Rust removal and prevention

Started by Submariner, June 01, 2021, 04:12:42 PM

Submariner

I'm trying to figure out how to deal with the rust on my truck.  I'd like to do remove the scale on the chassis, deal with the few points of oxidation on the body, paint the underside and treat the entire body with some kind of oil-preventative. 

The chassis has a fair bit of rust, though it's all surface (rather than structural) in nature.  I'd like to sand it down (along with the axles, etc) and apply something like POR-15 followed by some satin black rust-o-leum (as I understand, POR-15 is extremely durable but will rapidly deteriorate with exposure to UV light).  I'd also like to treat the inside of the fully boxed frame (Eastwood Internal frame coating?) but I can't quite figure out how to get all the debris/dirt out of there. 

This isn't a frame off job.  I'm not sure how to sand or paint in between the floorpan and the top of the chassis or any other important components.  I've watched hours and hours of videos and none seem to really get into the weeds so to speak.  I'm also not sure as to what parts I should and should not paint.  The other big issue is how I go about getting the truck up in the air in the first place?  There aren't places locally where I can rent a lift, and even with jack stands, getting all 6'3" of me under a truck is thrown-out-back in the making.  It sounds like I am talking myself out of doing this, doesn't it?  :lol:

After I get the underside cleaned and painted, I'm going to tackle the surface rust.  There are five or six spots on the body.  Every one has been spot treated with a blast of WD-40 Corrosion Preventative.  It seems to work quite well, as none of the spots have progressed since application.  I also applied a test spot to the front bumper and after almost a year, it's still there.  As of now, the rust hasn't broken through the paint. 

Once the surface rust is fixed, I'm going to have some kind of oil applied to the underside of all body panels.  I've read up on a hundred different oils (WD40, NHOIL, LPS, Fluid Film, Linseed Oil, bar and chain oil (I like this because it is so damn sticky and doesn't drip even under high heat), waxes, tars, etc.  I'm not sure which one to go with but I'm almost positive this will be a professional job rather than a DIY.

Depending on price, proximity to me and quality, I may have the chassis cleaned/painted by a professional.  If I can't find a lift to rent or use near me, this will definitely be the case.  I'm going to post this now and add pictures/updates as they occur.  In the meantime, if anyone has any tips/tricks/or ideas to share, I'd be much obliged.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

CaminoRacer

The nice thing about POR-15 is that it likes an abrasive surface, so you don't have to sand much. Just knock any loose crap off and you should be good to go, from what I understand. Maybe a once-over with a wire brush attachment. But POR-15 actually needs a coat of metal prep for new/smooth metal, in order to etch it enough for the paint to get a good hold.

If all parts of the chassis are under the car, a top coat to hide it from UV might be unnecessary.

My favorite rust prevention is to just let my engine leak enough that the underbody always has a decent coat of fresh oil. :lol:
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

shp4man


Submariner

#3
Quote from: CaminoRacer on June 01, 2021, 05:00:03 PM
The nice thing about POR-15 is that it likes an abrasive surface, so you don't have to sand much. Just knock any loose crap off and you should be good to go, from what I understand. Maybe a once-over with a wire brush attachment. But POR-15 actually needs a coat of metal prep for new/smooth metal, in order to etch it enough for the paint to get a good hold.

If all parts of the chassis are under the car, a top coat to hide it from UV might be unnecessary.

My favorite rust prevention is to just let my engine leak enough that the underbody always has a decent coat of fresh oil. :lol:

I think a wire wheel plus a sander ought to do the trick.  I don't think I'll even need a needle scaler.  But we will see.

The annoying thing about this is that every coating subtype has its own brand of followers.  I've read tons of good stuff about POR only to stumble across a hot rod restoration forum where every guy worships epoxy and thinks POR is garbage lol.  I really don't know what route to go!!!
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

Quote from: shp4man on June 01, 2021, 05:37:53 PM
Need pic of this vehicle!  :ohyeah:

I'm going to try to figure out how to take pictures of the chassis.  Not sure how to take good ones.

There is a place about 45 minutes away that rents out lifts for reasonable prices, but this is easily going to be a multi day job, and I can't really prep on one day, drive home, then return the next, etc.  The vehicle needs to stay in place. 

Now I'm looking at coal tar epoxy, which is apparently the stuff used on deep sea oil rigs.  If it can protect derricks against salt water, it should be good on my truck, but then again it sounds like it's very difficult to apply.  Is a zinc-heavy primer plus a few coats of rust-o-leum my best bet?
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

#5
Seems like rust reformer is kind of a problem too - I'm reading that it can actually promote rust on clean surfaces?  What if the rust is diffuse enough that it's not really possible to paint only the rusted areas?

I did a hack job paint job on the front skid guard about five months ago.  I sanded it down with a wire cup and some medium grit sandpaper and hit it with three coats of rustoleum satin enamel.  I don't think I even primed it.  It was a test case really - something that can be easily removed and redone if necessary.  It's held up nicely thus far and is subject more more spray and rock damage than most parts of the chassis.  I might just to some Eastwood interior frame encapsulator, a few layers of zinc-primer plus a few satin-black top coats.  Is there any adverse interaction between the zinc-rich primer and oil paints?  Satin epoxies look nice but it seems to be a bit more challenging than using regular old oil-based spray paint.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

I literally dreamt about different types of coatings all last night.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

CaminoRacer

Quote from: Submariner on June 02, 2021, 10:06:06 AM
I literally dreamt about different types of coatings all last night.

:winkguy:
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Submariner

#8
Some terrible before/after photos of the skid plate:









2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

I don't know WTF the gunk in the third picture was...all I know is it took an hour of hammering and chiseling it away before it was removed.  It smelled faintly of tar, though how it got there was a mystery.  It was however perfectly rust free underneath, so...succsss?

If you look closely you can still see some bubbling underneath the paint.  The wire cup+cordless drill combo isn't the most aggressive sanding option available, but all of the loose stuff was removed.  Hopefully the rust oleum will keep it from spreading.  If it does, I'll just take it off, get it sandblasted, fill in the dents, and give it a proper paint job.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

Learned a few important things:
-no matter how warm and dry it is in your garage, assume the paint takes way longer to dry than advertised.
-use wax paper to rest the pieces on.  Even if they are dry, newspaper will stick and potentially foul the paint.
-this is way harder than it looks.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

MX793

Wire coat hanger, suspend from ceiling.
Needs more Jiggawatts

2016 Ford Mustang GTPP / 2011 Toyota Rav4 Base AWD / 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ABS
1992 Nissan 240SX Fastback / 2004 Mazda Mazda3s / 2011 Ford Mustang V6 Premium / 2007 Suzuki GSF1250SA Bandit / 2006 VW Jetta 2.5

Submariner

2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

Just got some decent underbody shots - much better than initially feared:





2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

shp4man

Dude, that's not that bad. Leave it. Is it the East coast salt fear or something? The vehicle is Japanese, right? No frigging leaks at all.  ;)

Submariner

Are these any good? https://www.harborfreight.com/solid-steel-auto-ramp-set-63250.html?cid=paid_google%7C%7C%7C63250&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwweyFBhDvARIsAA67M71NcNw6Opqq85kTQ2lGbk1-MTv3AP10oT8Ud62JdBjuh5NIZHpNSXoaAoYPEALw_wcB

Im thinking about getting four and getting under the car this way.  Safer or less safe than jack stands?  I won't be able to take off the wheels so I'll tape them off to paint the axle.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

CaminoRacer

I had my El Camino on plastic rhino ramps for 2 months, no issues. Felt better about than jack stands
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Submariner

I'm thinking about going full steel.  A couple reviews on Amazon show cracks in the Rhino ramps.  I think 8" of lift should be enough.

2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Laconian

Why not both? You could probably have the car on ramps and have jack stands underneath. The odds of both solutions failing are very low.

I used to cram 2x4's under my Miata's "pumpkin" as a last last resort.
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

Submariner

Quote from: Laconian on June 05, 2021, 08:37:13 PM
Why not both? You could probably have the car on ramps and have jack stands underneath. The odds of both solutions failing are very low.

I used to cram 2x4's under my Miata's "pumpkin" as a last last resort.

2x4's are great because a Miata weighs like 15lbs.  You could probably just hunch your back and use your legs to keep it up  :lol:

I was actually thinking about using stands + ramps.  A guy on on mbworld had a friend who got crushed to death under his s2k when one of the stands gave out.  Apparently "it took a while".  No thanks.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Soup DeVille

Always have a setup that can have one thing fail safely.

Wood blocks are great backups if they're tall enough. At the very least use jackstands and then keep the jack under something too.
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

Submariner

I have a crawler and I'm going to spend some time underneath to familiarize myself with everything.  I'll probably start by removing the running boards so I can refinish them and de-rust/paint the brackets.  I don't think I'll need to lift the truck to get underneath for that.  Then I'll start figuring out how I can get at all of these pieces.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

Is there a good/better/best way to rust proof/prevent at home?  There are a million different options in terms of paint and preventative.  I'm looking to start things of my sanding/painting the running boards and brackets.  I'm thinking about soaking the hardware in Krud Kutter, priming with this https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-7582838-Professional-Primer-Spray/dp/B00106IZLO/ref=asc_df_B00106IZLO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216767879473&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14766030219545109281&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9067609&hvtargid=pla-350937058953&psc=1 and painting with this https://www.homedepot.com/s/rust%2520oleum%2520satin%2520black%2520spraypaint?NCNI-5
...probably two coats of each.  I may even coat with WD40 corrosion inhibitor as a sort of undercoating.  Are there better paints I should be looking at?
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

JWC

Quote from: shp4man on June 03, 2021, 09:19:40 PM
Dude, that's not that bad. Leave it. Is it the East coast salt fear or something? The vehicle is Japanese, right? No frigging leaks at all.  ;)

I was thinking the same. That looks normal for around here.

Submariner

#25
Quote from: JWC on June 07, 2021, 08:18:58 AM
I was thinking the same. That looks normal for around here.

The truck is 11 years old, so yes it's in pretty good shape.  This is equal measures a vanity project as it is an effort to keep the vehicle in good working order.

In any event, I do have to correct some body-panel oxidation then have the vehicle oil-coated.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

I can't get the bolts off.  At all.  I soaked them with as much WD40 "penetrant specialist" as I could and after 20 minutes the damn things won't budge.  And the clearances are so tight that I don't think I can get a larger/longer spanner in there for more leverage. 
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

Good news is the rust on the cat and exhaust is coming off nicely, but because the heat shield bolt nuts are on the OTHER side of the shield getting to them is going to be a nightmare.  Without the shield off I don't know how I will clean the exhaust/prep it for painting.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Submariner

Also the bolts are...soft?  I get the wrench as tight as I can and it keeps slipping.  Looks like the bolts are 11mm and my 11mm spanner keeps slipping no matter what.  The damn bolts are seized. And of course, my ratchet doesn't have an adapter for the 11mm socket so I can't use that.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

CaminoRacer

In my experience, exhaust paint burns off quickly unless it's a few feet past the manifolds/headers, or probably the cats in your case.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV