I have a 97 f250 crew cab. When I bought it ten years ago it had zero rust on the frame axles and springs etc. It's now being slowly taken over, and some is more than surface rust. What is the best way to mitigate this? What "tools" have you used that have been successful? Should I spray it all with a petroleum based product to protect it?? If so what product? Or paint? If so which kind? Or??

Thanks for your help.

 

Use POR-15, Rust Bullet or any of the other readily available products.

 

If its on the frame, sandblast it and coat it in POR15 topped with some paint. If there is rot, usually spring hangers or other brackets, replace with new parts/metal and coat.

If it's body rot, cut out ALL of the old rot, coat inside of new panels/metal with POR15 and either bond or weld into place.

Diesel_Brad is the guy to talk to about this. I'm sure he will post up some more info for you once he sees this thread.

 

I am in the middle of the exact same thing. There are a lot of parts underneath the truck that sand blasting could damage. I would love to do a frame off, but the cost is too much. Also the brackets on my 1995 are riveted to the framen so it takes a more effort to remove them. I have learned a couple of tricks that seem to help get the rivets out faster. Grind the head off of one side of the rivet down to the point you can see the outline of the hole. Careful not to grind away your frame. Using a smaller drill bit, drill 2 holes in the rivet, leaving rivet material between the 2 holes. Now set your punch on the remaining material between the holes and hit with a heavy hammer (probably several times). I think this may help pull the outside rivet material inward thus releasing the "pinch". I have done this a couple of times so far and it seemed to help. I'll find out for sure when I start removing more rivets. A word of caution on drilling rivets, again based on experience. Your arm gets tired and you will start lowering your drill which puts stress on the drill bit and the bit will break. I was drilling a rivet, the drill bit broke and launched like a rifle bullet and actually busted out one of the sliding windows on the back of my cab. Amazing! If that had hit me in the eye or face it would have been bad. I recommend using a full face shield when drilling rivets, heavy leather gloves and of course safety boots along with appropriate clothes. BE SAFE NOT SORRY!

Cleaning the frame with a grinder and wire brush generates a ton of dust. Unless your indoor area is well ventilated or you just don't care about the dust, cleaning the frame outside is the only option I have. The bed is not bad to take off (4 teenagers and $10.00 buck each). The only issue for me was the back two bolts. Their location made them difficult to get off.
I am using POR-15 based on recommendations from this forum. The paint runs easily so be careful how you put it on. It dries quickly. I have been using foam brushes. Also wear protective gloves. If you get POR-15 on you, get it off quickly. Have a rag loaded paint thinner ready to go. Otherwise you will be wearing the black paint until it wears off. Fingernail polish remover won't touch it after it dries. Another word of caution based on experience. Don't get POR-15 in your hair. The only option is to cut it out or take a chance on creating a new fashion trend. Hope this helps.

 

Does anyone have experience using POR-15 on a frame that has been factory undercoated, leaving the body on? My factory coat is peeling and I have surface rust, and in the next year I want to crawl under there and do the best I can to protect things.

I was going to do wire brush --> rust converter --> topcoat, brushed on. You can order all the stuff from Eastwood. But I have read good things about POR15 on here. What concerns me is their instruction to eliminate ALL oils and grease. Does this require sandblasting?

 

Wow. You guys are hard core!! If I had the place to do it I would do the por 15 2 step prep and product. This would all be driveway based. No shop. And I live 3 miles from the ocean. Not cool. Looks like I'm destined for rattle cans! Is that a viable option? Anyone have experience with this method? Thanks for the great feedback.

 

We do frame offs and always powder coat.

POR15 is overpriced / overhyped and will not hold well on shiny, clean surfaces plus it also takes a beating from UV rays (sunlight), chips off, etc.

3M is developing a new rubberized undercoating formulation(that "clings" better than its current product) and I'm interested in testing it once it becomes available.

 

ha, you guys call that rust? Not even close

But to STOP rust there is ONLY 2 way to go about it.

1. Cut it out

2 sandblast all the rust way.

That is IT. there is no other way to STOP it. You can slow it down with other products, but they will not STOP it.

Remember POR15 ONLY will stick to RUSTY metal or freshly sandblasted. It does NOT stick to other paint, undercoat, oil, plastic or bare metal.

I would not call POR15 over priced either. I can sandblast, POR15 and top coat for A WHOLE LOT LESS(about $350) than the price of powered coat(1000+). AND the POR15 will NOT chip like powder coat will.

If you do not have access to a sandblaster and/or not will to take things apart to clean and prep correctly...

then i suggest get a power washer and degreaser and spending a FULL day under your truck cleaning. Blow any loose rust off, get in nooks and crannies. Degrease the engine, axles, trans frame and KEEP WASHING. When it comes to paint sticking, clean is where it is at.

Then after the truck is dry(days later) you can apply the POR15. Get yourself a cheap spray gun you can throw away and a gallon-1.5 gallons of POR15.

Tape EVERYTHING off you don't want paint on(EVERY SQ INCH OF EXTERIOR PAINT)

Put the truck on jack stands as high as safely possible, remove tries.

Then you can go to town painting. Don't worry about runs, if you are brush them out. DO at least 2 coats. Pay extra attention to where pieces of metal meet and corners.

Then go right over top with 2 more coats of some sort of topcoat(I like chassis black or GOOD tractor paint). Put it on Heavy, don't worry about runs, unless you are building a show truck.

Doing that will extend the life of the frame a good 30+ years in BAD winter conditions. But don't forget, you STILL NEED TO WASH THE UNDERSIDE IN WINTER

 

Subscribed.

 

I'm with bigsix lol

 

I'm following Brad's instructions when I do mine. Subscribed

 

Years ago I did a frame-on resto on a Triumph TR-3A… sandblasted the frame in my driveway and coated everything with POR-15… worked very well in my low buck application.