My 86 F-250 4x4 is in very nice condition with the exceprion of a rusty frame. The floor pans, cab mounts etc are perfect but the frame looks like it was fished from the bottom of the ocean. Lots of scaling rust from front to back.My question is how badly rusted can a frame be before it is unsafe or unusable? The truck drives and tracks straight and isn't twisted, even on the lift at work it seems sturdy( hasn't broke in half yet, LOL), but it has me conserned. Anything that can be done to prevent it from getting worse?

 

Hi Areo - welcome to the Bodywork Forum.

I'm no expert on frames, so all I can tell you is that our 1941 frame and many like them have been around for many years with what I'm sure is more rust than you're 1986 will ever see.

Fix & prevention - clean off the flaking paint and rust by either wire wheel, sanding or sandblasting. Clean well then treat with a rust converter such as Ospho or Jasco (readily available at Home Depot) then put a good coat of a paint like a high quality Rustoleum, POR-15 or the like.

 

Thank you for the response. What is POR-15?

 

POR-15 is a Rust Inhibitave paint that's very tough. It's sensative to UV rays. We've used it on the frame of our '41 pickup resto project.

The only places I know to find it is either online or at car shows.

Do a search through the bodywork forum and you'll find out more info on the product.

 

HERE IS THERE WEBSITE >>> CLICK HERE

 

I had a thread similar to this earlier. I saw this product on Trucks one Sunday. Nobody here had experience with it, but it looked to be a good product.

http://www.magnetpaints.com/

Check out the Chassis Saver paint.

 

Im using POR15 on the frame and it brushes on and looks like it was sprayed on.Ive done the under side of the box and body in black as well as the gas tanks and the frame is done in a greythe axles are done in black as well.Once its dry i hoseed off the box and it cleans off very well.

 

How much paint did you need to do all the parts that you painted? I am doing the same thing this weekend and would like to know how much paint I would need.

Thx
Randall

 

I bought a quart of black and it covered the under side of the box and the inside of the box sides(the box is upside dwn so i painted the inside of the box sides)and the 2 gas tanks rr springs and rear diff.and now the can is empty,so you get alot of coverage.Im painting the frame in the POR15 Greyand so far ive done the rear half,inside and out all the cross memberstop and bottomand the can is down about 1" from full.I think the grey will last to do the rest of the frame etc, my 2nd can of black should finish the rest of the cab as well.My only advice that you must listen to is WEAR GLOVES AS THIS PAINT WILL NOT COME OFF SKIN .!!!!!! I hope this helps

 

Personally, I have given up on Por-15 and have gone with Zero Rust.

It comes in several different colors, the black is a semi-gloss that I consider perfect for frames, wheel wells, & etc., costs about $50 for a gallon, available in rattle cans, and best of all, stops water and rust dead.

Nope, I don't sell the stuff. Just a very happy customer.

 

Well.... I really should have listened to "FMC" about wearing gloves I thought that I would'nt get very much paint on my self to worry about it. But guess what... I was very wrong. The only thing that I found that will get this stuff off is a Lufa. But the problem is that it was made to remove dead hard skin, and yes it removes the skin from your hands if you are not careful.

I went out and picked up some gloves for the next coat.

Randall