Re: WOW ... stop the rust while you can ...
Originally Posted by radmanly
I thought that portion of the wheel well was plastic.
The splash shield (around the front wheel) is plastic, the fender is steel. The fender lip directly above the wheel is a 'U' shape, going forward and aft it slowly transitions to a 'L' shape lip. The lip has become an 'L' shape just before it reaches the front bumper cover and just before it gets to the most rearward of the three splash shield mounting screws.
There is a definite trap forward of the first screw and aft of the second screw. There is a gap between the rocker panel (plastic) and the splash shield and this will allow silt particles to enter. I think that after a while a considerable amount of silt will have built up on the rocker panel and block up any exit for water and possibly lead to rust on the car body.
The rear fender lip has an 'L' shape at the rocker molding, transitioning to a 'U' shape after a few inches until it ends at the rear bumper cover.
I think that silt can build up in the 'U' shapes, hold moisture and start the steel rusting. The wheelhouse at the rear is steel, and welded to the fender lip, water between these items will lead to rusting through slowly. This is a week spot on most cars. I think that sealing some of these areas to prevent the build up of silt, that you may or may not be able to see, is worth it.
But we must not seal up a gap that is meant to allow air through to dry out inner areas of the body that get wet. When rust starts it is terribly hard to stop, I suspect that many of us has fought a running battle in the past with rust and lost. The secret is to stop rust as long as we can, sadly, it will win in the end even if we are not around to see it. Dust to dust .....
If you are going to keep the car just for a short time and do not care about rust, don't worry ... be happy.
Last edited by onehundred80; Nov 15, 2008 at 09:54 AM.