Rust question

IMR-Merlin · 11-26-2011, 02:37 PM

I finally got around to pulling the front fenders off of my build car and there was some rust pitting on the chassis and fender.

What is the best route to clean, repair and stop this from continuing? I can get it really good with a wire wheel on mt grinder and would like to avoid media blasting if possible because it makes a mess of my shop.

After all the rust is gone, I thought I read where there was a pre treatment that you can spray on that will neutralize the oxidation before priming.

Thanks in advance, this forum has been a great help.

Brendon

Fishcop · Fishcop's Garage

I sandblasted and followed up with epoxy primer, but I understand the mess issue. If you're satisfied you can get in really well with a wheel, go for it. I'd follow up with something like Picklex20 to get right into the pits.

I'd definitely take the fenders outside and blast them...

IMR-Merlin · 11-26-2011, 05:38 PM

This is the stuff I was asking about Picklex20 Manufacturer Home Page Metal surface preparation, steel pre-treatment. thanks!

drcoastline · 11-26-2011, 06:41 PM

I have never used PikleX but have heard it is a good product. I use Metal Ready by POR 15 to "neutralise" any rust and for short term protection. I beleive they are similar products. Porsche962 recommends using a chromated primer on direct metal to prevent future rust.

Fishcop · Fishcop's Garage

I used both Picklex and Por15 MetalReady. The big advantage of Picklex was that you can lay epoxy over the not without washing it off (you just scuff the metal with a red scotchbrite).

tharbert · tharbert's Garage

Take a look at this. It's Freddy's thread on metal conditioning. I couldn't find the products he mentions but located the DuPont equivalent. You can get phosphoric acid from Home Depot or Lowes for about $8 a gallon. I used DuPont 5718s after "converting" the rust with the acid. I believe the PickleX or naval jelly use the same principles.The 5718 and the product Freddy mentions also put down a layer of Zinc.

E Sully · E Sully's Garage

If you use PickleX, they say not to use an etching primer over it.

IMR-Merlin · 11-27-2011, 06:56 AM

Thanks for all the input!! I did some work on it last night with the wire brush (pictures later) and got it in good shape. None of the area will be visible on this part, but later on, would the prep be the same if I had to use some light weight filler to fill in the pitting?

IMR-Merlin · 11-27-2011, 10:43 AM

962porsche · 07:01 AM

in my shop we would bag off the rest of the car and spot blast it with 001 sand in one of the little hand held spot blasters . then etch prime it and be done with it . the total cost if you had to buy a spot blaster is less than 60 dollars for the blaster and a 30lbs of the sand . all the picklex type things are not realy the best way to go . any little rust you leave could come back . 30 years of doing this crap for a living i have seen it to many times that people use things like picklex / por15 and a like to have rust back some years down the road . the bottom line is if you don't want the rust there at all them you remove all the rust and not cover it with a product like that .
freddy should never have did a write up about body work and paint ! the more i read his write up the more things i find totaly wrong ! he is not in any way a body and paint person .
he should tell you people that a etch primer is a zinc type of a primer . and in no way should you try to lay down a coating of pur zinc on the panels of your car . the top coats will delam a year or two later if you try it . also wiping a panel down with straight phosphoric acid is not the smartest thing in the world to do . are you restoring a john deere tractor or a porsche ? if you wipe pur acid on the panel it will leave a film on it that will have to be sanded off the panel before you etch prime it . if the metal is clean with no rust there should be no reason to acid wipe the panel with it . if the panel has rust then you remove the rust its that ez ! the only time we ever acid wipe any panels is when some dumb ass touched the bare metal with there bare hand . and if one of my guys ever did that they will be looking for a new job . any top tech should know never to do some thing that dumb !!!

IMR-Merlin · 11-29-2011, 04:46 AM

Thanks for the input, I have a spot blaster, just makes a mess. I think the best plan is to tape off one bay in my shop and blast away.

962porsche · 11-29-2011, 01:12 PM

on our little spot blaster there are tips that go on the end of the nizzle to cut down on the sand from just flying around when blasting . also gat some thick mill plastic sheeting and duck tape and bag off the car and all the holes were sand will blow thru . tape the holes from the back side were you can . dubble up the thickness of the tape so the blasting will not just blow a hole in the duck tape . use the duck yape to tape the plastic sheeting to the car in the area were you have to blast that too you want to dubble tape the areas .

IMR-Merlin · 11-29-2011, 05:11 PM

Thanks again, the car is a complete shell and I'm more worried about a mess in the shop and not in the car. I just picked up my tubing bender so i will be in the shop this weekend working on the cage. As I find the rest of the rust I think it would be the best plan over all to clean it up the best I can now and then right before I do the priming, hit all the spots at once at the end of the project so I just have one big clean up.