When I repair my 85 Xtracab bed, I plan on drilling out the spot welds to repair the panels. I'll fill in the spot weld holes, weld in replacement panels and paint the panels at that time. When I re-assemble the bed, I'll place a wide bead of non-hardening seam filler and bolt the panels together. This will take a lot of extra time but I think it will be worth it. Besides, most of the replacement patch panels will have to be hand made since they are no longer available so the extra work will won't cause any additional time.

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Here are two products I use religiously. Mostly on my boat trailer and anything that might come in contact with the salty sea of cortez numerous times a year. Things come apart in the same condition they started out. You can melt the stuff in the tub in the microwave and paint it on or dunk parts in it. I also use it on shackle bolts and springs and lugs and nuts.

My opinion is to forget the products that basically convert a relative small amount of surface rust and then seal it off. Since these coatings are brittle , any breech in the coating allows the rusting process to continue.

These products remain flexible , hot or cold, and keep salt and water from ever coming in contact with metals in the first place.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/sto...5&langId=-1


http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/sto...0&langId=-1

I would try the Ruberized Under coating you can buy at the store or get it coated at a bed liner place. Also Oil is bad Idea it's not prament and it's messy plus not good for envirorment.

Undercoating is a petroleum product.

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Oil is completely natural in the environment... that's where we get it from!

But all of the products will need oil as a base... almost by definition... LPS-3 is interesting - very waxy.

www.rustcheck.com

I had my '89 4Runner done annually in Ontario for 11 years. Moved to BC, got lazy and stopped. It still didn't start rusting for another 5 years. Get it installed professionally or buy it in spray cans. This stuff is really good and gets in places undercoating / paint can't get to or won't stick to.