First gen Tacoma bed side metal gauge.

Hello, everyone. I need to fix some rust issues above my rear wheels due to faulty flares. I would like to know which brands and gauges I should consider. Aluminum is preferred. Thanks for any and all help.

 

Need more context.

Are you replacing panels, patching it up?

Cause the bedside is steel, and you can't weld aluminum to steel.

As for brand, majority of steel comes from China. So really, just your local metal supplier.

I've seen people use 20 gauge and others 18, whatever you decide to use just make sure you coat/paint it afterward.

 

I'm just going to rivet it instead of welding it. The current bed is steel and has ugly rust bubbles. I just want to cut it out and put rust inhibitors on local steel and rivet durable yet flexible aluminum over it. Nothing fancy. I'm in Maine and stuff rusts at least 10x the national average.