. Don’t believe the scope of the repair? Go to another prime shop.

I can’t get a magnet on it to check for prior damage / filler or pick at it to find out where the remaining good metal lies. Once the rotten metal is cut off the skin, the interior needs inspection and possible additional cancer cut out.

If you find that cool Dood willing to fix it like he had on many other trucks just like that, remember, fix it right once or get what you pay for and find out that guy really wasn’t cool.

 

[BEFE]

Thanks for the reply. I get the risk of bringing to some "dood" as opposed to an expensive shop. But why does it need to be the most expensive shop? Maybe they do crappy work but suckers bring their stuff to them.

Have any thoughts on lining the lower doors/rockers fender flares and bumpers?

 

[petethepug]

Expensive shops don’t have use the warranty on their work. Their rates and over the top thoroughness will allow you to see what a cut rate shop leaves out.

With rust resto, you get what you pay for and not knowing to pay for it lies on the customer. There’s nothing wrong with you doing the initial inspection either.

 

[B-train]

If you decide to have a shop fix it with new metal, or whatever, I'd HIGHLY recommend getting it rust proofed by yourself, or a professional, once everything is cured and dry. Sealing out moisture from the back side is the only way you're going to get longevity out of a repair like that. Moisture/salt will work their way into those cut/welded areas and have a field day with good metal to munch on........

 

[BEFE]

What can I do as far as an initial inspection? I see bubbled paint and rust underneith. I am heading to a local shop here in a bit for an estimate.

As for sealing it after reapir. I'd expect that to be done by the shop that does the repair I guess. Certainly something Ill ask.

 

[petethepug]

Find a shop that’ll tear into it with you there. Nothing better than someone giving you the option to proceed or stop.

Try to find some Yt videos of rust repair in that area to help you out.

 

[B-train]

What can I do as far as an initial inspection? I see bubbled paint and rust underneith. I am heading to a local shop here in a bit for an estimate.

As for sealing it after reapir. I'd expect that to be done by the shop that does the repair I guess. Certainly something Ill ask.

There are body access holes with plugs in them underneath that area. You might be able to see in with a bore scope and light. Also might be able to see if you remove a tail light assembly and look inside.

 

[BEFE]

I may try that. I just got a quote from a shop, unsure if its the most expensive shop but $4603.68. Basically replace the entire rear qtr. Not going to happen lol. The guy was pretty honest about it and from the others I talked to on the phone they only replace entire "skins" as well.

An entire rear qtr for some bubbles is overkill. Not sure what Ill do but its not getting a 4600$ repair.

 

[vcode]

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I would be real curious to see what things look like under the fender flares. Any Suburban or Tahoe I've seen with rust where you have it also had bad rust in the wheel wells. You may need a full rear quarter and not even know it.....

 

[wjburken]

I may try that. I just got a quote from a shop, unsure if its the most expensive shop but $4603.68. Basically replace the entire rear qtr. Not going to happen lol. The guy was pretty honest about it and from the others I talked to on the phone they only replace entire "skins" as well.

An entire rear qtr for some bubbles is overkill. Not sure what Ill do but its not getting a 4600$ repair.

My son works at a local body shop and they will tell you the same thing.

From what I can gather, it’s for a couple of reasons.

1) they want to get the edge of the repair to a point where it’s easier to blend in like factory seams/joints or in a door jamb. Creates a better look and less complaints from customers.

2) the actual size of the rust spot on the backside is usually 10x what you can see on the outside once it bubbles through from the back side so by the time they get the bad section cut out to clean borders, you’re left replacing a rather large piece anyways so they might as well just do the full skin.

They can certainly sand the bubbles area and paint it, but you will be back in a year or two with the same issue or worse.

 

[trottida]

The paint bubbling is coming from pin hole rust from behind. There is sound deadening insulation on the other side that holds water against that panel. Especially on the right side where the HVAC unit is. A "true body shop" wanted to replace the entire panels at $3K per side and like yourself I said "heck no". I found an alternative body shop that will actually do rust repair without replacing complete panels.

I've been fighting rear quarter panel rust since I bought my 2011 Suburban in 2017 and I finally resolved to having the metal cut out and replaced. The drivers side was done too and the sound deadening insulation has been removed. I've found that taking it down to bare metal and repainting only lasts about 1 year.

The series of photos below are top left April 2019 when the panel was taken down to bare metal and then painted. Note that there appears to be no rust through. This is the second time this was done, first was spring 2018. Paint from the 2019 repair started bubbling in spring 2020. I let it fester until fall of 2022. The top right and bottom photos are from September 2022 showing what it looked like before and during the repair. They did a good job and you can't even tell it's been cut and repaired. So far I have had no paint bubbling and it's been through 2 winter cycles.

 

[vcode]

The paint bubbling is coming from pin hole rust from behind. There is sound deadening insulation on the other side that holds water against that panel. Especially on the right side where the HVAC unit is. A "true body shop" wanted to replace the entire panels at $3K per side and like yourself I said "heck no". I found an alternative body shop that will actually do rust repair without replacing complete panels.

I've been fighting rear quarter panel rust since I bought my 2011 Suburban in 2017 and I finally resolved to having the metal cut out and replaced. The drivers side was done too and the sound deadening insulation has been removed. I've found that taking it down to bare metal and repainting only lasts about 1 year.

The series of photos below are top left April 2019 when the panel was taken down to bare metal and then painted. Note that there appears to be no rust through. This is the second time this was done, first was spring 2018. Paint from the 2019 repair started bubbling in spring 2020. I let it fester until fall of 2022. The top right and bottom photos are from September 2022 showing what it looked like before and during the repair. They did a good job and you can't even tell it's been cut and repaired. So far I have had no paint bubbling and it's been through 2 winter cycles.

View attachment 425311

My Tahoe rusted in the wheel wells, not there. I see a lot of Suburban's with rust down low between the wheel well and the rear door.

 

[solli5pack]

Got some quarter panel rust on my 10 Burb behind the rear door just above the side step. No plans on ever getting rid of the truck so might have to pick up a Harbor Freight welder and start YouTube 'ing how to change a quarter panel!

 

[vcode]

Got some quarter panel rust on my 10 Burb behind the rear door just above the side step. No plans on ever getting rid of the truck so might have to pick up a Harbor Freight welder and start YouTube 'ing how to change a quarter panel!

Yep, that's where I see a lot of rust here in Wisconsin.

 

[BEFE]

Yes that could be. I had the rear flares off a couple years ago to replace the tape and they looked new but a lot can change in a couple years. Ill be pulling them off again soon. Leaning toward having a guy do the repairs on the side and then having it rhinolined, lower doors/rockers, flares, bumpers.

If the wheel wells are shot or have any rust, the flares hide it well lol