Services
Insurance
Loans
Repairs
Advice
About

How do I get rid of truck bed rust?

My grandfather recently gave me an old Ford truck that he doesn’t use anymore, and for the most part, it’s in good condition, but the bed of the truck is pretty rusty in some places. How do I get rid of truck bed rust?

avatar
Andrew Biro · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Great question! Getting rid of truck bed rust yourself is definitely doable, but it is a somewhat intensive process—we’ve included a rough outline of the process below:
  1. Get the area ready by taping over any areas unaffected by rust.
  2. Use a wire brush wheel to remove as much of the rust as possible.
  3. Sand down any remaining rust with 80-grit sandpaper, followed by a final pass with 150-grit sandpaper. You want to get the area as smooth as possible to make it easier to apply primer and paint.
  4. Rinse the area down to get rid of any dust or sediment that has accumulated.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can use a chemical rust remover to ensure that all rust was removed—just make sure to follow the product instructions carefully.
At this point, you can either weld a patch on or apply a body patch to cover any rust holes in the body of the truck—we’d recommend the latter. If the rust wasn’t so bad as to have eaten holes through the metal, you can paint any exposed metal with a rust-preventative primer and repaint the area.
Removing the rust from your truck bed can be a pretty time-consuming process, but shopping for affordable auto insurance doesn’t have to be with licensed
car insurance
super app
Jerry
. All you have to do is download the app, answer a short survey, and in as little as 45-seconds, Jerry will have compared dozens of competitive quotes from 50+ trusted insurance companies to find you the best deals possible.
View full answer 
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings