Repairing roof gutter rust

**matt159** · 01-05-2014, 08:02 PM

Saturday I'm going to have a go at repairing an old rust repair to the side gutters on my roof. I've found a patch of fibreglass and sure enough on the edge is a rust bubble so I'm taking out the lot and welding in some plates. Has anyone done this with any advice? Depending on how low into the gutter I need to go- I'm deciding if I need to take the rail right off and weld it onto fresh metal. Otherwise do I just try to cut above it, though if I do that is it difficult to weld toward the bottom of the gutter? If anyone has any photos or knows a post I'd love to have a look. Sadly I couldn't find any in paint and panel. I have found this though so may be a similar job?

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...hp?tid/233385/

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

**Vombil** · 01-05-2014, 10:14 PM

my advice would be to cut the gutter rail off and do it properly. you'll find it cactus on the inside too as they rust from inside to out. not a small job. i think there is 3-4 sheets stacked up on one another

**damienengland** · 01-05-2014, 10:49 PM

See if these pics help in any way. They are of my van when it got rust cut out of the RHS gutter area and the exploded view is from the WB Holden parts manual

20131111_162806.jpg

20131111_162711.jpg

WB Van Body.jpg

**Absinth** · 01-05-2014, 10:53 PM

There are two sections.... The roof and gutter are one pressed panel which is spot welded to the side panel... The rail where the headlining strip is welded on is part of the side panel. Easiest way is to find a van at a wreckers and cut a good section of roof and gutter out of it... Unless you are good at shaping sheet steel....

It's not that hard a job if it's only a small rust section, a lot harder if it's a large section along the gutter.

**Big Rob** · 02-05-2014, 03:13 AM

Whichever way you do it, take your time with the welding to avoid distortion.

It took thirty-something years to rust, you don't have to fix it in one day.....

**SLR_dave** · 02-05-2014, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by damienengland

See if these pics help in any way. They are of my van when it got rust cut out of the RHS gutter area and the exploded view is from the WB Holden parts manual

Good pics damien. Getting that inside top rail clean is tricky - theres some shots on the "Rustbullet" Thread in paint and panel that might give further ideas.

**matt159** · 02-05-2014, 07:35 AM

Thanks Dave I have looked a lot at your rust bullet thread and thanks Damien those photos are exactly what I'm hoping it will look like- fingers crossed it's high enough to be an easy job, I'll grind out the fibreglass and get some photos up!!

**damienengland** · 02-05-2014, 08:03 PM

No probs Matt. In my pics, the actual rust problem was a lot smaller than the cut. I asked the panel shop to extend the cut further along to be sure there was no more rust bubbling away under the surface. I was lucky the actual gutter rail didn't need cutting away.