How to Repair a Rusted Wheel Arch

[@dragshoe9339]

Pretty much exactly what I need to do with my old bronco. Thanks for the expert technique. You make this job seem very approachable.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Just take your time, and measure/trace everything out before you cut. Good luck.

[@leeirvin5983]

I recently bought 2 wheel arches and another lower panel from Ray Bucks. Top quality panels, made the job a 100 times easier. Thank you Ray Bucks. I recommend you to everyone I know.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad you were satisfied and we could help with your project!

[@esroot12]

This was an excellent video. Will be ordering from you guys-love that you have wheel arch parts not the entire panel.

[@alexrowdy2718]

Welding with naked hands is priceless !

[@LLANTALOBOTOMIK]

My father gave me my first beat up when I was trying weld a fridge with gloves. He said real men work without gloves.

[@michellerose1190]

@LLANTALOBOTOMIK Damn! That's just wrong! Sorry, dude. My lad def benefitted from not having his old man around!

[@rustyshacklefordspocketsqu8162]

prime at 240- 320. 400 is the max, anything after that it peels

[@niiko_9161]

Just bought my wheel arches from you guys and I will definitely try some of these tips and tricks. Have a good one!

[@briardan9226]

I really like the way this was shown and narrated over the work. The music ... meh. But I don't really like background music on repair videos. Especially when it's repetitious. I could just be getting old and cranky. LOL Great video!

[@charvakkarpe]

This is great. I would have liked to see the paint blending steps too.

[@sdoyal1]

Good info but next time PLEASE CUT OFF THE MUSIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@janetc4306]

I liked the music.

[@spiffy830]

Great video MUSIC sucks had to mute

[@zqzqpj]

👍👍

[@daveyvane]

I wanted it louder😢

[@shalee48]

Take the tail lights out and spray oil in there and it will never rust ,Tim

[@psoon04286]

Super nice to watch a true expert at work👍👍🙂

[@annettesurfer]

That "chisel" is a Steck SeamBuster model 20015 and I'd use a wooden handle to help align the edges to weld rather than steel. I'm not a fan of lapping the patch, butting (like Fitzee on YT) would've eliminated 99% of the body filler. I would've used a panel bonding adhesive instead of seam sealer. Back to the SeamBuster, it's great to use as a can opener to remove panels from donor vehicles in scrap yards where torches and grinders aren't allowed. I once cut out entire wheel wells to transplant. Slices 'em out quickly. Using the Steck on a windshield pinch weld was a bit more difficult but doable.

[@littleredridinghood5622]

Fitzee fab is a master of butt welding .. Some of his body work requires 0 body filler ..

[@Klwjjj]

That’s one nice repair. Thought out nice and clean work.

[@onlywenilaugh6589]

Cutting wheel guard tool is your friend. That wheel breaks and it's going to embed in his head or face or wherever it hits. Thanks for the video.

[@kenj.8897]

Not to mention a fire blanket over the tire to protect the wheels finish from sparks .

[@PREDATOR07]

Thank you so much for posting this video. I totally disagree with cutting the whole section in my case the driver side quarter pane due to the amount of work required when cutting the whole area.

[@digitalldreamer]

Amazing work! Old timer doing all the work needs to wear some type of REPORATOR, SUPER toxic! LOL

[@ramirogarcia1045]

You can cut music fo future videos

[@DMSpano]

I'm new to all of this, but so very cool and I am going to try this on my Ram. Great video!!!

[@clterry07]

i like the editorial on rust and manufacturing ... yes sir you are correct on the foam spray for noise deadening ... dumb move but good for body shops lol

[@scottkavanagh8201]

I would've done the whole wheel arches on both sides because they'll eventually rust anyway.

[@figurado1]

This repair could last over a year. Then you get to do it again. If you use this approach you can plan to do it once a year until the entire vehicle composts.

[@cdb989]

A little over the top for a 2012 vehicle rust repair The end result is nice.

[@spinnetti]

Not really. A pro method would have the metal butt welded so it did'nt take a bucket of filler. Last time I did this I used zero filler, but in general nobody cares. Just did it for my personal satisfaction lol.

[@Tony-tk4ht]

guy knows his stuff

[@wadesoutdoors1914]

Great video !! Wondering why he done an over lap other than a butt weld ?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Not sure. I would have done a butt weld.

[@Montahue]

What happened between the primer and the base and clearcoat. I'm confused.

[@cujo7240]

Nice repair work. My concern though is that the repair job took care of the obvious damage visible on the rear portion of the wheel arch, but what if there is similar damage farther forward on the front side of the arch that just hasn't made to the surface yet. Do all manufactures use this spray in foam sound deadening in these truck wheel arches?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Our understanding is that most manufacturers use this spray. And yes, your concern is founded. There could be rust starting in a different area around the arch. I would highly recommend just doing the entire arch, instead of just a section of it as was done in this fix.

[@13christbane]

@@RaybuckAutoBodyParts you should highly recommend box side replacement but you have shitty repair panels to sell.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

@@13christbane Have you used our panels for repair work? Also, have you priced out a complete box side replacement vs a patch panel repair?

[@wematanye533]

@@13christbane hey if you really don't want to take half measures why not just strip the car bare and replace the entire body

[@dennisgallear409]

Nice lesson for sure!

[@Halfdaf]

Its overall a good job, but i did see some excess lines right on the contour as soon as he applied the primer and also saw it on the final pic

[@generaljohnjohngunznshit4997]

How much does the repair cost?

[@imsorrydaveimafraidicantdothat]

Why are wheel wells designed this way? It seems to be a perfect environment for rust to develop. Planned obsolescence seems like the most likely reason.

[@2011wideglide]

I looked on your website but you don’t have anything for my 2016 ram 1500 bed wheel well. Just started getting rust. Well last yr and was thinking I should fix before it gets to bad.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Sorry, that's correct. We don't have the replacement wheel arches for the newer Rams yet.

[@rightwinger1505]

Looks great but i hate the body filler idea. Is there any way to get the same results without using it? Heavy primer ect...

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Only real way around it is to metal work everything. Even with that, you'll probably still need to glaze it.

[@rightwinger1505]

@@RaybuckAutoBodyParts thank you for responding so quickly

[@lawncuttingplusdelta]

Impressive practical repair , just as fast as mickey figerglassing , and metal piece is cheap 👍🏻

[@13christbane]

welding sheet metal to rusty parts. fucking brilliant.

[@BassManStrikes]

Did they use a mig welder or a wire feed one that uses a flux core wire?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Mig

[@joemorgulec2012]

I’ve seen a lot of comments indicating that the overlapping metals will cause it to rust eventually. Is this true? Would it be more costly to have it done differently ? Thank you! I really enjoyed the video!

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

With the overlap, I think it depends on how well you seal the area behind the patch. Personally, I would butt-weld the panels so water wouldn't be able to puddle anywhere. That said, it's been two years and the fix is still holding up.

[@joemorgulec2012]

Thank you for the feedback. I am going to call for some quotes on my job tomorrow. Would you recommend a welding and fabrication shop, or a collision/body shop for the best work at the best price?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

I would take it to a body shop

[@joemorgulec2012]

I know you’ve said that around $1000 would be a fair cost for the repair. I am getting quoted at around 2,500+ from shops I’ve called on and my rust is not even bad. It has not rusted past the body line of the wheel arch at all. What strategies can I use to find an affordable shop that does quality work. For context, I live in Port Huron, Michigan

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

@joemorgulec2012 that seems high, but a lot of shops don't like doing rust repair, so they may price the job accordingly

[@jamesgould6001]

Hello. Quick and final question. One side done, my inner wheel well did not need repair. Not so lucky on the other side, When you weld in new piece on inner, don't you have to weld up the tops where the notches are are??? Your new welded piece is only on the outside of the inner wheel well no notches. I hope I am clear. Thank you

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

If I'm understanding you correctly, then yes, you should weld up anything that was previously a solid piece.

[@sarahhonan5346]

You wouldn’t happen to have anything for a 2007 Kia Sorento LX would you?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

We do. raybuck.com/product/2002-2009-kia-sorento-rear-wheel-arch-driver-side/

[@frundlemud]

Decent solid repair that will last.

[@dealman3312]

Amazing skill!. Does anyone make quarter panel arches for bmws?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Like these? raybuck.com/?s=bmw+arch

[@kenhilson786]

what about flanging the edges of patch that go underneath or does the misalignment help in blending the bondo

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Definitely. You could cut out just a bit more and flange in the flatter area around the arch.

[@stevemaclean2009]

How was this painted? Was thr basecoat blended in and whole panel recleared or was who panel repainted with base and clear coated?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

basecoat blended and then whole panel cleared

[@dustinterry6321]

I have the bubbles starting on my 2013 F150. The one bodyshop I took it to for a quick diagnosis said they would only replace the whole box side. Is the repair in this video common to bodyshops? Very satisfying video to watch BTW.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

That's not surprising. Some shops do not like to do rust repair work, so they tend to push for complete panel replacement. The repair shown in the video is very common, so I would suggest calling some other shops.

[@dustinterry6321]

@@RaybuckAutoBodyParts thank you!

[@deebee3901]

After a year, how is the repair holding up? Did you do the other side too?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

The repair is holding up well. I haven't had to do the other side yet. I've also been spraying Fluid Film around these areas in the Fall each year to help keep the salt off.

[@oxygen454]

I'm kinda surprised the rest of the paint wants masked off. The hot sparks from the zipcut cutting embeds into the paint and rusts.

[@_D.I.G_]

it happens on the 99-04 mustangs to bad there is no patch panels you can buy for those cars. I had to use fiber glass and bondo it didn't hold up well and i have to do the repair again.

[@jordancrawford9397]

What kind of primer did they use? Couldn’t catch the name or kind in the video

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

They just used a weld thru primer

[@enriquelopez9124]

Awesome job,

[@sheetschandler]

What type of welder do you use for this type of body work?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Typically you would use a MIG welder for this. If you were trying to buttweld the panels, you could use a TIG.

[@daveschreiber9587]

Who makes those panels? I'm looking for a rocker panel for a 2007 Tacoma.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

We sell these panels at www.raybuck.com. Unfortunately, we do not have a rocker for your 2007 Tacoma at this time.

[@PeterEgan-kc9ty]

Who let this man near a welder🤦🏻‍♂️ No mask on or gloves, might be old school but it's one way to give yourself melanoma. That repair is just going to rust from the inside out again due to that overlapped piece which will trap moisture and that skim of fibreglass will start coming away from the panel when it does. No manufacturers repair process includes overlapping a repair section unless it is for a plug weld or resistance spot weld on an aperture you can seal afterwards. It looks good for now but it will come back through worse as that inside edge is exposed.

[@shawn6684]

It rots out cause there's a foam strip they put in between outside and inside. 😫

[@tropifiori]

Can you do that with an arc welder? What amperage ?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

I would think so, but I'm not sure of amperage for it.

[@michaeln807]

How much does a repair like this cost?

[@13christbane]

more than you should spend on a truck that will rust out everywhere else

[@MediocreMedic123]

Does anyone know if these are quality parts?

[@gw2031]

Is this mig welding ?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

yes

[@7xTHORx1]

Fluid Film for the win!!!

[@liamspawn]

Is that a weather tech bed liner? If so do you recommend it?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

It's a factory Ford spray-in bedliner

[@liamspawn]

@@RaybuckAutoBodyPartssorry I meant to say the bed cover, not bed liner

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

@@liamspawn bed cover was just an inexpensive one from Amazon

[@jaggass]

Do rust bubbles always mean holes in the bodywork? My neighbour has a Mazda 6 with rusty wheel arches like that.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Not always, but usually if there's a bubble, that means water is getting in from behind (which is typically from a rusted out panel)

[@scottalexander5809]

Did he paint and clear the entire bedside?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

He painted the area around the repair and then cleared the whole bedside.

[@borischerniy4430]

what is this special red primer befor (and for?) welding?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

It's a weld thru primer. It helps seal the bare metal, and it won't burn off during welding like a standard automotive primer would.

[@andrewgibb8846]

The body shops in my town want $1200 per arch for repair. It’s involved but man, customer supplied parts it’s just labour and time. I need to learn how to weld.

[@dougkershaw2844]

a lot of work for something that will last about a year been doing body work for 45 plus years if you are going to keep the truck put new bedsides on the dam thing when you do all that welding you have burned off all the E coat on the back side then here comes new rust in less than a year

[@lcsvlone2811]

What is a new bedside? I am thinking of doing this on my car as it is very special to me how could I repair it on a car without it rusting in a year?

[@griffturfcare5061]

got the same problem, not quite as bad. good stuff

[@possle]

How do you get the line in the repair piece so it slots under body? Is this method easier for fitting vs cutting the repair panel and butt joint welding it? The join on the inner and outer arch joint, is this welding together at all or just seem sealed

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

The arch body lines are so close that you can slide this piece under the body and it will almost right on. Personally, I probably would have butt welded, but I think it's just a matter of personal preference. Everything in this repair was welded, but the inner panel patch that they put in was stitch welded and then seam sealed.

[@thomasjcox]

What year is this truck? It looks like it may be 2014-15 F150?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

2012 F150

[@jamesgould6001]

Between the inner wheel well repair piece lip and the new wheel house arch lip did you seal that, or what did you do?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Yes, they seam sealed along that edge, and all other overlapping edges.

[@jamesgould6001]

@@RaybuckAutoBodyParts Thank You!

[@jamesgould6001]

One more question for you, since I have gotten my panels and am getting ready to start. What is "weldable primer"? Never heard of it before, and can't find it. My local part stores never heard of it either. Thank you

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

@@jamesgould6001 We sell weldable primer. It's meant to be sprayed on before welding, and then it gets pulled into the weld to help keep it from rusting. Some people use it to coat the inner side of panels that are going to be welded together, but it's not really meant to protect those areas for the long run. Once welded together, something like a cavity wax, or inner panel coating really should be sprayed into these areas.

[@kaitlynsuarez5129]

Do you all sell wheel arch protectors for '12 honda accord lx's? Looking to protect it.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Sorry, we do not have a wheel arch for that model year accord.

[@susanrico4470]

How much is the repair

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

This type of repair will typically run in the $700-$1000 range

[@immytay65]

Have any Raybuck coupon codes for body panels?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

5-200 gets you 5% off orders over $200. There's also a sale going on right now.

[@halledwardb]

What brand is that extended cut off tool. Looks like a great tool to have!

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Sorry, I don't know, but you're right. That would be a nice tool to have.

[@802reptiles4]

Thanks for posting

[@tlabrusciano]

Hey Steve, where do you purchase your sheet metal, I need to order both side for my expedition, also what did they charge you to do the work so I have an idea. Truck turned out great..

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

These types of panels are all from Key Parts. The work on my truck typically runs in the $700-$1000 range.

[@hawkgeoff]

Cost for a repair like this?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Probably in the $800-$1000 range

[@rangerwwc72]

Ballpark, what would this cost at a body shop?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Probably in the $800-$1000 range

[@adriancarter825]

Great result but you skipped the base coat and lacquer

[@JemenJ]

Just breath all that dust in...

[@mottersheadpaving]

excellent vid thankyou

[@traykarate]

Great tutorial Video, BUT can’t hear the narration because the background music is Way TOO LOUD. Extremely annoying!

[@chrisgivboi]

What does something like this cost a customer? I have a similar wheel arch that I want professionally fixed

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

You're most likely looking at $700-$900 for a repair like this.

[@chrisgivboi]

@@RaybuckAutoBodyParts Thank you for this information!!

[@Aman-rp7yj]

So there is no possible way to prevent/seal the issue area?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Yes, you can remove as much of the foam as you can reach and then spray that area of the bed with undercoating or cavity wax. You can also topcoat any of that with a product like Fluid Film on a yearly basis. There's no guarantee that any/all of this will prevent rust from forming, but it really helps.

[@Aman-rp7yj]

@@RaybuckAutoBodyParts thanks for the response. Starting to have slight bubbling on my 09. Really frustrating seeing as I took good care of it.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

@@Aman-rp7yj Mine was a garage-kept 12 and it did this. It's really frustrating that the manufacturers won't change their process to eliminate this problem. You don't see this problem on older trucks that didn't have the foam spray.

[@jiggidyjam]

What was the cost to do this?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

You're most likely looking at $800-$1000 to have something like this done.

[@jiggidyjam]

@@RaybuckAutoBodyParts thx

[@panhandle-123]

Awesome job!

[@monkey555500]

fab video...really helpful thanx

[@kennyleejohnson5253]

Great video !!

[@clterry07]

question : how much bondo was used to fill in the seams especially were the body lines met each other ... thats the hardest part of rust repair are the body lines ..

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

It was a light skim coat. Probably around 1/8"

[@Darkelementsx22]

how much does something like that cost? just fixing it not painting.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

All in, this repair was around $750, including paint

[@Jursaw]

How much did this repair cost you?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

You're probably looking in the $700-$1000 range for a repair like this.

[@DonTem-rb5bh]

If you want to repair that area why would you go and buy flat stock and make it from scratch or buy a large panel like the one you're selling? Just go to your friendly neighborhood junkyard and slice out the appropriate section from a front fender which has the same contour and body line as the one you're selling. The Ford front fenders never rust from the inside out because they are single wall. I'm about to do that on an a 2007 F150

[@wematanye533]

Personally where I live virtually every car is in the same state of decay

[@JKargariyan-xl2lj]

Thanks

[@boondock6055]

How much? $

[@jeremyjongejan]

Great video. Thanks!

[@rangerwwc72]

Why wouldn't you do the whole wheel well to stop any more rust coming through?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

When doing a repair like this, you want to cut beyond the rust in order to prevent it from spreading. The best approach would be to replace the entire bed skin, but that is a much more costly project, hence the availability of smaller patch panels.

[@paulcohen142]

Everyone has a different budget, some people may only have one car too and can’t afford for it to be off the road

[@northerntoyota7584]

Why do domestic manufacturers use this double wall with foam method for bed sides? All Toyotas I’ve owned have single wall bed sides and I’ve never had them rust. Easy to rust proof and don’t trap dirt and moisture

[@benchman1351]

You lapped it, well I guess you wanna do that repair again, I give it a couple years at best. If it's not butt welded and sealed from behind, you're doing it again, don't throw out the left over patch panel you'll need it.

[@lariat9447]

Definately not a long term repair, rust is still there and will form worse in the "overlapped" area.

[@ANPennsylvania]

Did you not see it was sealed from behind bro?

[@customjrod]

100%

[@davidd1395]

Better than new!

[@andrewgilbride7546]

I guess the bodywork guy doesn’t care about his lungs.

[@binarywraith]

Got his safety squints on doing the tacks I see.

[@keithbrown1915]

Not recommended. The rest of the quarter will rust out later. Replace entire quarter or use engine patch and remove the awful sound deadner. Not sure why there has not been a class action suit against Ferd under lemon laws

[@wakko0hakko]

Just a quick note to beginners watching this video... It is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS to use a grinder cutting disc without a guard, like in the video. These discs can shatter and if that happens without a guard, you will probably need facial reconstruction.

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

Great point that I should have mentioned. I've had cutting discs shatter (especially if you have a cheap one) when they catch an edge.

[@opelstu]

I'd be just as worried about inhaling the debris/dust and chemicals. Excellent job on the truck.

[@robertallen5531]

Not only is the cutting disc dangerous but flying metal is too. My brother nearly lost his eye because he wasn't wearing safety glasses and a piece of metal hit his eye. He never recovered all his eye sight. Always wear safety glasses. We were young and dumb and he's still paying the price.

[@benpolman2365]

Just a question, as I have become a victim of the wheel well rust, what would be a labor cost for something like this, and total cost after everything?

[@RaybuckAutoBodyParts]

It's hard to put an exact amount on a project like this as it's variable, depending on the amount of rust that needs to be repaired, the cost of the parts, and the labor rate of the shop doing the work. Roughly, though, it's probably going to be in the $800-$1000 range.