how to fix rust holes without welding

Rust on car wheel well

Start Your Approval Find a CarHop Near You

Even a car that's in otherwise perfect condition can succumb to rust, which can be a real drag. You might be thinking the only option is an expensive trip to your local auto body shop — but there you'd be wrong. There's a whole new set of space-age adhesives that can glue the metal back together, so we're here to tell you:

How These Adhesives Work
How They Can Save You Money
How You Can Use Them Yourself

How to: DIY Auto Body Rust Repair

These new cutting-edge adhesives boast a strength of around 275 bar, which makes them more than adequate for lasting auto body rust repair. You simply glue a backing patch to the backside of the body and then use a repair patch to match the hole, finishing with plastic filler, primer, and paint.

Here's everything you need to know about getting rid of that rust hole.

Fit into a Double-Barrel Applicator: This is a two-part adhesive, so you'll need a double-barrel applicator that can squeeze equal amounts of two materials through the same nozzle. That makes things easy for you since the adhesive is completely mixed and ready to apply by the time it comes out.
Cut Away the Rust: Grab a reciprocating saw with either a metal blade or a cut-off wheel on a die grinder, then use it to remove the rusted area of the body. Keep it simple by making a square or rectangular hole. Just make sure you run your finger over the inside surface of the sheet metal to be sure that all the rust is gone — if it's rough, cut away a bit more.
Cut Sheet Metal: You'll need one patch that's 15 mm larger on all four sides than the rusted area. This is your backing plate. The second piece is the actual patch, and it should be cut to the same dimensions as the hole in your car's body.
Glue Them Down: Start by gluing the backing panel to the body. Just use a bead of glue, them slip the panel through the hole you've made and clamp it down tight using several small clamps. Next, glue the patch on top.
Finish: Now that the car is patched, you can get it looking its best. Grab some plastic filler, primer, and paint. Apply each one in turn until the old patch is barely distinguishable.

CarHop is Here to Help Keep Your Vehicle in Tip-Top Condition

Looking for a cheap and safe way to remove rust? Check out our guide to removing car rust with Coca-Cola! We're happy to help provide advice to keep your car looking great and running great, but we'll also be happy to help you find your next vehicle when the time comes. For a wide range of used vehicles, visit your local CarHop dealership today.