Treating rust on a 2012 Ford F-150

My 2012 F-150 has holes rusted into the body just below the doors. I notice 2 years ago that the paint was bubbling on the step below the door, and I would sand, prime and repaint it. But now those spots are eating outward from the inside and there are full holes!

I also notice a lot of rust on the frame, tailgate hinges, etc. It’s way too expensive to buy a new truck so does it make sense to have someone strip down the frame and rusting areas and treat/repaint? How do I know I’m not getting screwed with just a cheesy paint job?

The rule of thumb is for what you can see, there’s likely about twice as much that’s there that you can’t see. If there are rust holes in the body panels already, then there’a good chance that fixing everything properly will cost way more than you think. If there are holes, it’s going be better just to replace the panel(s)s and repaint. It will cost thousands. You might want to consider selling the truck and purchasing another truck of similar vintage but with no rust, that’s going to be the cheaper option.

6 Likes