Re: Rust ruining truck, kind of....
Unfortunatly, the tailgate will need to be replaced.<br /><br />Either a aftermarket one, or one from a junkyard.<br /><br />I personally, would not use one from a junkyard because you will have the same problem a few years down the road, as you are buying one that may be close to the same condition as yours.<br /><br />The cause of the rust is that the seals around the window don't work that well, so rain gets past.<br /><br />The water then sits in the bottom of the tailgate, causing it to rust.<br /><br />If you opt for a new tailgate, one modification that will extend the life of it, is to drill some drain holes in the bottom of the tailgate.<br /><br />You can also have the inside of the tailgate undercoated, to further protect against rusting out.<br /><br />As far as getting the rust stains off of the bumper, just use rubbing compound, by hand or machine, on it until the stain is gone.<br /><br />I know these repairs sound expensive, but this is the only way to fix and prevent rust on those darn tailgates.
