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How to Repair Rust on Your Car Without Welding (No Special Tools Needed)
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- Published on Jul 18, 2025
- Rust removal and repair. Repairing rust on your car is something that should be done quickly to prevent it from spreading. It can be easily done without welding, by using strong but inexpensive body filler. You can even paint the car yourself. Rust repair is common at the wheel wells and rocker panels of cars and in this video I show the proper and most thorough way to remove and repair rust.
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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of ChrisFix, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. ChrisFix assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. ChrisFix recommends safe practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of ChrisFix, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not ChrisFix. This video was supported by 3M and all opinions are my own. I use 3M products for my projects so this was a perfect fit for a rust repair video!
bro you just earned a new subscriber!
Thanks a lot!
ChrisFix ur welcome
CoolPayson2004 _ make that 2 more, nice vid👍🏻
CoolPayson2004
I love your videos
Has angle grinders, drills and powered sanding tools, does it all by hand just to give us the experience. Now that is some honest work...
Awesome vids man
The idea is to show you those tools make it way easier but you can get the job done by hand!
Salvatore
@@salvatoredimartino7574 Hodor
I own a body shop and there is no way all of that was sanded by hand. You won't be able to get all the rust without using an angle grinder and probably a die grinder that's why all the jump cuts..
You got yourself a 200th like.
It’s 5 am , I don’t own a car , and I have school in 3 hours
update i’m now 17 yrs old and drive a saab 92x
Same but for me its in 7 hours and i will buy a car in a couple of months
Its good to know random things
I already have a car but the rust holes r too big *depressed MR2 noises*
It corona time
One day it'll be 5am, you'll own a car, and you'll still have to be up in 3 hours.
Hi Chris - as an older dude getting back into car work, I want to tell you how much I appreciate your videos - especially your attention to safety matters, proper PPE and ventilation. It's great to see a young person getting these skills out there into people's hands. Outstanding work.
Agreed old school dedication is a dieing form of ethic
is this a joke?
you are perfectly right !! hes a perfectionist A to Z Merci beaucoup! to write my thought :) Mark!
This bloke is a seriously great communicator and teacher.
1. I’m going to tell you what we’re going to do.
2. I’m going to show you what we’re going to do.
3. I’m going to remind you what we’ve just done.
Regardless of what is being taught or explained, this is exactly how it should be done.
Thanks a lot!
I like how he made this video 2 years ago and still finds time to like comments in 2020. Props To him honestly 🙌👏
4 hours every day reading and responding to comments!
ChrisFix you are such an awesome guy! Love your vids! Need all the information i can get because im buying my first car tomorrow:)
Krabbe? Did you buy it yet
super_khalid_101 yes i did! And im happy so far:) changed the intercooler today
It's incredible
I’m 59 year old woman never did this kind of work before but
Followed your directions and my truck turned out awesome😊👍🏼 thank you for the help
Excellent!!!
That’s great!
So proud of you
Interesting experience!
Congrats
Great instruction with no BS or loud music, kids, cats, or dogs getting in the way. No sidebar conversation or stories about your life in it. Wish more instruction vidz were like this!
Thanks a lot! I work real hard to make clear concise videos to help as many people as possible!
No dogs?!? Rip cooper :(
I just got Cooper
Your videos are totally legit! I work in the automotive industry and I tell everyone about your videos. I’ve even sent links of your videos to customers of mine as it pertains to their work. Keep up the GREAT work Chris!
I agree. I hate it when people just jabber on and on. Just get to the point. You do that. Awesome videos. Thanks
Thanks for the video! My son and I have just repaired a lot of rust on my Ford Focus Mk1. All your tips worked! It only cost us about 40 bucks, so we're really happy. The clear coat did run in one spot, but it's still ten times better than before. The repair took the two of us the entire day, though we had to deal with 8 different rust spots on the rear wheel arches and both sills on both sides. We're beat. The amount of sanding was no joke. Anyone reading this, three tips from an old dude: 1) Avoid cars notorious for rusting, if possible. 2) Get, borrow power tools for the sanding part. 3) Try not to do it alone, get help.
Ive watched this video 5 times and still havent repaired my rust holes
Watch it one more time and then go out and do it!
Not even joking I did the same thing and want to do it soon but scared. Mine is only bubbling but want to attack it before its bad
ChrisFix you’re an inspiration to us all
@@chrisfix btw where can I get victory red paint? Cause I dont know what brand is good
I’m too nervous to try I’m afraid I’ll mess up bad!!
There's literally nothing you can't do. You've played a huge part in my life to go out to be a mechanic and learn so many things so I can know how to fix basically anything. School is gonna be fun. Thank you Chris, you really do inspire a lot of people man. I binge watch your videos everyday just to keep on learning more and more and it's been paying off recently!
I followed this tutorial today.
I am absolutely shocked I was able to recreate similar results on my van.
I have a large area where the rockers along the running board has caused a great deal of rust and after today's results I feel like I could absolutely fix those myself now!
My van is 22 years old but runs like a champ and has very low miles. Cosmetically however, it needed a ton of help .
Thank you so much for making this video.
heathercarter9741, just wondering how your repair has held up, now that it is 4 years later. Thanks in advance.
ChrisFix has got to be one of the only channels where I can watch the same video over 5 times and still enjoy it every time. I’ve seen this video at least 5 times and it never gets old. Thanks for helping people curious about cars.
Not only Chris' instructions are easy to follow, he's also that kind of instructor that will cheer up the whole team
He IS the entire team 😂
He is very enthusiatic, and that is one of the reasons he's so popular.
Agreed
@@thisoldcar5112 agreed 😱
@@kio51423 😅😅
Dude - from someone who had literally no idea what to do for self rust removal, your one video seriously made me feel 100 % more confident in trying it myself. Amazing explanations and detailed follow ups as to "why" you're doing what you're doing. NICE WORK and thank you for the help
Lifesaver. When my 26 year old rust magnet Saab 900 failed 10 points at a yearly inspection, I must choose between bankruptcy or learning how to do shit myself.
Hey! Did you end up giving it a try? Curious about buying a wrx as my first car, but this would need to be done as soon as I bought it
I’ve done some rust repairs on a couple of older late 90’s Mercedes’ AMG’s that were prone to rust issues from that era, and I did the repair very good but I never knew how to get rid of that paint line. Now I know. I just did the wet sanding step by step and I was blown away. Awesome man, thanks!
I did the wet sanding and polished it but the paint was an exact match but after wet sanding and polishing it got darker any advice?
@@cade7458how many coats of spray paint / matte finish did you do?
ChrisFix, I am impressed. I followed your instructions, bought the exact brand of stuff you used and my 2012 Ford Escape looks practically brand new now! You are a ROCKSTAR buddy!
That's what I love to hear! Thanks a lot!
Trying this on my 2008 Escape. Rust magnets!
insaneapples yep .. just bought an escape for cheap.. low KMs but the rust on the rear is crazy
I have an 04 Escape with almost 300k miles that I'm about to start doing some rust repair work on because of this video.
@@kaine2416 His video was very helpful. The hardest part of the whole job was to walk into the garage, put on the gloves and grab the sandpaper to start. Once committed, it went smooth. I didn't want to take a chance on using any other product, so I bought the 3M stuff. I did it 3 months ago and I still marvel on how great it looks. I wish I would have taken before & after pics.
Seen a few haters on here. Not sure why. Chris clearly states at the beginning of the video that severe rust damages has to be cut out and new sheet metal welded in. He also states he does not claim to be an expert body man. His purpose here is to show what can be done to fix small places without spending thousands at a body shop. I don't see any problem with what he did here. Repair looks fine and that fiberglass will hold for a long time. I enjoy your video's Chris. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Mark!
What is a long time in your opinion?
Sarunas G a long time to me would be a couple more years until the rest of my car dies... and that’s just fine with me... then I can go to auction and get another one...
Mark A. Fibre glass will hold forever if done properly.
My dad used to use the exact same method 40+ yrs ago, seems that now people have less money they're relearning how to fix small problems themselves.
"And that fiberglass will hold a long time", that has to be verified. I could imagine that in 3-6 months or so the rust starts to bleed through again. A follow up video of the repaired parts after a year would be good (;
Chris’ Dad: “Chris wtf, why did you touch the van?”
Chris Fix: “I needed an example.”
lol
Wtf he's still replying to this old video. Damn
@@befer Of course! I spend 4 hours a day every day reading and responding to comments!
@@chrisfix Holy shit it's the first time You replied to me! i think i've been waiting for a while now!
You're awesome. I was JUST thinking about it. What will you do if you airbag goes off in your driftstang?
are you going to replace it or somehow fix it?
I was wondering at what stage will you install a "Racing wheel", will you wait before you put a cage first?
or will you even install a "proper" wheel at all ?
@@befer OK interview boi
big tip, when i was in school for becoming a car painter the thought me this, if you have difficulties when feeling for transitions put a paper towel or toiletpaper between your hand and the surface, im not sure why but you feel transitions and dents better this way. Keep up the videos!!
Thanks for the tip!
Maybe ( im not sure im just saying what i think might be the case) you feel it better because when you use a glove or a bare finger, the ummm.......touch is grippy, where toilet paper acts like a "dry lube" and you can feel it better.
The CHRISFIX CAR MEET UP in LA at Venice Beach Fishing Pier Parking Lot was AMAZING! Thanks for all the fans for coming out last minute and making an awesome West Coast meet! Pics on my Instagram or Facebook pages!
Also, the next video will be about buying my mom her dream car! Stay tuned!
And since I didnt sleep tonight, I will sleep on the flight to Cali haha
ChrisFix finnaly you did a new video
ChrisFix you should've decided to go streetspeed717's youtube callout with a bunch of other car youtubers
Rosa Garcia yes I forgot about that
Hey Chris i love your videos keep it up !! :)
70 yr old grandma, tepaired my 2005 Kia last year myself, fist size holes by finder. Put a disposable aluminum plate piece behind them filled with spray foam, after set shaved down and put body filler on top and then painted. Neighbors were impressed. Did same to my daughters car in the 90’s/ complete rocker panels rusted through, lasted all through college!
My father and I used to own an autobody repair shop in the rust belt of Canada (Nova Scotia). Rust repairs were a large part of our business. We would typically cut out the rusted areas and weld in new metal sections. The repair that you have done is fine from a DIY perspective because most people do not have the equipment or the expertise to do any sort of welding. The fiberglass based filler is waterproof and salt resistent so it provides a good foundation for the bondo. This will not last as long as a professional repair but it should last for a reasonable amount of time. Thnak you for the video!
thanks for a reasonable comment. Every time you research this imperfect repair everyone in the comments rages so hard because it's not the best way - better than doing nothing because the car isn't worth it.
You're welcome. Chris did a great job as a DIY'er. When I was growing up it was typical for a young guy to buy an old car as cheap as possible and try to fix it up so that they could have something to drive. A car wouldn't pass the annual safety inspection if there were any holes in the body so they would have to repair the holes as cheaply as possible. I couldn't afford to work on my friends cars for free, but I would provide some driveway education and training so that they could do the best that they could with their available funds. It's important to note that eye and breathing protection is a definite must and don't tackle too much at once. Bare metal, primer, and bondo are not weather resistant and should be kept dry until they are painted.
Thanks for the feedback from a professional!
I do have an exposed raw metal scratch that I should paint over
1hjehje it will last for 6 months lol. Waste of $$
Thanks Chris so much for your video! We own an older Honda that had a rust area in front of the rear tire (exactly like the spot in the beginning of the video where you pull away the rusted piece). We took the car to a body shop and was pretty shocked when they quoted $2500 to repair it with no welding (which they called the wrong way) and $7000 to repair it by welding in new metal (which they called the right way). The car is only worth about $6500. Needless to say, we were pretty bumbed until we came across your video which encouraged us to try and fix it ourselves. We have never worked on a car before but followed your instructions and it turned out so good you couldn't even tell it was there. I kid you not! The total cost was $450 and it took us about two weeks (off and on a few hours a day including some heat/humidity delays). I'm not sure how long it will last but we will be able to repair it in the same way five more times before we even get close to the lower shop quote. Well worth it and we are grateful! Thanks for the encouragement and info, could not have done it without you!
I'm glad you were able to repair it that well and for way cheaper than the shop quoted! Thanks a lot!
Welding IS the correct way.
This is a horrible repair method. I would only do this to a 500-1000 dollar beater. A 6500 dollar car is worth getting welded properly.
Water will get in there and the rust problem will become way worse.
Quoted $1100 for two smaller than a penny sized rust spots. I would still rather do it myself. Except I’m definitely spraying Lanolin all around any metal insides if I can. Wonder how your project held up.
How did you managed to spend $450 on this fix? I just finished sourcing all supplies for a total of approx. $130. Enough material to fix rust on both front wheel arches.
Am I missing something?
@@xZeroOffical No, you're not missing anything. We should have specified in more detail that the $450 included doing some tests on different rust converter products and several new power tools that weren't necessary just for the fix that Chris shows in his video. We were trying to show that even in the worst case scenario, way better than the shop quote.
This is by far the best home car repair channel I've ever seen.
You aren't kidding, this guy is the man. Perfect explanations and honesty
My man knows how to speak very good! Must've been the speech god in school haha
Drewbie UnderFire I wouldn’t buy a car with such an fix, it will last few months.
Peter Jensen How would you improve it? Using sheet metal for coverage instead of the stainless steel sheet? Or cut away the rust all together and go the sheet metal welding route instead?
Who else doesnt need to do this but just watches it because it's satisfying to watch rust go away
Nishok__ me
I don't even own a car.
Nishok__ I'm 9 and I can't even drive a car I just watch is because I love cars
I bought a new car so def want to take better care as this is my 5th car and want to ride it into the mist of Avalon.
@@Tony_Kaku what did you buy ?
Well Chris, Aside from the great workmanship you've done, I think the biggest thing you sell is inspiration and confidence. 99% of the people looking at a rust spot like that would never attempt to repair it. and now we know the steps and procedure to follow its now in 4th gear.
Incredible patience and a perfectionist and you say not a professional how can that be.... And body shops I go to say they don't want to touch it because it can't be warranted, this looks warrantable to me, not sure if that's a word but....
Thanks a lot!
Not warranted just means they can’t guarantee how long it will last or that the rust won’t come back, nit that it doesn’t look good when finished.
@@joshuamclean4588qqaqwqq
He’s not a professional, he’s an expert, a professional simply works in the field. An expert is competent and confident in it.
Любой мало мальски опытный профессионал скажет, что этот ремонт полная ерунда. Голый метал необходимо защитить эпоксидным грунтом и только после этого наносить шпатлёвку!
I recently bought a 1996 Nissan D21 Hardbody 4x4 5spd that I plan on repairing and keeping for the rest of my life, and I've already used countless of your videos in the first week. Thank you for all you do.
did you get it fixed up?
Im an auto body tech by trade and I must give you credit man you did a pretty good job. A couple tips if you want, when going for that wheel arch body line, use a number 2 pencil and guide of some sort to draw in your central arch line, then use some painters tape to mask off the line on one plane, say the top of the panel, then sand the face, repeat for the opposite side, this will make your wheel arch line really sharp, then you just need to sand it down to the correct softness, i found this really helps, loved the vids man keep it up!
Artur does this trik for spotter job, not for filler!! a bit different but same logic)))
@Blind Bandit : well, then you are what we noobs call a pro. 10 years, ofcourse you're going to know this better. For me this is perfect, I have an old audi a3 with some rust on it, but here in norway i'm not going to invest 2000 dollars+ in a body and paint job that looks just a bit better than this, when my cars is worth the same as just the paint job. If it was so bad of a method I would love to see a better method, as i said I have no idea how to do this kind of stuff, so any tips is helpful :)
I would also say when feathering and wet sanding, stay on one panel and don't get into another panel. He got into the door a bit, which was a no no.
thechosendude I saw that too, but with it being on such a fine paper it isn't really a big deal as it'll buff out. But definitely don't hit it with a lower grit.
Who is going to spend the time/money to "properly" fix rust on a Mazda 3. It's a great cheap and relatively easy fix for a car that already looks shit from the factory.
Favorite part is how he's trained his hands to accurately communicate throughout his ChrisFix Lessons. He doesn't just throw facts at the viewer, but explains why things should or should not be done a certain way backed by common sense explanations that save you from learning the hard way. He is a master at presentations, engaging the viewer and empowering them to "give it a go". He is enthusiastic 24/7.
i think that HE did learn the hard way what you shouldn't do
ChrisFix the Prophet
I've just shed a tear😢 this was so beautiful..... ChrisFix will fix this world one day, I just know it! If not him then who else!?! Anyone!?! Anyoneeeee!!!???
Hey Chris, I’ve owned my truck for 3 years and it’s had rust since I bought it, it’s been gradually getting worse and I finally took my mechanic knowledge and decided to put it to the test, today I have done the body filling process and just need to get the paint made, thank you for giving me the confidence to tackle my first body repair job even if it’s small
Couple of notes to add. Push that regular body filler in tight and then smooth off the surface. The latter saves a lot of sanding time. Ensure the high-build primer you choose is DTM (direct-to-metal) otherwise you will need an etch primer over any bare metal or there may be adhesion issues or delamination. Finally, I would avoid red-colored glazing putty. We have seen that it can bleed through the paint finish especially on lighter color paint. I love your videos, and in this one you essentially captured and boiled down the steps we learned in collision repair school. :-)
Thanks for the tips
Good stuff.
I use platinum plus filler and glaze daily and they're much thinner than the kinds used on cars. Most of the large scale spreading is on a relatively horizontal surfaces though so it's easier in my opinion. If its a warm day, it can dry extremely fast with even a fraction of the amount of blue hardener. Definitely keeps you on your toes but I find it very satisfying to fill in composite surfaces after doing a fair amount of grinding and sanding.
Been rewatching this video & others multiple times. Loving the detailed explanations of how & why to perform the work, especially about dealing with rust in hidden areas & ensuring air bubbles are eliminated. Following these instructions = confidence & competence!
I live in the rust belt, so I intend to use a 2k epoxy primer over the filler & putty. The primer is beige & the finish coat is silver, so I'll see how much bleeding there is after a few passes with each layer.
20:06
20:06 20:06
I am continually amazed at what you pack into 20 minutes. Just by watching and learning people can get decades of tips and tricks, and when I got out and do what you've shown I get the same results. THANKS!!
I did the wet sanding and polished it but the paint was an exact match but after wet sanding and polishing it got darker any advice?
I've fixed many rust-buckets as a teenager even took a BOCES class to learn how to do it.
Your video is awesome. Thing about auto-body work is you can always learn something new.
Good job thank you.
My dad passed away this spring. I have a VW Polo 6n2 that has some rust spots and I never had the time to ask him how to do a lot of things, but especially body work. This helps so much, thank you so much for showing how it can be done even if you're not experienced. A bunch of sandpaper and elbow grease apparently goes a long way!
Anybody: *gets in a painful situation with its car*
In the distance: "HEY GUYS"
Basically a superhero phrasing
Chris fix here
Body shops HATE him!
Fir
And rightfully so!
**I Bet dealerships and big mechanic name HATE him!
TheGriz what???
Click Here To Learn His Secret!
Ammy NYC. that porsche restoration of his whole car is indeed professional. but you comparing a whole classic car to daily driver type of car.
This guy made me buy all the interior detailing and cleaning stuff on the hardware store and order online as well. Got me interested in cleaning my own car, now I'm about to start my business coz of him. Hats off to you man! 😎👌
So did you start the business ?
Same as me from Indonesia 😁👍
Bro same
@@ro00o33 started mine 2 and half years ago and that shit blew up I have team of 5 people 6 with me and in a week i can profit around 4000 this youtube channel has helped so much
I just got home after a 12 hour police shift sitting on the toilet. This video makes me want to getup and start removing rust from my son’s ford ranger
Thank you for your service brother! I'm on the toilet right now and I want to clean the whole car thanks to Chris!!!
acab
I am sitting on the toilet as I am reading this. Fucking kismet
Pls wipe your ass before you do anything.
Thank you for your service officer, I can't imagine how boring it must be spending 12 hours a day sitting on the toilet.
This is honestly just incredible.
Thanks!
@@chrisfix 3 years and you're still replying to comments, you da real MVP! 🙌
200th like
@@mansoorkarim836 ààÀ
That's a fact...
0:37 "This car has been in my family for decades!"
*Proceeds to just rip parts of the car off 20 seconds later*
Fin
Mate he once cut a hole in his trucks exhoust just to show how to repair it. This wasnt that bad
Yooo that’s so funny yu say that amber
Hardly. It's rust, not metal anymore. So many people have no idea just how bad Rust gets; it's like a Zombie, consuming surrounding metal until there's no more to eat. There's no cure I can tell you, just cut it out farther than where it appears to stop by at least an inch and put new metal on and coat that *extremely* good or you wasted your time. Even then, don't leave even a pinhole's worth of rust because any tiny amount WILL make the rust come back.
@@101Volts So the Titanic is no longer metal anymore as practically all of her steel structure has oxidised.
I like it how Chris is still hearting comments two years later. That’s some dedication to your RUclips channel right there
Doesnt get hearted l ao
Jon Johnson by chance would u know how to download CSS textures?
I ain’t trying to to get a heart
@@sorrow5012 lol why you still replying?
RTRX8 idk man
Chris thank for this video I know I’m late to party considering how old this video is but when I 16 I put a hole in my parents 2010 F-250 door with the help of not paying attention and a sharp edge on their barn. it wasn’t brand new or anything then when I caused the damage. but when we got a quote from a local auto body, i couldn’t afford the cost working on my neighbor dairy and my parents didn’t have the money to fix it either, and after all of these years I finally was able to make it right to them with the help of your video, it was my first time ever doing this and while I didn’t get it as good as your in the video i got a really good finish and color! I was able to surprise my folk with the repair by asking if I could borrow the truck to haul a camper trailer that I wanted to restore, and when I bought the truck home with the repair, my mom was so happy and my old man cried and gave me hug. I want to say thank you for helping me right my wrong from all those years ago.
I'm an auto body guy.before seeing all of the video I was going to comment on how bad this repair is.But decided to see the whole vidoe.Very impressed that patch work will last many many many years, especially cause he took the most important step of all.undercoated the back.
Thank you.
Hey Filberto thanks for backing Chris's work, it helps us diy-ers!
A little rust reformer on the outside would have nice.
Besides undercoating the back I would have also sprayed some self etch primer! on a sanded raw metal before applying fiberglass body filler! Don't you think that would be the right thing to do to prevent rust from coming back! And it will in time again!
I like how he just rips off the rust from the van just to educate us! Props to you good sir. I love these videos.
"this is our family van which we owned since brand new, we've went on so many trips with it and it gave us a lot of great memories"
*Rips off huge parts of the body"
Ong I was looking for this comment
Like he has a choice to leave it there... :>/
that huge part was coming off anyway, which he is probably gonna fix
Playcer lol!
Honestly, that car is rusted scrap metal at that point. 25 years old and 300k+ miles. You can literally find people giving away cars like that on craigslist.
I have my car in around 3 months. 2 weeks ago I was searching tips to repair the body of a car. My dad just buy a Acura TL Type S 2007 and there's couples of rusty spots. I'm literally watching all of your videos and you're the most brillant guy I've seen to explain and show how to properly maintain and repair our car. I'm already excited to repair my future Acura. Thank you for your videos❤ (I speak french so if I made mistakes in my writing it's normal)
I'm glad the video is going to help you out with that car! Thanks a lot!
Done numerous repairs like this on my cars over the years but that ”rolled paper” trick for smoother transition was new to me. Definitely gonna try that next time.
I did the wet sanding and polished it but the paint was an exact match but after wet sanding and polishing it got darker any advice?
This guy speaks perfect fluid english, i can understand every word he said like nobody does. I'm from Mexico and this guy is awsome explaining. The volume is loud enough, he's quick speaking but very clear. Wow! congrats Mr. Chris. Not even mention the great repair tips of course. I'm shocked.
I would have never thought that cars get rust in Mexico
@@omaralmasri8812 quite a little at the coast
His english is perfect for non-native speakers, my mother language is portuguese and i can understand every word that he says!! Just like you've told, it is quick but very clear.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND TRUMP'S?
sure im french and my english is very bad but i understand all what he says ! Last year when im going in Ireland for holydays i have a lot of difficulty of understanding irish people. He's very talented
This dude has the balls we all need in the garage
Why balls? I mean, even if you screw it up, you can take it to a professional to fix your mess.
Derfoklishe i need balls too
@@topanteon if you have enough money
@@lilballsak8770 just take it to chrisfix, he can fix anything with the change in your pocket
am not touching any paint.
Love your videos bro! If I wanted to do a paint correction on the whole car, would you recommend doing that first or repairing the rust first? Just wondering because my rust on on the rear quarter panels (typical honda lol). If I fix the rust first, do I just avoid doing the paint correction on the RQP's since they would be freshly sanded/painted, etc? Thanks!
You are pushing 3 million subscribers! More than most Hollyweird celebrities have. This is a good thing because it shows that people appreciate knowledge more than celeb status.
I'm not judging any celebrities here but here's question: What good is celebrity status if it's something that kills you? Even being a janitor's more fulfilling.
Thanks man!
KNAWLEDGE
Now you are pushing 4 million!
@OUTDOORLIFE VIRGINIA I believe he means being a celebrity can bring creeps and crap to ya.
That was the VERY best how-to video I have EVER seen!! You covered everything! From products to not owning tools, to what you can & can't do at home. Absolutely amazing! Complete, clear, concise and without any mystery steps or weird products you can't get. I totally feel confident about how to do this at home. I just have a few dings (BB gun pellets... idiots!) that are a touch rusty, BUT you covered everything so well that I know where to start. I already sanded down to the metal and added a rust converting primer, so now I do a bit of sanding to smooth it out, fill them with the gold putty, sand, re-prime, paint, clear-coat, sand & buff! (I took notes. I am still stunned over what a great video this was!!!) - OH! and I was totally freaking out over the mask lines & mixing ratios... but you covered that too!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!
Thanks a lot! Good luck with your project!
This is terrible man, don't listen to it. It will cost you more in the long run.
Hey man, some feedback please. How was the repair holding up? 4 years passed so you can tell.
I've always driven older cars and felt decent enough at getting the job done. I learned a bunch of tips in this video to really up my results. Masking tips, wet sanding panels, spreading filler out... amazing tips! This will up my game a bunch! Much thanks!!👍
Glad it helped
definitely gonna use the folded over paper when I gotta re-tackle a rust spot on my car this spring. I didn't get the inside well enough and it spread, I've got basically everything needed but wanted to see how someone else handled it and picked up tricks here for sure when I go again.
@yo boy
@@chrisfix hi
And thank you because you’re the only video that I have watched on the 64-year-old woman who has rusty tire while in my ram truck and my husband unfortunately is lazy and I’m gonna try to do it myself and ain’t gonna hurt nothing I can’t ruin it and your video and I’ve looked for lots of videos and your video is the only one that I’ve watched that is veryself detailed like you tell every part very slowly and you explain every position you’re doing so I think this is a 10 star video and I hope that it spreads because it’s definitely one that I have come across and I’ve watched many that I think is the best
Incredible instructions and really professional editing and writing. I wished the rest of RUclips demonstrations understood the importance of preparation.
Thanks a lot!
@Joshua Ramirez yes
Thanks Chris! I've done a lot of non-professional rust repair but I'd bet I learned at least 10 new things from this!
Glad you learned some new tips and tricks!
*almost half of fender disappears from sanding*
Now this looks AWESOME!
I'm having similar rust pattern on my car and was searching for help on RUclips. This is hands down the best video I've seen.
Great work
Funny how there's a bunch of professional body guys in the comments crying over how this isn't a "professional" job that "isn't done right" and "you need to cut out the rust and weld new sheet metal in." Even though the entire point of the video is that you can fix rust without needing to weld new metal on, because most people don't even own a welder so that point is obselete. It's literally just a cheap fix, it's clearly not meant to last forever and is obviously far from professional grade body work.
Nobody wants to spend thousands of dollars on a car that's probably not even worth as much as the quote will be.
I’m glad someone gets it! Thanks man.
Moola Moose exactly. There’s lots of people with cars that don’t really warrant an expensive professional job, but still want a decent appearance. I mean, you wouldn’t use this on a Rolls, but pretty good for a back yard job.
@@johnforeman634 you are 100% correct. I'd do this to the truck I bought for 1,000 bucks instead of spending 3,000 on a professional repair job.
Moola Moose ha that’s what I mean. People just have to shit on something don’t they. The guy did a pretty damn good job at explaining how to do a relatively cheap job I think.
@@johnforeman634 He did an excellent job, I've been professionally trained in paint work and this is an extremely accurate video.
when you know your car has no rust, but you still watch because his content is the best on youtube!
talking about exageration... lol
Roberto Hernandez or when you don’t even have a car because your 15 but you still love his content
Colin Beisler true lmao
When you dont even have a car but you still watch... just fascinating.
Thanks for the support Roberto!
I watched this video probably 30 times, as I followed along to fix some rust spots on my old Honda van. They look sooo much better! I am a stay-at-home mom in my 40s, and I never thought that auto body repair was something I could do. But having step-by-step instructions and tips really inspired me. Thanks!
A year ago: "damn I need to also buy a mask?!".
2021: "which mask should I use for this..."
2022 "damn I threw all my masks out I forgot they had other uses"
@@coltenharris6870 More like 2032 🤣
DO NOT use your little face diaper cloth masks for dust protection! Use a proper rigid dust mask with a tight seal.
The answer is a mask that actually does something. Aka not a covid mask lol
@@apexalaska kn95
I thought of an easier way to repair the rust: buy a house near Chris, and pay him to do it!
Seriously, these videos have great production quality and great advice.
I believe, if you would just quietly drop your car in front of Chris's house, he would repair it out of the urge to repair. And he would probably make another video off of it. Chris is not a human, he is higher species from outer space.
Chris, that's unbelievable. I love DIY, do all my own car work, but I never thought in a million years that one can DIY body work to that level. I'm astounded. Fantastic work, and thank you for laying it out so simply!
Thanks a lot! I am glad you learned something new!
I could barely believe it as well. I did some body work on my old car as it was rusted in the same area but it didn't look nearly as good as this. Now I'll know for my future cars haha. Definitely sharing this video and recommending your channel Chris! Awesome video :)
Great channel. I found Chris when looking for car detailing tutorials. Ended up watching 90 minutes of him detailing a car. His explanations are clear and very useful. Amazing channel.
For spending day and night,for a video, He deserves more viewers and subscribers
Thanks man!
He's getting there, but 1 mil to almost 3 million which is where he is now is by no means small either... I remember when he pretty much just started~ Good job Chris!
Nobody:
Chris: Hey guys!! Today we are going to build a car with basic home tools.
lol
Nobody:
Chris: hey guys today we will going to paint the whole car with just one special magic bottle
My "soapy water"
Maybe someday
lolol
Hah!!!!!
10 years later, ChrisFix is now Chris Doctor. A how to do brain surgery on yourself at home 😂 I’m jk this channel is just beyond useful and awesome.
I've used this method for my cars in the past and I've never had issues with the Bondo falling off or the rust reappearing. As long as you do it properly as Chris demonstrated in this video it'll last for a long time.
Most of the time, this type of rust has started from a poorly coated weld or constant moisture on the INSIDE of the panel from foam filler or bad design. You can't stop that and the rust will reappear.
This dude just makes everything look so easy.
It took me and my grandad 45 minutes to jack up a car because the jack we had was too small.
@@roadwarrior114 I spent about 8 hours just sanding And I’m not even done yet
Heating up the clear coat. Chris I learn at least a couple of new, effective tricks from you every single time. This technique of yours will take a beginner a bit of practice. I do just about anything to a car EXCEPT body work. I have a small corner, a small dent to practice my first run. Thanks Chris. You are very skilled. And you are very clever.
you dont wanna look at him for body work advice imo. Tips i got would be to go at least half a inch over the transfer of material when you wipe it. always want the dent to be a bit lower then higher. Also if you got the dent near a body line. Then work out the line first and as you working it out tap down the high spots. a dent is like a drop of water. in the center is a dip but around it there is the splash. anyways gl!!
Im 28 years old and im doing my second drivers test in 17 days, and your content have kept my motivation up and really sparked my interest in owning a car and taking good care of it. Thank you man.
Such a great video Chris, thank you! I'm about to attempt this and made some notes from watching the video. Maybe it might help someone else too.
1. Clean rust area with rubbing alcohol, adhesive remover spray, or wax remover
2. Start sanding the rust with 80 grit sandpaper with sanding block, rust remover wheel, or wire brush.
A. Sand about an inch past the rust.
3. Hammer the area to push the metal inward to allow room for the Bondo (body filler).
A. For smaller areas, hammer a screw driver tip instead of just using the hammer.
4. Check for rust behind the panel, put the car in the air. If any rust is found, sand the rust from the underside.
A. Clean the area and paint with rust preventer/converter and then rubber undercoating.
5. Use body panel patch if necessary, cut to size and fit under the sheet metal (not on top).
6. Clean the whole area again with alcohol or adhesive remover.
7. Mix Bondo Glass (fiberglass filler) on cardboard with parchment paper taped to it.
A. Pour out filler into a circle ½ inch high.
B. Add a bead of hardener along the middle diameter of the circle.
C. Mix by gathering up the filler onto a scraper and spread it out over and over until well mixed. (Don’t use a circular mixing motion)
D. Mix for about 45 second and use within 5 minutes of mixing.
E. Should be one consistent color.
F. Spread out thin on the card board, don’t leave in a big clump.
8. Press the filler hard into the metal with the scraper/spreader making a thin layer.
A. After the first layer, add more thin layers to fill the damage and builds up to the height of the surrounding panel.
9. Allow to dry for 15 to 20 minutes.
10. Sand with 40 grit sandpaper.
A. Sand flat with the body.
B. Watch body lines and try to shape so it’s even with the body line.
11. Mix Gold Bondo (body filler) the same way using the ½ inch thick circle and bead of hardener.
12. Apply Gold Bondo to the area with thin layers as necessary.
13. Allow to harden for 20 minutes.
14. Sand with 80 grit sandpaper until smooth, follow body lines, shape the filler to match the sheet metal.
15. Sand with 180 grit sandpaper until smooth.
A. Should not be able to feel any transition between the sheet metal and the body filler now.
16. Apply a thin layer of Glazing and Spot putty to fill all the tiny pin holes and imperfections.
A. Allow to dry for 15 minutes.
17. Sand smooth with 320 grit sandpaper.
A. Once again, clean the area with alcohol or adhesive remover.
18. Use a leaf blower or compressed air to blow the dust from the area.
A. Do one more cleaning as before.
19. Mask the area as desired.
A. Use a curved paper method to help feather in the paint. (Tape a piece of paper above the spot and bend the paper over so the curve is just above the repair area.)
20. Paint the area with filler primer. Make 3 thin coats. (remove masking)
21. Sand the primer with 600 grit sandpaper until smooth.
A. Use a sandblock and don’t press down too hard. Let the sandpaper do most of the work.
B. Sand into the paint as well so there is a smooth transition. (about 2 inch scuff area into the paint).
22. Clean the area again as before.
23. Mask off the area again using the curved paper method to get a soft paint edge.
24. Paint with spray paint that matches the color of the paint.
A. Light even coats.
B. Focus most of the paint into the filler area.
C. Don’t use thick coats to try to cover it all at once.
D. Let first coat dry to a mat finish and add the next coat.
E. Second coat should be a little thicker let dry to mat finish.
F. Third coat should be the last coat.
25. Prepare clear coat by placing can in hot water to help prevent orange peel.
26. Spray clear coat which should be light, but have full coverage.
A. Do 3 thin coats of clear allowing to dry between each coat.
B. Last coat should be thicker to have less orange peel, but not too thick avoiding runs.
27. After about an hour, remove masking and allow to cure for at least 2 days.
28. Clean area with soapy water and a clean microfiber cloth.
29. Tape off any edges that you don’t want to sand.
30. Wet sand with 1500 grit sandpaper wrapped around a sponge to help you sand more evenly.
A. Spray down the whole area with soapy water as well as your sandpaper.
B. Sand back and forth, not in circular motions.
C. Sand into both the factory clear coat and the repair area to make a smooth transition.
D. Sand with long strokes and don’t focus on any one area too long.
E. Clean the area again with soapy water and micro fiber cloth.
31. Wet sand with 2000 grit sand paper.
A. Spray area with soapy water.
B. Sand panel smooth.
C. Wipe down with micro fiber cloth.
32. Wet sand with 3000 grit and 5000 grit using the same process.
A. Let dry completely.
B. Remove tape and masking.
33. Use scratch remover polish and buffer.
A. Put polish on pad and hand buff into the area until spread evenly.
B. Buff on low setting keeping under 1200 RPM.
C. Keep buffer moving so to not burn into the clear coat.
D. Wipe off polish with microfiber cloth.
Definitely helped me prepare for what's to come. Thanks Rob!
Thanks!
parádně sepsané 👍 moc díky a vše dobré přeji :-)
Point 10 should be not 40 grit sandpaper but 400 grit :)
@@dirkvandellen2943Good catch
Just use rusteeze
And one day you will look like me Kachow
Karol jr this deserved more likes 😂😊😊
You forgot "and with an insane amount of luck"
drmonstaa holy oh yeah man rookie mistake thanks for reminding lol
Yummy 27 no problem man enjoy the rest of it
Only works on bumpers
Jesus guys, i think many critiquing this video saying they are bodymen are missing the who Chrisfix mantra. From what I have seen these videos are always done from the viewpoint of doing this at home in your own garage or driveway. Not many diyers would have the skill to weld a panel . Thanks Chris for the video, great as always.
Thanks! That is why I specifically say without a welder. Most people dont have one or the skills to use one (it isnt easy welding thin metal). Most people dont know how to bend and shape metal to the curve of the car (I am lacking in this skill set for sure). So for anyone who wants their car to be rust free and look better and do it themselves, this is the best way!
Good video. Thanks. As this was done 7 years ago, are there any new products you would recommend that would replace the ones you used in this video?
Chris fix: you need multiple coats of body fillers and paint with clear coating. 5 minute crafts: RAMEN.
No they'd use Colgate toothpaste
@@dominator9833 oh the things you can do with toothpaste...🤐
In Chris I trust
I'm pretty sure that Top Ramen wouldn't work.... 😜
@@goldwolf0606 I died lmao
Thanks Chris. I am fixing the rust on my granpa's 2001 dodge dakota. This video helped so much, I had no car fixing experience before and you made it really clear and simple for me to get the job done. Thanks so much.
I'm a diy painter and I find it amazing how much work is involved between good enough and factory finish. In any case great work Chris, it looks beautiful
Amazing video successfully completed this fix 3 times now, and it hinds up!
I have a car now, rust free thankfully, but the clear coat is a total disaster in large areas… I’m thinking this same process, minus the rust repair to begin could be used to prep, paint, clear coat the damaged areas, then blend it all in the end ?
The 8000 people that disliked this are body shop workers
that is true, in the end of this video you can see where he dented in the quarter panel and didn't even fill the dent
yes, but at very low cost compared to a professional... it´s not a location where safety is an issue, so why not..looks ok to me... maybe he could have blended in the base coat a little better
Nope I Worked at Body Shop and Customer Want Stuff Done Right This Is Just DIY Temporary Fix
Point of video, what I can do at home.....
@Aaron Cubitt I looked all over, but couldn't find your video on how to do it better than this.
This video is just what the doctor (well, the car at least) ordered :) Another great job. Congratulations on becoming the biggest automotive DIY channel, you deffinitely deserve it.
Awesome! I’m glad the videos are helpful!
Rust repair is probably one of the hardest jobs on cars especially for DIY, and you nailed it
+Jasper He it takes some practice but all the right tips and tricks help!
Stick Man Logic can you explain in a little more detail on how the rust is still there? It looked like he got it all out to me.
X Burst too bad I can’t save comments here
Stick Man Logic I would take advise from someone who's self taught before I trust some mechanic and I say that from experience
X Burst how are you going to get the paint to stick to grease really
Thank you so much! I watched the video about a year ago, then bought all the right things 5 months ago and now finally i did my car's bodywork. Also saved a lot of money.
Yes Sir Chris knows what he’s doing!! My Dad taught me these same tricks while I was growing up. Don’t be afraid of trying it yourself. Once you get a little more confident then you’ll be able to buy a car and fix the rust and resell it for a profit. Remember that can’t never did anything!!
True, and we can practice first on a scrap body part from a salvage yard to gain confidence.
Noone: *nothing*
Chris Fix: *sOapY woOdeR*
Love ya Chris
lol, thanks a lot!
Theres a whole county in Pennsylvania that pronounces water "wooder". Delco forever.
I love the way he says water
19:11
19:27
Woooder
Not a hater here, but as a body tech (not to brag), I know the only way to stop rust is to completely remove it past the rusted area or it WILL come back. It's just a matter of how long. Any dark spots you see in the steel are what's left of the hotspots. However, without going into too much detail; not a bad video for the people who want to save a bunch of money and do the repair on the cheap. With that said I do recommend VIM rust converter as a better product than Rust-Oleum. Also, to slow down the time that it takes for anything to come back, I HIGHLY recommend pulling back the interior trunk trim (or whatever trim as per the vehicle and area you are working on) and spraying a good amount of cavity wax around the backside of the repair area (3m makes a good one)
and it should be applied after fiberglass/bondo, wright?
@@channel-sc2uu if you mean the cavity wax, that is the very last step after everything else is completely done.
@Zyzz VIM converter woul be applied once the initial paint and rust removal sanding is done. Once VIM has dried, it needs to be lightly sanded again before fiberglass and plastic is applied.
The cavity wax is applied very last because you can't apply anything over wax. You would spray it inside the quarter on the car in the video as close to the backside of the repair as possible and hose it down good with wax. You could spray some inside the wheel well as well if necessary. The wax has decent creep characteristics to help it get into every nook and cranny.
@Zyzz you shouldn't have any issues applying wax over other coatings as long as everything is cured/dry. And to clarify, yes; use the VIM converter once you have finished sanding down to bare metal. Also, it would be good do wipe the area down with wax and grease remover again before applying applying VIM. As long as you follow the instructions on the cans you shouldn't have any issues. Hope this helps.
Good info. What about if you're just dealing with surface rust that has pitted the sheet metal but hasn't rusted through? Good enough to sand/lightly grind all the visible rust off, clean it, apply a thin layer of body filler, sand again, prime (what about rattle can etch or epoxy primer for small area's dollar bill size or smaller) and paint? Or directly prime the pitted metal and go over it with several coats of high build primer and block it to get a smooth surface for painting? Dealing with this right now on a project. Got here by accident, wasn't looking at bodywork videos, but now I'm interested.
Currently needed motivation to do some rust repairs on my 03 impreza rallyx project. You never fail to have me sit down and watch an entire video of yours lol.
You can do it!
Chris!! My wife hates cars and she doesn't know jack about them. She is a very talented make up artist, though. So, I turned on your video on my tv while she was putting our daughter to sleep. After the first 8 minutes, she froze and didn't move. She only kept mumbling "wow!!! This guy is an artist. I don't even wanna go to my room now. His work is very satisfying and says a lot about his talent". And she finished the whole video. lol
That is so awesome! I'm so glad she enjoyed the video!!!
All this time i've been told,
"You can't do auto paintwork at home, and you can't do just one spot."
ChrisFix: "Hold my beer - CHRIS FIX HERE"
Well professionally this is what they'd call a non-warranty paint job. Everything he did was pretty close to professional work, minus de-glossing and reclearing the entire panel until a natural breaking point. He also didn't do a burn in with the clear, but that won't extend the life of the paint job much further. Most professionals will tell you this type of paint job won't last more than 2 years. After that the clear starts to peel, but I've seen some cars defy that statement. However, no shop will warranty this type of repair because they firmly believe the paint is guaranteed to fail later on.
@@KlawOfChicken That was a very insightful take from a professional standpoint. From a DIY perspective, could you just re-do the clear coat and paint correct a little when the original job starts to peel? Is there a way to increase the durability at home?
@@CrossingRover The best way to increase the longevity of your clear is to have it break at a point that isn't exposed to the outside elements. There's really no way to be certain that your clear is going to be more or less durable when doing a DIY repair without making sure that it's exposure to the sun and the weather is limited. However normal paint maintenance is going to help with durability just as it'd improve the life cycle of any professional paint job.
As for touching it up repeatedly, some of my friends have taken this route for personal projects. It's honestly up to you if you want to keep up with it. Even if it was certain to peel in two years, which it isn't, small repairs like this wouldn't take much effort or time to keep up with and it's not going going be peeling often enough to cause any headaches. Truth be told, if working on my own car, it's the route I would take for something small and relatively out of sight like what he dealt with in the video.
@@CrossingRover yep. dont use spray cans. get a quality paint and an air gun.
@@jimh9617 but it's only a one off job this video is for the home handy man not body and paint guys like us.
Your videos are incredible, Chris! You wonder you got 3M subs, +1 now. I love the way you explain everything and your enthusiasm as well. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
Thanks a lot Joey!
ChrisFix thank you for your time you're great
I’m impressed at how concise yet detailed this video was. It was the perfect blend instructionally and visually haha, the car looks great! I love the fact that you were budget conscientious, thorough, and that everything was very easy to follow. Thank you for the help!!
Thanks Kayla
whether you're into cars or not.. ChrisFix is the best RUclips channel imo
You have to be into cars or this is boring.
@@CaptainSpalding72 that's what you think.. people who arent into cars have gotten so much help from this
@@ben_0306 that makes no sense.
@@ben_0306 True... Chris has helped me multiple times!
No dubstep intro, no 'pls subscribe so I can raise my kids', no 25 minute monologue before getting into the actual content, yeah he's doing a damn good job
Scotty's like "how to repair rust: move to Tennessee!"
Just brought home a lsa Silverado from Tennessee, used car market is crazy compared to here in Indiana
Yo thats where im from ive got a 2007 Subaru Impreza thats got rust
@@jcp2677lmmmmk
Chris you really motivated me to learn how to do things myself
Dude you are a lifesaver, bought my car 2 months ago and found some rust, with your vid this job was a breeze. Thanks man.
21:15 .. no man you are not .... you are WAY BETTER than a professional painter... believe me i ve seen a lot of "professional" painters out there but no one like you
Thanks a lot!
George13sageika ikr! He makes me feel like it’ll only take me 1 hour
Don't be ridiculous
I don’t even have a car and have seen this vid like a thousand times, it’s just super entertaining !