Hi there!
im looking for some input.
I have an 01 7.3L and it's lived in Chicago its whole life so.......... it has a bit of a rust problem.
I've decided to put money into it so it'll keep on going for me (I mean, the engine is good for a million miles so why not?) buuuuuut since I've gotten the mechanical stuff done, I need to get the body/frame solid.
The frame has a nice layer of surface rust (at least a quarter inch, if I had to guess) so it's not really worth trying to grind off, but it's still safe and solid.
I want to prevent it from rusting further.
So: suggestions?
I personally think it would be awesome to have someone Line-X the hell out of it. A buddy of mine says his mechanic friend bought a rusty old vane, Line-X'ed the entire thing WITHOUT taking the rust off beforehand, and it's not gotten rustier since. (He uses it to show customers). I just wonder how you work around all the bolts and stuff... Plus I'm not sure what they'd charge.
Any other spray-on proven rust-stoppers that don't require removing the rust prior to application?
I've also heard about this paint that reacts with the rust and you just, like, paint over it? Any one have more info on that?
Lastly, would it be worth it to just strip it down, attempt to blast the rust off, and have it coated? Again, not sure what that would end up costing.
Thanks!

 

Subscribing.

Eastwood has a line of products for restoring cars. I have heard nothing bad about them yet and they have at least two products for dealing with rust. I have purchased two of them in aerosol cans for work I am doing on my '91 Jimmy but have not yet tried them out. They are very close to me and if you need me to check anything out I can do it.
Two of their rust solutions are on this page Most Popular Products - Hot Deals.

 

Back in my old commercial fishing days we used Ospho to "kill" the rust on the boat. But you would still want to clean it off before painting. Without removing it (the rust) I believe that you are just masking the problem just to have a much bigger one later on.

 

You need to remove the loose, flaky rust, but not necessarily get all the way down to bare steel, if you're going to use a rust-conversion product or a paint like Hammerite or POR-15. I would not use a Line-X type product, as any water that gets underneath it will make it worse than nothing at all.

 

por 15 does not work,i wasted alot of money on it and used it exactly as they said,it didnt last a year

 

Ospho sounds interesting. Anyone have experience with it?
Line-X done professionally uses a heated gun and hose so the product takes surface water off during application and then creates a permanent seal to the base material. If any water manages to get in there, it would have to work its way down through the metal and rust, neither of which hold water like a sponge so...

 

Ospho sounds interesting. Anyone have experience with it?
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As I mentioned it worked very well. The only issue is that the EPA likes to outlaw most things that do. Not that that is a bad thing perse, it just creates a PITA to find a good replacement.
I have no idea if that is the case here or not.

 

I have used phosphoric acid, which a lot of body shops use. It converts iron oxide (rust) to iron phosphate, which is a gray or blackish color. There is a special procedure to follow, but not to difficult. You should plan on some vigorous removal of the loose stuff for best results.

If you want expert advice on these types of products, just go into a supplier of paint products for body shops, those guys know everything from their factory training trips (drunken) to Hawaii or Vegas.

Actually they are very sharp and very willing to sell to the public for the most part.

Larry

 

I have also used some of the products on Eastwood with good results on RV frames, but I did get the flakes off first with a wire brush. I did not try to get to bare metal.

Steve

 

I have used Ospho, (Phosphoric Acid) on Tractor Resorations, Trailer repairs and anything else I could find. It works very well in all cases when used correctly. It is not the magic bullet. You will get Crap results if you just Paint it on and rattle can it afterward. You have to at least Powerbrush/Needle scale/Scrape the rust off to break the crust and loosen crap off the top. There cannot be any oil or grease on the surface. The surface has to be completely dry, then paint the Ospho on with a brush. You want to wear rubber gloves with this stuff, It isn't flesh eating or anything, but this concentration, You don't want a third eyeball growing on your thigh either. Do not get it anywhere near Aluminum or galvanized metal, it will eat it in short order. Let dry for 24 hrs, Brush it down to get the white residue off, and commence to painting, preferably with a good quality primer then paint.....




Oh, and the reason a lot of states outlaw it is it is a Serious Corrosive, You go dumping down the drain and it will destroy all brass fittings / pipe, etc. Kill fish and birds, and destroy the planet as we know it.....I just dilute the crap out of it and kill bugs with it....

 

Buy yourself a cheap undercoating gun. You get 5gal of oil every time you change your oil. I oil down in winter a few times. Holds the salt at bay.

 

I have a friend in Upstate NY, where salt is used heavily who does that, he blends in some thick chain saw bar oil and he swears by the method.

 

ATF mixed with paraffin (and slightly warmed) makes a very nice rustproofing that will creep into everything and stick around. You can brush it on, or spray it. Apply directly to rusty surfaces. Like all rustproofing, it should be inspected yearly to see where it may no longer be effective.