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What is a good way to fix surface rust?

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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 04:32 PM
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What is a good way to fix surface rust?

What is a good way (now-a-days) to fix (OR STOP) surface rust spots that are coming out from under the paint?

Is Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator a good product for killing rust spots?
And if this I were to use Eastwood's, can you put primer and paint over it?

My truck has a LOT of small dime size and smaller spots on it. I want to do something to keep those spots in check while I work on other areas and before I get ready to do body work.

What is a good method for stopping rust?



In the above pic you can see a MAJOR rust spot and several of the smaller spots......

All advice is appreciated!

Mike
 
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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 04:42 PM
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Well, I just applied some POR15 to the areas of my bed that aren't rusted through... I'll let you know in a few months if it held.
 
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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 04:48 PM
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Yep, I am wondering about POR and other products like Eastwood's Rust Encapuslator.
I have seen a LOT of good reviews and then, you can see some reviews that say these products suck. I have seen some products that say you HAVE TO apply them to rusty metal because if it applied to shiny clean metal, it will cause the clean metal to rust.... (???).

SO, I am not a paint and body guy.... I just need a few ideas and some .."what NOT to do" things I can avoid.

Mike
 
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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 05:57 PM
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Subscribing to this (I don't have any advice but could use some myself).
 
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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 05:59 PM
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get your self some cookie cutters,those brill ow pad looking things that go in your 4/1/2 inch grinder(home Depot),removes paint and rust down to bare steel,then apply some epoxy primer (go to your local speed shop and they will mix you a spray can with 2k aresol (eastwood also sells it),spray a couple coats of epoxy and it will keep it from rusting till your ready to fix the entire truck
 
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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 06:14 PM
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POR-15 needs a rough surface to stick an adhere better , it can help protect if the surface metal is prepped properly before application , , it doesn't kill rust , it seals the metal so moisture cannot get through which keeps rust from spreading an stopping if good application is done , I have it on one car from several years back and still solid ,,take it for what it is,,it can help an works good but nothing is perfect
 
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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 06:29 PM
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Obviously blasting is best but here's a close second.....Wire wheel on a angle grinder first. Can use small wire wheel on drill for tight areas. This will remove a lot of loose rust/paint. Wheel thoroughly and get as much as you can. Then use a product called OSPHO. It comes in gallon jugs at hardware stores or internet. Usually about $25. Put in a spray bottle and spray it on rust areas. Then scrub it in with a scotch brite scuff pad (wearing gloves). Scrub rust pits good. The rust will soon turn into a blackish primer. Let dry overnight. Prime with epoxy preferably. I restore f100s and have used this method for years and never had rust return when done properly even on frames. The trick is to actually scrub the rust out of pits. May take several applications depending on severity. Once it turns black it is chemically changed to a primer like film and no longer iron oxide.
 
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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 06:40 PM
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If you wanted to protect a visble area that commonly rusts or had surface rust before repainting what would be best? Will POR15 effect regular autopaint if it is underneath?
 
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Old Feb 25, 2019 | 06:43 PM
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Once it's blistering through the front of the panel you're screwed. It's not "surface rust" at this point. Most rust comes from underneath on the back side of the panel. By the time it blisters the paint, the metal is in its last leg and is pretty much already a hole with a scab on it.

It can't be ground off. Try it and see. Take a booger wheel and go nuts. Sure it'll look shiny but by the time the panel is painted, the rust will already be popping back through your fresh paint.

What we do at my shop if we have to fix something like this (small bubbles, small scabs, etc) is simple and yet time consuming. We first grind down the rust with a booger wheel. Then we spray on Rust-Kill from Duplicolor. No, the Rust-Oleum crap is NOT the same! We let it sit for 24 hours. The rust kill will turn any remaining rust in the pores of the metal black. We then scuff it with a red scotchbrite, apply POR-15 over the area and wait another 24 hours for it to dry. Once it's dry, we sand it flat, glaze (NOT bondo!) Over the pits, epoxy prime and paint. If we can get the panel off (fender, door, etc), we take it off and do the same to the inside.

All that work will buy you maybe 6 months before it comes back. Once it sets in like what I see in that fender, leave it alone, save your money and buy a new fender and have some paint mixed for you from your local Napa.
 
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Old Feb 26, 2019 | 06:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Dave145
Once it's blistering through the front of the panel you're screwed. It's not "surface rust" at this point. Most rust comes from underneath on the back side of the panel. By the time it blisters the paint, the metal is in its last leg and is pretty much already a hole with a scab on it.

All that work will buy you maybe 6 months before it comes back. Once it sets in like what I see in that fender, leave it alone, save your money and buy a new fender and have some paint mixed for you from your local Napa.
Well Dave...... that was the news I didn't want to hear.... sort of like "you got cancer"..... Yep, my truck's body has those spots in several places.
Hmmmmmm...... This is serious!

SO.... in that case, even if you do both sides of these "scab spots" you are saying there is just no way to stop it..... RATS!!

 
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Old Feb 26, 2019 | 06:55 AM
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AND just so I grab this straw before I even start......

..... (just for my information).... there really is no such thing as.... "RUST CONVERTER".... right?

 
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Old Feb 26, 2019 | 09:38 AM
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POR-15 sticks best to a rough surface but you have to descale the area first; something like what you show is not going to work. POR-15 works great on flat or bent surfaces, but anything where a bolt goes through or otherwise can expose any bit of metal will continue to rust. Like it says, it is an encapsulator, so if any oxygen can get to the metal, it will continue to rust.
 
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Old Feb 26, 2019 | 10:58 AM
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For your front fender area, I would take off the fender. Grind/sand the areas to bare metal. The pits can take some time, but if you don't grind/sand out those, then, you're wasting your time. Even do the back side (area of rust) and then use VHT or SEM epoxy primer/paint. The prep work is really important to capture/eliminate the rust. If you can get it down to the bare metal without blowing thru the metal, then you might be ok. I've had great success in doing this, but if you don't do the prep work thoroughly, again, you're wasting your time! I would also recommend going a touch past the rust areas, just to be sure you've contained the rust!

Even as simple and easy as it sounds, this is a process that requires attention to detail and time consuming work to kill the rust (if possible). You are "probably" money ahead to just replace the front fender with another OEM fender that is rust free!!

As Dave145 and Jalopy Jake, they are both point on with their comments! Both have great advise, just depends on "how" bad the rusted areas are!? pics don't always show/tell how bad it really is!! just a guess, probably worse than you are thinking
 
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Old Feb 26, 2019 | 11:03 AM
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Yep, I see your point...
AND, you are probably right.... I am SURE that my problem is worse than I think.

Oh well......

Mike
 
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Old Feb 26, 2019 | 05:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Meridian_Mike
Well Dave...... that was the news I didn't want to hear.... sort of like "you got cancer"..... Yep, my truck's body has those spots in several places.
Hmmmmmm...... This is serious!

SO.... in that case, even if you do both sides of these "scab spots" you are saying there is just no way to stop it..... RATS!!

That spot on in your picture looks to be from chipped paint.
Like the grille chipped it to metal and then water gets between the paint & metal and grows into what you have.
Same with around the light, it started at the edge behind the light and works its way out..

As some one said get one of them rust & paint wheels, pull the grill & light and take care of the rust and hit it was something that will stand up to weather till you can get to it.
May want to read this post on rust treatment https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...st-repair.html
Dave ----
 
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