Drilling holes in doors for drainage - protecting against rust

Mossyoakglock · May 1, 2014

So earlier this week we have some really bad storms and a lot of rain come through TN. Yesterday I noticed a sloshing sound coming from my rear passenger door (Crew Cab). So I pulled the black rubber seal off and probably 1/2 a gallon came out of the doors.

I haven't been able to completely take off the door panel to see if anything is blocking it but I'm sure there is. From my research it seems that this is a problem on the CC trucks.

I thought about drilling 2 or 3 more holes along the bottom of the door behind that seal to help with water drainage but I'm worried about rust. What is the best way to prevent the holes from rusting since there will be exposed metal from where I drilled?

Will regular touch-up paint be enough? What about touch-up paint and then clear? I don't even care if it's the factory color since it will be covered by the rubber trim so I'll probably just go with black..

00Silverado4x4 · May 1, 2014

Before you drill, look to find the drain holes that should already be there. You will want to make sure that haven't been plugged up or covered up in someway to prevent drainage. I know my generation truck has them on the back doors so I don't see why you wouldn't have them on yours. On mine they look more like little slits than a round hole.

idnative1948 · May 1, 2014

+1 on the drain slots. Dirt, crud, bits of leaves and anthing from trees can find there way in there. Also check to make sure door seals aren't the culprit (covering them) also. During a previous job working in a GM bodyshop as a grunt I couldn't guess how many gallons I vacuumed out of doors before they could be cleaned out and dried. Drowned speakers, ruined door panels and the like. Farm trucks seemed to be the worse due to the amount of dirt/dust in the doors turning to mud.

One other place that can get you into trouble is the cowl up if the screen has been damaged it WILL fill up with crap and block the drain. Seems like every spring and fall I have to clean pine needles and leaves from around that area.

03blackz71 · May 1, 2014

I agree with everyone else. Clean the drain plugs. I had the same issue as you with my 07 Sierra. I also removed the black seal and had a 1/2 gallon or more come out. If you look on the bottom also there should be some black rubber plugs you can remove to help with the draining. I did this to my Sierra and I never had the problem again.

Mossyoakglock · May 5, 2014

Did you remove them and leave them out or just remove them help drain the water and reinstall?

03blackz71 · May 5, 2014

I left them out.

Mossyoakglock · May 6, 2014

I'll probably do the same. The drain holes just seem too smaller to allow anything to come out if it were to get in the door.

johne · June 28, 2014

Wow, I really need to check mine and stay on top of it. The door bottoms on the truck I just got rid of (Dodge Ram Cummins) rusted all to hell. It rusts from the inside out once it works down into the seam and there is not much you can do once the rust forms, it will eventually rust the whole way through.