Things To Know Before Buying Rust Repair Panel

Patch panels or rust repair panels are used to replace corroded, rusted and damaged auto body panels. The exteriors of the vehicle are made up of auto body panels. Rust repair panels enable the user to repair a particular part rather than replacing complete body panel itself. Thus, it reduces the repair costs by many folds. Also, these panels provide aesthetic beauty to the vehicle as well as structural support.

Rust repair panels can be of many materials including metals, alloys, plastics, and fibres. However, as a replacement, most of the repair panels are made of aluminium sheets and provide the required strength and rigidity, same as the original one would have. Also, such repair panels are cost effective and readily improves the aesthetics of the vehicle.

Following are the benefits of repairing the damaged body panels:

1. Higher Resale Value - Damage-free and rust-free vehicles go for more price than other.
2. Lower Repair Costs - If the car is rust free, there will be very low maintenance costs. Thus, a lot of electrical and mechanical components prone to corrosion remain safe and the performance never goes down.
3. Safer, More Appealing - If the body panels are corroded, they may get heavily damaged on collision. Thus, damaged panels must be replaced immediately. Also, new panels add to the look of the car.
4. Longer Life Cycle - New panels will have a longer lifespan and physically support the car for long durations.
5. Environmental Impact - Rust free and corrosion resistance components don’t get damaged easily and can also be recycled, thus reducing environmental impact.

Rust repair panels help in restoring the vehicle’s damaged parts to original condition and increasing the life of the vehicle, restoring its performance capabilities. A simple panel can be made using a pie tin, cut into the desired shape and fixing it with mud. Since we are generations ahead and have all the means to do this task better, better repair panels can be made. Today we can use a heavier piece of steel or aluminium, skilled labour, quality tools & equipment and custom make the required body panel. This panel can replace the damaged one and can even cover the rusted or corroded part of the car body. Making the rust repair panels on the brake is the most common way. Regardless of how crudely the panels are made, rust repair panels made on brakes are most often available panels available for application. Under excellent market conditions, the repair panels are made using expensive multi process dye called the precision dye stamping. These dyes can be as long as 15 feet to as small as a thousandth of an inch. Thus, these panels are made after careful examination and are sold at much higher prices than low quality panels. Also, these panels are not subjected to a particular make and model and can vary as per the need, demand and measurements. But the latest technology is limited to latest and in demand panels only and it is a very expensive procedure. One may not find panels for very old models and may also find such panels for selected models only, that too if you are in luck. Normally, the old damaged panel is removed by drilling out spot welds, removing the adhesives and other components holding the panel in place. The old panel is cut to the same size as the new rust repair panel. The new panel and car body steel panel can be butt welded it the cut out has a difference of sixteenth of an inch between them. Once you become familiar with the usage of precision dyes, the repair work becomes must faster. If the repair panels are of inferior quality, the repair work may take more time, to fit the panels correctly.

Rust repair panels fill new life in a car. Mostly, it is used to repair old vintage cars, that have rusted over time. But they are also used readily for newer models these days. These newer models can be protected way before their obsolete age comes into play.

Rust pair panels are used in significant areas like lower parts of the car doors and near the quarter panels where any other solution is difficult. For mainstream vehicles, the chance of availability of rust-free panel increases man folds.

Before installing new panel, you must realise how much area of panel to cut so that it can weld to the new repair panel. The new panel installation should be in a way that covers all the corroded and rusted area and at the same time the panel doesn’t cover the whole region.

Even if you have a smaller repair panel, try to fix the maximum area and replace the damaged lines as much as possible.

The new rust repair panel can be installed if the existing one is heavily damaged or corroded. Although, the body panel can take a lot of damage in daily driving, it is still prone to wear and tear over prolonged exposure to the environment and extreme weather. Dust, debris, water and moisture can cause severe damage to the body panel and can cause rusting and corrosion over excess exposure. This can cause dents and paint damage, which exposes the metal underneath causing corrosion.

Rust repair panels help in maintaining the structural integrity of the car as well as improving the aesthetics. This increases the after sales value of the car too.

There are a number of skilled auto mechanics who have a goal of opening their own car repair shop at some point in their career. But let’s face it; if you want to put up an efficient as well as profit making shop, then you might need much more than mechanical skills. There are a number of tools which you might need to perform the car repairs quickly as well as reliably. Auto repair equipment that you will need to repair your Rust Repair Panel may include:

• Plastic sheeting
• Paint tape
• Grinding discs and sandpaper (180-grit, 320-grit, and 600-grit, orfiner)
• Wire brush
• Wax and grease remover
• Grinding tool
• Lint-free cloth or microfiber cloth
• Body filler and applicator
• Automotive paint to match your vehicle

There might be a big-picture overview of Rust Repair Panel in your mind, and now it’s time

to look at its related components.

• QuarterPanel
• RockerPanel
• Body Panel
• Upper Wheel Arch Rust Repair Panel
• Wheel Arches

You may need parts for ford rust repair panel, dodge ram rust repair panel, ford 150 rust repair panel, tailgate rust repair panel and much more.

I bet that you’re thinking as to how much does a Rust Repair Panel replacement cost. Just keep in mind that it is not as easy as putting a fast and hard number on it. This is because the replacement/repair cost would be different for every Rust Repair Panel and it would also vary depending on how in-depth the repair needs to be. If you are thinking about the exact cost, then you might take help of an expert mechanic. New metal panels can cost around $60 each, and are suitable for repairing large sections of rusted metal. When the entire body panel of a vehicle must be replaced, a new part can be anywhere from $200 to $2,000. The cost of welding the new piece of metal into place can add an additional $45 to $250 to the final bill.

Following are the steps to change to new rust repair panels:

Step 1

First step is to mark the line of rust repair panel on the original panel. The panel below this line has to be removed from the main body panel.

Step 2

The rust repair panel has to be welded into the main body panel for which two inches of bare metal is necessary. Thus, the existing paint must be at grounds way from where the repair panel has to be installed.

Step 3

Double check the rust repair panel fit, before cutting the original metal away. If the panel gets cut and the repair panel is a misfit, then the car body can ask for complete body panel replacement.

Thus, even if the cut is wrong, it is advisable to make a second cut rather than adding a second sheet to the original metal panel for correction.

Step 4

You will require many precision tools and equipment like plasma cutter, die grinder, saw or tip snips, etc.to make proper cut of the damaged or corroded body panel. This will make installation of new repair panels easier.

Step 5

Check for proper alignment of the repair panel by placing it at the damaged area, where the new panel has to be installed and welded. Also, the type of weld and quality depends highly on the experience of the welder doing the work.

Step 6

Use the pneumatic grinder to grind down the welded area to smoothen it properly. This way, it will become to find the location of welded area via naked eye.

Step 7

Clean the area repaired by grease remover and wax. Also apply epoxy primer to finish the installation work properly.

Step 8

Follow up with primer and block sand before applying the sealer and top coats.