I'm about a month away from starting by 77 F250 4x4 BUILD (rebuild). I will start a thread when I do...but at the moment I am just kind of going through things in my head.

I need to replace some things on the frame like cross members, spring hangers, and other assorted brackets. Thanks to a lot of folks here at FTE, I have already aquired most of what I need. Also through the forum I have decided that probably the best way to fasten these parts (like cross members) is with nut/bolts where the old hot rivots were, and just put a tac-weld on the nuts to prevent them from loosening ever. If they ever did need to be removed then I could just grind off the weld and remove everything.

I plan to sandblast the frame, prep, primer, and paint it properly.

My question is this:

Should I primer and paint behind these pieces prior to attaching them so that the metal to metal contact as they are back to back are protected? Then once attached, sandblast evrything left exposed and paint it?

Or should I just replace the pieces, not caring to protect the back of them, then sandblast and paint everything one time? Will rust likely want to form behind these areas if I don't protect them?

I wont be removing things that don't need to replaced so those wouldnt be getting the same treatment as those that I was replacing if I were to do the way as described in my first option...

It seems like most people on here just do all their fab/retrofit work and replace parts then just give everything that is accessible a once over blast and paint.

Do you find that rust wants to form first at the pieces that are metal to metal contact that were not protected behind them?

Thoughts???

 

Be sure to use good quality grade 8 hardware (your local Caterpillar dealer is a good source for high quality grade 8's) for things like crossmembers etc. Also make sure the holes are sized properly with properly sized hard washers. I would use locknuts on them instead of tack welding the nuts. If you use the all metal locknuts (not nylocks) they wont loosen up. In fact when you remove that type, they usually tear up the threads on the bolts. Ive used them successfully before and never had any problems. Good luck!!!

 

I used grade 8s on my frame when I did my build. I recommend painting the brackets and crossmembers first before putting them together on the frame. Rust will form between the parts. Good Luck with the build.

 

Wow Buck, I see from your pics that YOU did remove everything possible from the frame! Was that so you could coat everything individually like you said to do, or did it all need replacing and thus you had to remove it anyhow? I guess either way, its just a little extra effort at that point and I should plan on doing that...I want to do this right. No time line, no budget really. I just want a solid truck that will stay fresh looking for a LONG time.

Also did you media blast your frame or just go over it with some rust encapsulation and then paint it? I didn't see any photos of that.

I had looked at all your pics about a year ago...your project is my inspiration!!!

Yes, Grade 8's everywhere...even if it is overkill on smaller stuff.

 

I did a frame resto as well and there are things I would have done different had I thought everything thru.
One thing that bothers me the most is my leaf springs. I wish I had taken them apart because now that I drive it and things have flexed the paint is popping off where each spring plate has rubbed and there is likely bare metal between them cause now even the slightest amount of water on the springs lets the rust water seep out from between the springs. That is some ugly sheeit on freshly painted leaf packs.
As for prep and such a local guy around here and I do the barter out system, he owning a sandblast buisness has been great, he blasted the entire frame, springs and axles and then we shot it with epoxy primer, epoxy burgundy paint, then epoxy frame black. Doing it this way gave us a way of seeing where we missed with the black.
Anyhow I have yet to see rust growth from behind the brackets but I never had to unbolt any so I can only assume the factory paint is still back there and protecting the metal.
I would say yes to painting all of the surfaces you have before assembly.
Not sure if you stated what you plan to paint with but that epoxy is tuff as nails and brake fluid doesn't touch it.

 

Being that it will be blasted and clean...

My original thought was to use Eastwood 2K (2 part) Epoxy Primer and top it with Eastwood 2K Ceramic Chassis Satin Black. The thing is I have not seen too many reviews of this product, but I sure like how it looks in their catalog.

But, now Im thinking maybe Magnet Paints Chassis Saver, and then maybe go over that with the Eastwood 2k Ceramic Chassis Satin Black to top coat it agains UV or maybe some other satin black product. I don't know???? I need to see if the two are even compatible.

Im looking for durability and looks at the same time. I know everyone swears by POR-15, but that stuff just looks sloppy. Even if top coated with paint.

This will be primarily a street truck for Home Depot runs with occasional off road use. Certainly not a wheeling truck!

It's such a crazy topic with so much input by everyone. One minute somethign is good, the next it sucks. THIS IS MY BIGGEST HEADACHE AT THE MOMENT.

Someone just give me the end all answer to this please!!!!

Yes, I intended on taking apart all the leafs, and Bucks suggestion above has me removing EVERYTHING that can come off the frame. Even cutting hot rivots where necessary and rebolting in (just to get behind the part with sandblast and paint).

 

I would powder coat everything. Little more $ but worth it. I'm in the process now with my 68.

 

Eh...I have looked into that as well. Powder coat I think is great for some things, I just don't know that a truck frame is it. Unless it was going to be a show truck with very little use or something.

Ive read that if you ever need to repair/weld onto it then you have to pretty much ruin the coat in that area, then what do you do? Plus it is supposedly a little more brittle??? Also, depending on how pitted the frame is, I may want to fill some areas (plastic, lead, or other) to smooth out the look. Powdercoat won't stick to that.

Being able to spray at home (with real spray equipment) I think is the better route for me.

Thanks for your suggestion though.

 

If you need Grade 8 or other hardware, the best way to buy them is in bulk. Check out Bolt Depot - Nuts and Bolts, Screws and Fasteners online . The prices are awesome. I'd love to set up an area of my garage with hardware bins like at Lowe's.

For electrical parts and wire, I get my stuff at Del City - Wiring Products and Professional Electrical Supplies. Again. Awesome prices.

 

I didn't have to replace anything (brackets or crossmembers), I just chose to take everything apart so I could coat everything and so it would last a long time. It was probably a little overkill doing it that way, but I feel better knowing I had every blasted and painted.

I do wish I would have powercoated everything, but at the time I was 8 hours away from the project and I only had a few days at a time to work on it, so I went with paint. I kinda figure that if things start to get bad after time goes by, I'll take it down again and re do it. I only drive during summer and only in nice weather so after 3 years it still looks like I painted it yesterday.

 

Well......

At this point I am seriously considering having the frame galvenized. They then offer a color finish coating (black or other) put over it, OR I think they might even offer a priming coat (both electrostatically applied) over it if I still wanted to do a final spray finish. Which I might so all the fasteners (nuts & bolts) I use are coated as well.

Of course once I do the frame, I know I will want everything else frame down to be as well. Axels, driveshaft, springs, etc.

Overkill??? I don't think so. I have wanted this truck for over 20 years and I have no intention on ever getting rid of it, so why not? I can't think of a better rust inhibitor....

I'll just have to see what the condition of the pitting (if any) is before making that call. I guess it could be filled with weld and grinded. A long process, but if necessary, I would do it.

 

FYI, you can use JB weld to fill pits. It will withstand the heat of powder coating.

 

Mine is powdercoated from the frame down and I mean everything that could stand the heat. Leafs were taken apart and done individually.

Have I chipped it?
Yes, but that took some serious wackin to make that happen.

I have another project waiting but I'm not dropping that much coin on that one. I think it depends on what the use is going to be. That is what I would do anyway.

 

What looks sloppy about POR-15? When it's applied to a smooth surface it looks like any other paint. When it's applied over a rusted, pitted surface it's going to look like it was painted over a rusty pitted surface.


My project has an 80's chassis. I had to remove everything off the rear half of my frame to shorten it. This required removing 60+ rivots and at least 20 bolts, which did suck! But I'm going to disassemble it down to the bare frame rails. I'm going to remove every bracket & crossmember. I'm disassembling all four leaf springs.

I'm going to coat everything with POR-15, their "self etching" and "tie coat" primer( sand able ) . Once it's primed I'm going to sand it. I'll use a little filler if there are any pits to fill. Another coat of primer and then 2 or 3 coats of their two-part black "Hardnose" paint. The "hardnose" paint is a two part paint and is actually tougher then their chassis top coat. This stuff doesn't chip very easily. But if it does it's easy to touch up unlike powder coating.

My frame is going to look much better then new. I don't know why I'm so concerned about the frame looking good. My truck is going to be a year round daily driver. I guess I just feel that with all the time, money and effort I'm putting into my truck I'd like it to look good for as long as possible.

I'm subscribing to your thread. I can't wait to see how yours turns out. Post lots of pics of your progress as you make it!!

 

Yeah...I should take the POR-15 sloppy comment back. I had seen some really terrible coating jobs on the internet...but I also have seen some really nice ones now too....so it is clear that the results differ by preperation and just general "know how" and "caring".

Interesting to know that JB Weld is powdercoat-able. I wonder if that is true of the "metal" body fillers like USC All-Metal too. Will have to get educated on that stuff.

To those of you that removed all brackets and cross-members, how flimsy is the frame to handle once removed? If I were to send it out to galvi, do I need to be concerned about it twisting or bending? Trailer ride to facility, lifting, handling, ride home, etc.