Rust around door opening: How to repair?

[Keitha]

I have some nasty rust in the upper door opening on all the doors on my Suburban. This really is the only rust on it. I am not much of a body repair guy, but can weld pretty good. I can really use some advise on how to repair it. It is bad enough that you can break chunks out of it.

thanks,
Keith

 

[CK5]

It looks like it is rusted through, normally you would cut those area's out and fab a patch and weld it in.

 

[tRustyK5]

The bigger question is why is it rusting up there? A few small patches ain't no big thing, but if you don't find out why it's rusting up there and fix that issue it will continue to rust until you have a convertible...

 

[AbramJ]

The bigger question is why is it rusting up there? A few small patches ain't no big thing, but if you don't find out why it's rusting up there and fix that issue it will continue to rust until you have a convertible...

I'd check how those drip rails attach and see if the rubber sealant is any good. It might be leaking through where they attach.

I like the added lights on your overhead console too.

 

[JoshHefnerX]

Mine was leaking in at the driprails, was only light rust up there was down the pillar, had to do some replacements on that. Used 16ga for that. Double check that your pillars are solid.

 

[Keitha]

Thanks, great advise. Maybe I'll start by grinding out the rust spots and see how far the rust goes - the pillars seem solid but I will try to see in them. I guess it's good that I don't have to be too good with the body work in those spots.

On the added light; That one at the front of the consel is from a late '90s or early 2000's Suburban. It works great.