Catching the Inevitable Rust Early

[PSUk2skier]

This is my first post here, I've really learned a lot from you guys already. Bought an '85 FJ60 off of Ebay about a month ago and love it so far. I got it out of Oklahoma and had it shipped up near Philadelphia. It is close to rust free, with a few small (1/4" in diameter) surface rust spots in the usual spots. With winter quickly approaching I am looking to get rid of as many of these few little spots as possible, because I know that the inevitable rust growth is going to happen.

Would your best advice be to sand it down, primer and paint...this is the obvious solution I would imagine. I've read all of the posts about guys bringing rust free trucks to the northeast and asking what the "best way" is to prevent rust but really haven't seen too many definitive answers, with the exception of getting it back out of the Northeast (not an option right now).

I've heard talk about someting called Cosmoline? Anyone have any information on this stuff? I understand that it is used for rust prevention on guns. Is this something that would be helpful on a vehicle? If so, do you just apply it almost like a wax? Any other products/treatments out there that have been proven?

Thanks for the information, i look forward to learning a lot with this truck

 

[Hildy]

Welcome to the boards. I'm from PA too, so I'm fighting the same battle against that crap. Where's the rust, on the body or frame, both?
Isn't cosmoline that thick nasty grease? Whatever you do I would coat it with rust inhibitor first.

 

[brett76]

WELCOME
mine has nly a few spots also. so im going to use the wire wheel to get the flakey. and i got this great stuff that converts the rust. and it turns black and will take any type of body filler, then sand and i found a paint shop that will mix touch up paint with my origianl code and put it in a spray can. so sweet. then done. i only have a few spots around my gutters to do. actually two

 

[sisukid1975]

WELCOME
mine has nly a few spots also. so im going to use the wire wheel to get the flakey. and i got this great stuff that converts the rust. and it turns black and will take any type of body filler, then sand and i found a paint shop that will mix touch up paint with my origianl code and put it in a spray can. so sweet. then done. i only have a few spots around my gutters to do. actually two

That stuff is most likely phosphoric acid based.

Old schoolers like me use Naval jelly, then wipe the black stuff off.

take a flapper wheel to it. get it bright and shiny. If it's pitted, use a phosphoric acid based product like Naval Jelly to get into the pits and remove it. Hit it with 60 grit paper, prime and paint.

Once you get the rust off, you might find there's nothing but a hole left. If it's bubbling the paint, good chance that rust is the only thing there. If there is rust, and you cover it, it will most likely rust again. THe only to fix the rust and keep it from coming back is to remove it all: Every single bit of it. This is why I do not endorse the above mentioned primer that turns the rust black. You don't know what's underneath it.

SO if you get all the rust off and have a hole left....

if the spots are small, cut them out with a hole saw.

This is where you find differing opinions: Weld, fiberglass or Bondo??? Welding takes skill and an investment in a machine, or paying someone else to do it. If you're so inclined, learn to weld, it's a handy skill anyway. Cut out a circle to fit in the hole you made, use a sand bag and a shrinking hammer to make it fit any curve that's there. Weld, grind off the excess, prime, skim with bondo, prime, sand and paint.

Fiberglass: Easier to work with than welding. Make sure you have raw, degreased bright shiny metal for it to adhere to. Take matting, and use gelcoat to adhere it to the back of the panel. THen take weave, cut a piece to match the hole, lay it in with gelcoat. Prime, sand, prime sand, use a spot putty to fill any pits.

BOndo: This stuff is great when it's used properly. It's when people use it improperly that gives it a bad reputation. It should never be more than 1/8th of an inch think, and should NEVER be used unless it is laid over metal or fiberglass. Some people will try to talk you into cutting a piece of screen and using that as backing to fill a small hole with Bondo. Not a good plan. There's no way to properly replace metal with Bondo, so I'm not even gonna tell you waht other idiots have tried.

Like I said, Bondo gets a bad rep when it's done incorrectly. But I have news for everyone who's sent a car to the body shop with instruction to "weld only, NO BONDO!" They HAVE to use bondo, it's practically impossible not to. The question is: "Is it done right?"

Fred

 

[toyman317]

Good job Fred in describing the challenge. I have some rust bubbles just starting on the outer wheel wells that I need to cut out and put new metal into. The inside metal is rust free. I believe I can do the metal part on the outside, grind down the excess and finish off with bondo or fiberglass. What I wonder is what can I spray in the wheel well from inside the cargo area that will keep further rust from forming there as moisture gets up there. How can one stop the moisure from entering that space?

 

[sisukid1975]

Good job Fred in describing the challenge. I have some rust bubbles just starting on the outer wheel wells that I need to cut out and put new metal into. The inside metal is rust free. I believe I can do the metal part on the outside, grind down the excess and finish off with bondo or fiberglass. What I wonder is what can I spray in the wheel well from inside the cargo area that will keep further rust from forming there as moisture gets up there. How can one stop the moisure from entering that space?

Cant stop the moisture from getting in there. I'd strip off anyting under there. THen degrease and prep, and use POR 15 or rust bullet or Eastwood's rust inhibitor. THen coat with spray on bedliner. You can get it in cans at autobody shops. It will keep stuff off, is tough and durable, and will replace the sound insulation (that black tar crap) on the backside of the quarters you will have to remove.

Make sure if you use POR, you use the marine clean to properly prep the metal.

Time consuming, but worth it. Properly done, you won't have to worry about it rusting later down the road.

Fred

 

[toyman317]

Good advice. I have some Zerorust which is supposedly good for sealing off moisture to the metal. Is ZR just as good as Bullet or por?