Bondo Removal

[beavf16]

After peeling up my PO-applied bedliner I discovered a ton of rust. I plan on getting a new tub, but for now I just want to POR it, and lay down Durabak. I started sanding away at the paint that was under the bedliner and discovered the entire tub is covered in a fairly thin coat of bondo. Short of sandblasting, what's the best way to remove it? I'm a few hours deep into grinding it off with my 4.5in grinder but I'm going through pads like crazy.

 

[Michael Hanson]

I think thats the two methods we have used,not much fun anyway you go. Mik

 

[Gusb]

Chemical paint remover with work on filler - especially if it's thin. Still a lot of work - just no dust - wear lots of protection whatever you do.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Dont breath it. Mike

 

[beavf16]

Great, now the PO is going to give me pneumoconiosis AND a pain in the ass.

 

[joeyg1973]

Torch it. That bed doesn't look to be in that bad of shape. Just a few patches here and there and it should bed fine.

 

[Coolerman]

Pads? Get an aggressive knotted wire wheel. It will make short work of rust, paint, bondo, even undercoating. It will however create lots of dust. If you have a shop vac, rig it up to catch as much of the dust as possible. Great job for the

 

[Tools R Us]

Torch it. ...

X2, where you can get to the backside of the panel it works great. Don't need that much heat, torch, heat gun, etc, ~250-300F and a putty knife takes it right off, no dust. When done with a torch, from the bondo side, it can get smokey.

 

[Toyo FJ40]

Pads? Get an aggressive knotted wire wheel. It will make short work of rust, paint, bondo, even undercoating. It will however create lots of dust. If you have a shop vac, rig it up to catch as much of the dust as possible. Great job for the

2x on the wire wheel on an angle grinder. I stripped my whole cruiser with wire wheels. Don't use the wire cup ones though, they wear out much faster and throw wire everywhere.


Kevin

 

[Bill McC]

Pads? Get an aggressive knotted wire wheel. It will make short work of rust, paint, bondo, even undercoating. It will however create lots of dust. If you have a shop vac, rig it up to catch as much of the dust as possible. Great job for the

What he said. A knotted cup brush for an angle grinder. That will do it. Cost: Less than $30. Check out a welding supply for something better than a Home Depot type. There is a difference. Pherd is a good brand.

 

[Gusb]

What he said. A knotted cup brush for an angle grinder. That will do it. Cost: Less than $30. Check out a welding supply for something better than a Home Depot type. There is a difference. Pherd is a good brand.

Milwaukee makes a nice cup brush - that large braided-cable kind thing (is that knotted?) - seems better than the standard cup brush you see around.
And don't breath too much POR15 when you're ready for that or it won't make much difference what you did to yourself during prep.
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In the end maybe you should try all 3:

Do some paint remover to get your head "loosened-up" ...

Break out the grinder and give the garage a good layer of toxic dust everywhere ...

And finish off with a nice little Bondo fire (marshmallows ) ...

I would have a beer between the dust/fire - but that's personal preference.

 

[vk7ybi]

Abrasive blast?

 

[micky]

you might want to look into a rattle gun. it might dent the steel but if you plan on lineing it, it wont show.

 

[jackbrad]

blast it... save magor hassle.

 

[dgangle]

X3 on heat. peels off like butta

 

[alex e]

HEAT that bitch.

What up DAVE?

 

[LC_Hamma]

I used a small tank of mapp gas & heated the bondo up, but not hot enough to warp any panels. As mentioned already, it just scrapes off quick & easy. Yes, it's gets smokey, so hook up a fan & blow the smoke away. You'll if you inhale any of it.

 

[beavf16]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I especially like Gusb's.

 

[redbone]

The PO of my 40 had put about 1/4-3/8" of bondo all around bolts holding down the tranny hump. I used an air chisel with a fairly sharp flat blade. Be sure to use eye protection as it flies off like broken glass. It came off in pieces as big as 4". Good luck. <><

 

[Degnol]

Abrasive blast?

blast it... save magor hassle.

Takes a long time to blast. If you are DIY, hace at it. But if you are paying by the hour to have it done.......heat will save you money.
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