Tailgate advise

[gurowar]

Good day, I was looking for some advise here...I live in Chicago where winter
doesn't seem to want to go away. On my 04 Ram truck tail gate I am starting to get rust, it started off small but due to the weather I cannot really do anything with it. I don't know if this will help any but I sprayed some of that rust converter on it hoping that it hold me over till it gets warmer but we will see.
So I was debating would it be better to go to a body shop to get this taken cared of because if I wait for winter and warmer weather to come so I can do it myself that the rust will get worst. Or should I just forget about it order a new tailgate from rock auto for 78 bucks I think it was and have it primed and painted? I was thinking it would be cheaper to just get a new tail gate.
But then I have noticed some other rust spots as well and figure might it wells have a body shop fix those 2 other rust spots as well. Unfortunately I cannot decide so what would you all do?

 

[Bigdaddycodes]

honestly when rust is starting to get that bad, it is probably rotting the whole inside also. I would just order that new tailgate and be done with it. that is what I would do

 

[gurowar]

Ok thank you i thought that perhaps it can be salvaged but like you said it is better to get a new tailgate. Thank you!!

 

[MoparMulisha]

The amount of time and money you'd spend at the body shop for that I would go with a new tailgate because there's probably other spots that you don know about.

 

[NYCruiser]

I'd get under the bed and in the wheel wells to inspect the rest of the truck for rust too. Tailgate may not be the worst of it.

 

[smarsmar101]

+1 on this...

Rams are notorious for rust... so i agree on buying a new gate... but that might not be the worst rust your seeing... check under truck first... cosmetic isnt important if frame is rotting.... lol

 

[gurowar]

Oh my!! Ok sounds good, it snowed last night so going to give is a good wash and then take a look to see if there are other rust spot. Hopefully that is the only spot but we will see.
Thank you guys for the advice....much appreciated!!

 

[MegaMouseGW]

Check Truck Parts & Truck Accessories for Chevy, GMC, Ford & Dodge Trucks | LMCTruck.com and www.jcwhitney.com for a new tailgate. You might get one from one of those 2 at a better price.

 

[gurowar]

This may be the wrong place to ask this but looking around it appears folks hear have a lot of experience fixing up their truck...sorry for saying the obvious. I was wondering since I am going to get a new tailgate I was interested in trying to learn how to weld, I found a mig & flux welder, 90 amp for 70 bucks. I was going to experiment on my tailgate, is this a good welder for a novice to do minor rust repairs or am I just wasting my time and money on this?

 

[NYCruiser]

You may want to start a new thread with an appropriate title to get the attention of the welders on here.

 

[gurowar]

good point thank you