Rust repair -looking for some insight

[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