How to Repair Rocker Panel Rust (Mazda Miata Mx-5)
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- Опубликовано: 28 июл 2015
- UPDATE: So 4+ years later this quick repair appears exactly the same. The car has seen plenty of miles, salt, and track time with no ill effects. Obviously, if you have a nice/valuable car go get it professionally repaired but I've been busy enjoying this crappy Miata!
Let's fix my beater Miata. Keep in mind this car cost $1000, so no this isn't a professional repair. However, this video should guide you through the basic process of repairing rusty rocker panels (or sills) on a NA Mazda Miata (Mx-5) or similar vehicles.
Disclaimer: Remember, I'm just a guy in a garage that likes to mess with cars...not a trained professional. Use tools and this guide at your own risk. Due to factors beyond my control, 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.
Everything was on point until the painting part. I wish that came out nicer.
I avoid cars that are this far gone. There is a glut of used cars on the U.S. market right now and even $500. will buy you a car where the rocker panel sheet metal is still solid. I like rust free cars. Go where they are and buy them right and you won't have to learn how to weld. Florida, Arizona, New Mexico. Look around. Garage kept cars can be found in New York and they are many times rust free.
why not paint before filler?
Very good video my friend but... Whatever posseses smart & crafty people to pollute otherwise usefull information with the most annoying soundtrack is beyond me... There’s absolutely no added value in your production. Why not just silence or the natural sounds of tools. Just a thought. Again ; thank’s for the info.
As a non professional, self taught, plenty of experience now on my own project car, all I can say is spray back of new panel/plate with weld through primer, butt weld using MIG, and stitch weld the whole seem, coat in fibre glass resin as it is water proof, unlike sandable polyester filler, then the filler, sand, primer, top coat. I then spray cavity wax on the inside of the panels/sill. I've found any tiny pinholes in the welding, lets moisture through from the inside, which causes the polyester filler to expand and bubble, result job is ruined visually. All fun when it goes well.
Good guide, however depending on the place you live it's worth to apply some epoxy primer on bare steel before you're using filler. The filler tends to get moisture from the air, where you're having some holes left after welding. But any way great job!
Cosmetic repair on the outer ---- the inner structure is like Swiss cheese.
A very common area for rust, I have to do mine now.
i hate rust !!!
Nice job done :) However, please use gloves when doing this, the metal parts are extremely sharp when brushed dude.
Thanks for the video. Couple of comments,. the Miata and MX5 range rear sill corners generally always need repairing to the inner sill as well. For those not familiar, the water accumulates there because the escape drip holes from the rear shelf where rain runs off the hood get blocked. The only real solution is keep them clear, poke them through with some curtain wire,. it will exit at the sill if the hole is free of dirt. When repairing, once the outer sill is cut away cut the inner section out as well and weld in the new metal areas. A few small speaker magnets will help keep the metal parts in place when welding. Hope this helps too !
I have a 1990 that I was afraid of peeling away the rust. After watching this video, and knowing that I have less rest than what you had, makes me confident that it's not as bad as I'm worrying. Thank you for the video, it's incredibly helpful.
I just bought my 92 and love it. Then I found a golfball sized hole right where yours is and I'm devastated!
Thank you for this. I was halfway through this job and started to get discouraged on finishing it up, but this video showed me exactly the steps I needed to take. Thanks a million
Good job. The rocker panel is on the bottom of the car body. Whenever a car gets wet the water runs off at the bottom of any car or truck. Chances are that all cars or trucks with metal on the bottom of the vehicle is eventually going to rust sooner or later. Your technique is a really good one. It saves a lot of time as well. I think that replacing the entire rocker panel usually is not necessary because rust usually shows up in the same place most of the time. Your technique repairs only the part of the rocker panel that actually does rust.
This repair is much better than most rust repair videos on youtube. Nice work
Great video and I will be doing this same repair shortly, only thing to add is make sure the battery is disconnected to avoid frying the ECU when welding.
Too bad it started snowing at
Awesome video! My dream car is a ‘60s-‘70s Opel GT, and I have been trying to get one for many years. Almost every one I’ve seen has rust in the exact same spots, and I’ve always been worried about having to do rust repair and body work. This video, compared to a lot others I’ve seen, makes the job look pretty straight-forward and somewhat easy! Thank you so much!
wow. this is like the only video that shows you how to stop the inside from rusting with weld thru primer. All these other videos just patch things up and leave bare metal on the back like it's never going to rust again. lol.