Fixing GQ Roof Rust

[Devious 4x4]

Gday, Just thought Id show my latest project on the Patrol.

When I bought it a few years ago there was rust in the roof above the gutter on the drivers side above the rear window.

I ground the paint back and found it was just surface rust with no holes through the metal. So I rust treated it and primed it and that was it, I never painted it, which was a bad move as the rust came back and much worse!

So I ground it back again and found there were a heap of holes in the metal.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/548718_10151129262401871_1510090859_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183456_10151129262196871_107405516_n.jpg

So I figured I might as well cut the rust out and fix it properly. So I cut out the rusty areas and found the inner frame of the roof also had surface rust and lots of moisture in there, and the small hole I cut also had a heap of rusty metal flakes behind it.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/525855_10151129262271871_533165807_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/65454_10151129262311871_2055500512_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/535928_10151129262496871_1979361833_n.jpg

So I cleaned the inner frame up with a wire wheel on the die grinder, rust treated the areas and coated them in a Kill Rust epoxy paint to prevent more rust from forming.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/32355_10151129262001871_1599078486_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/223372_10151129262741871_242455122_n.jpg

I then cut out replacement sections from some steel I had, which I had zinc coated on the inside to prevent future rust and welded them in. I also removed the rear side windows, so I could lower the headlining to the back seat, which would allow me to keep an eye on any potential fire risks. I also had an extinguisher handy just incase!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/254540_10151129262636871_1746857705_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/397296_10151129261916871_446524662_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/543263_10151129262821871_1528905184_n.jpg

After I cleaned up the metal it only needed a little filler to smoothen everything up and it got a coat of 2K high fill primer.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/426338_10151129262886871_143360808_n.jpg

I have to let the primer cure for 24 hours, So it will get a coat of paint during the week. The job took me about 7 hours in total, and that was just taking my time. A decent mig welder would make it quicker, but ive only got a gasless mig, so there was lots of cleaning up welds involved!

Thanks for looking!

[Bigrig]

That's a bloody good effort mate - doing some patchwork to the sons rig and lets just say, not quite as clean in the lines as yours!! lol

Thanks for sharing it!!

[Devious 4x4]

Thanks for the feedback. Its a pain in the butt of a job to do, but at least its now rust free!

[growler2058]

Cool this is something I need to get onto fairly quick smart


Sent via my tapping thumbs

[threedogs]

Body work....... truelly a gift, truelly a gift.
is this common to GQs???

[Devious 4x4]

I know of a few GQ's with this issue. Thankfully, that is all the rust mine has!

[MEGOMONSTER]

That's a bloody good effort mate - doing some patchwork to the sons rig and lets just say, not quite as clean in the lines as yours!! lol

Thanks for sharing it!!

Maybe go back and fix it right. Always room for improvement.


Sent from the secret chambers of our secret society, on a secret iPhone, with a secret pin code and eye retina scanning from a secret peep hole, just don't tell anyone OK, cos it's secret........

[optic]

Mate ask yourself why it rusted there, take a look at my post on the tears in the roof at the end of the gutters. In General chat.
Looks like you may have had some sort of a problem like mine.
Do you have a roof rack?
Nice work BTW.

[Rayza]

looks real good. youve done a mad job. have you had to repair any small/medium dents before?? i backed into an invisible pole (not really i just obviously didnt see it) at the servo and made a small dent in the back corner of the tray on my ute. do you have any tips on how to fix it up?

[choochie]

Looks like a great job. I need to do the same to mine and also rust above the windscreen. Really need to get it looked at and know its gonna cost me a few pretty pennies.

[TJH]

Ive got a bit of rust comnig through on the roofs sills on my GQ as well, no where near as bad as this but! good work with the repair mate

[kiwijase]

being a panelbeater of nearly 30yrs in the trade,id advise anyone with a safari that has gutter rust to get onto it very fast,as they rust really well round that area.
I just done my own wagon,complete replacement of the drivers side,front to back,and a small 2ft long section on the passengers side.I cut mine right back to the bottom spotweldes that holds the roof to the body,as some of the actual guttering was splitting from rust,so i assholed the lot.

[benno77gu]

hi fellas do you get any problems with distortion when welding in the repair sections cheers

[kiwijase]

just alternate your welds bud,similar to torqing down a head,and have a rag and cold water close by.It doesnt need seam welding,just spotwelds every cm or so.
I thought while the truck was off the road I might aswell do the rear lower quarter panels,then thought id just chop the bottom 6inches or so off,alot less work and looks a bit better.

[benno77gu]

cheers mate

[Parksy]

Love it. Great job!

Is there any access points from the inside where one could poke a fogging wand into and spray the inside with lanolin/fish oil?

[gemoc1]

Grouse job mate! i have to get to fixing rust pretty soon and ill probably go about it in a similar way

[oncedisturbed]

Great job on the repairs

[bomberNZ]

Did you post any pics as i cant see any - just about to do my sons 94 gq with roof rust - my 96 seems ok -are 94's bad for it?