I'm replacing PO's extended fender flares with stock fender flares. While I have the fender flares off, I'd like to treat any rust or paint issues and do what I can to prevent similar damage in the future. I'd like to check that what I intend to do is more or less the consensus.
Most of the damage looks like it's due to scratching from debris caught between the fender and the flare. The rust is in the pitting and where the paint has been removed, and also in the nutserts (I got lucky and extracted the bolts from all but one nutsert, that is pictured):
I am thinking for the scratched paint, rust spots, & pitting, I'll take my Dremel wire cup and grind down to bare metal, treat with Evaporust, then prime and paint.
For the nutserts, I don't know whether it's worth treating them with Evaporust, or simply removing & replacing (I have new nutserts & access to a nutsert tool).
Finally, any advice on treating this area to prevent future damage between the flare & flare extender? Maybe it's worth getting some kind of paint protective film for this area?
And speaking of PPI, is this from the factory, or added on after? There are four, two on either side. My best guess is that these squares exist to keep debris & moisture out of the inner cavity. They likely need to be replaced, the adhesive is failing:
Most of the damage looks like it's due to scratching from debris caught between the fender and the flare. The rust is in the pitting and where the paint has been removed, and also in the nutserts (I got lucky and extracted the bolts from all but one nutsert, that is pictured):
I am thinking for the scratched paint, rust spots, & pitting, I'll take my Dremel wire cup and grind down to bare metal, treat with Evaporust, then prime and paint.
For the nutserts, I don't know whether it's worth treating them with Evaporust, or simply removing & replacing (I have new nutserts & access to a nutsert tool).
Finally, any advice on treating this area to prevent future damage between the flare & flare extender? Maybe it's worth getting some kind of paint protective film for this area?
And speaking of PPI, is this from the factory, or added on after? There are four, two on either side. My best guess is that these squares exist to keep debris & moisture out of the inner cavity. They likely need to be replaced, the adhesive is failing:
