Repairing rust holes or dents (Mitsubishi Pajero 1)

1. Remove all paint from the damaged area and surrounding metal within a radius of approximately 2.5 cm using sandpaper or a wire brush attached to a drill.

2. If these are not available, this job can be done by hand using a few sheets of sandpaper.

3. Once the paint has been removed, you will be able to determine the extent of the corrosion and decide whether to replace the entire panel or, if possible, repair the damaged surface. New body panels are not as expensive as many people think, and it is often much faster to install a new panel than to repair a large area of rust damage.

4. Remove all decorative trim parts from the damaged area except those that act as a guide to the original shape of the damaged car body, such as the headlight housing, and so on.

5. Using metal shears or a hacksaw blade, remove all damaged metal, as well as any other metal that shows signs of rust.

6. Use a hammer to bend the edges of the hole inward to create a small indentation for the filling material.

7. Use a wire brush to clean the damaged area to remove powdery rust from the metal surface. If you have access to the back of the rusty surface, coat it with anti-corrosion paint.

8. Before final sealing, seal the hole in some way. This can be done by using sheet metal riveted or screwed into the hole, or by installing wire mesh into the hole.

9. Once the hole is plugged, the damaged area can be filled and painted over (see subsection 12.7).

[The material is based on data from the website: MITSUBISHIMAN]