Need some quick bodywork advice.

[Hollowman]

Hello All,
I'm hoping some of you with bodywork experience can offer some suggestions as to how to deal with a recent issue I've just discovered on my M1009. I have what appear to be some surface rust spots on top of the cab, one I particular just above the driver side has been in need of some attention before another winter renders it un-fixable. I endeavored to use the nice weather today to try to make a minor repair and I think I might be looking at something more than that since getting into it. I removed the rust and started scraping the sealant out of the rain channel over the door and found the rot pictured below. It apparently is through between the panels and I'm not sure how to proceed. I don't have welding equipment here, I do have some body putty but I want to try to address the interior rust between the panels as best as possie prior to mudding it up. I also need to get this primed and painted today before the weather turns again. I plan to keep this truck a while as it only has 32k on it and I don't want it to rust from the inside out. I hope to be able to do a full repaint in the next year or so but definitely not today. So, what do you all suggest? Do I just sand it clean, shoot some coal pitch or whatever in there and mud over it all? Should I try to squeeze some rust converter into the cavity or try to neutralize it with some other product? Or should I just sand, prime and paint, and then reapply a heavy bead of sealant over the hole? Keep in mind I've got about 8 or 9 more hours to get this resolved. I appreciate the heck out of this site and I'm grateful for your input.

 

[dependable]

Since it is on the roof, it should dry out and slow rust way down once you seal the hole. If this was the rocker panel, I'd say you would have to open it up to really stop the rust, since it is the roof, the important thing is to stop water from getting in so it won't rust lower parts of body. Do what you have to do today to seal the water out. Any number of products would work if prepped right. A high quality no shrink exterior calking would be a fast and easy semi permanent fix.

 

[timarr]

Carve seam sealer out ,wire wheel rust, use rust converter, paint and reseam seal. seam sealer can be purchased at napa about 20 bucks a caulk tube.

 

[tennmogger]

I had a Unimog rusted like that along the rain gutter. I sand blasted it, painted with POR-15 to stop the rust, then plugged the holes with JB Weld. The JB Weld can be formed with a finger to blend in and have an unnoticeable contour. Then I sprayed a rust inhibitor in the inside crevasse to stop rusting inside. Obviously this is not the 'right way' but it has held fine for about 8 years so far.

 

[original]

If I have an rust issue that I can't get too for a few months, I just smother it in grease. I've rubbed grease onto cab corners and poured tons of gear oil on the inside. It seems to stop the rust/damage in its tracks until I can get to it. Although, it does make a fine mess when the time comes to make the repair. JB weld is a great option too and will hold for years as tennmogger suggested.