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QuitersLOSE14

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Mar 15, 2011
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Ok, so after a year and a half of driving our rig around as we bought it minus some extras to get it street ready, we are now in the process of restoring the thing! Body and other big parts are at the shop being blasted and repaired, and now we are left with the frame sitting in our yard to make pretty. The power train as well as axles and wheels are all still there and we've taken of anything that isn't permanently attached to the frame. Now my dad votes that we just sand and wire brush the frame down and get ready to treat it with rust killer and paint. It's not POR15, but very similar. So, as I am the one who is working on the frame, I'm finding that sanding/grinding as well as the wire brush and wheel still is just taking forever and not yielding, what I think is a paint ready surface. So I want opinions as well as testimonials as to what others have done "effort wise" to restore the frame, and in turn how its held up. This truck will be driven, and taken on trails every so often, but mainly kept on street. In addition we live in a SALTY climate. :frown: I was pondering the idea of renting a blaster of some sort and cleaning up the hard to reach areas that way, but fear that even renting the machines would be expensive. Containing the sand is not an issue as I can make a booth. So, what should we do? Is blasting with the power train in place a hassle or has it been done. Any thoughts are appreciated.
 
ive always used a wire wheel on a 4" grinder and a right angle die grinder with a wire wheel,may not be the way other people roll but it works for me.sand blast is probably the best to get inside the frame or have it dipped .we dont have those services here so we also use a small blaster. good luck .
 
Sand blasting will clean areas a wire brush simply can't, especially inside the box sections, and paint adhesion is excellent. Cost is relative. (Time is money). You can sandblast to bare metal an entire chassis with axles in two about hours - try that with a wire brush! A 185 CFM towable construction-type air compressor, and sandpot with hood and filter should run you about $200/day. Use 60 mesh sand and blast away. Since you have 8 hours rental time line up everything you want to blast and go to town. DO NOT sandblast sheet metal body parts, though, until or unless you have lots of experience - you can do more harm than good. The frame and heavier metal parts....knock yourself out.
Set everything up so the hard to reach areas are easy to. Since the frame is stripped two guys can flip it around to get to all the sides easliy.
Good Luck.
 
i used a 5 inch makita grinder with wire wheel and wire cup
what worked best for me was the rubber sanding pad
with 80 or 120 grit on it ,I also used a 7 inch grinder
worked faster than my small sand blaster ,i used the sand blaster later on to get into the tight spots.
sanding disc cleans everything up very nicely
i just had these tools out last night .cleaning up the brass bits on my boat and prop. :doh:



,,,
IMG_1264 (Large).jpg
 
Fast Eddy said:
When I finally do all the work to strip the body off the frame I'm sending mine out for sandblast and powder coating. I will never have to worry about it again.
Click to expand...

x2 with Fast Eddy. That is the way to go.
 
We just did the frame on my 72 not too long ago. Had a guy come out to the garage and sodablast the thing for a great price. That took care of a lot of it then just sanded some left over stuff. Spent some money on primer, paint, and clear coat at autozone and painted the thing in the garage. I think it turned out pretty awesome.

If you're already putting that much time, effort, and money into it...may as well go all the way.
 
Well, I tried to persuade pops, but he's not budging, says that blasting is too much effort. I'll have to make sure to invest in some good wire wheels and cups as well as some heaving duty sanding discs. Also, as most of yall have been thru this, did you brush or spray your frame? I just can't see how a brush is efficient at getting everywhere. Also, any tips for the rear section, its got the tightest nooks and crannys and tools can't get inside.
 
QuitersLOSE14 said:
Well, I tried to persuade pops, but he's not budging, says that blasting is too much effort. I'll have to make sure to invest in some good wire wheels and cups as well as some heaving duty sanding discs. Also, as most of yall have been thru this, did you brush or spray your frame? I just can't see how a brush is efficient at getting everywhere. Also, any tips for the rear section, its got the tightest nooks and crannys and tools can't get inside.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the good ole flap disc sanders!!!
I love those things.
I sprayed the paint... Rustoleum appliance paint is the s***!
It's an epoxy paint, gloss finish and is sooooper durable! Plus, it's relatively cheap.
Here's a pic of the axle housing, springs and such that I did.
Used rust bullet on the rear springs... It was too hard and started to chip off and it took forever to dry.
image-158717607.jpg
 
....

I would think that sanding would be too much effort, not blasting...haha. It cost me about $80 bucks to have a guy come out and sodablast the frame.

We used a gun and sprayed it...here's a pic.
IMG_3853 2.jpg
 
If sandblasting isn't an option, wire wheel as much as you can reach, and try to source a few boiler tube brushes to get inside the frame rails. You'll need to fab up some sort of extention rods to reach into the inner frame rails and rear frame gussets. Knock off all the scale.

Get as much of the rust scale off as you can, then spray it with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer, and get a quart can of it to do the inside frame rails and rear gussets. Chocolate brown muddy looking stuff. Soak a wadded up rag or car wash sponge on a flexible stick with it and run it through the frame rails and coat it really good. Use a flashlight to look in and make sure you coated all of it. Let it dry for a couple of days.

Next, do the same thing with Rustoleum Clean Metal Primer (yellowish-tan looking).

That's a good base for rust prevention, after that you can paint it, and it should last in a salty environment. The key is to coat EVERYTHING, leave no bare steel.:clap:

I say all this assuming you don't have access to Zinc Chromate primer, the lime yellow stuff. Last I heard, it was no longer available to consumers, but it's the best rust barrier, bar none. It's used to paint offshore oil rigs... I painted my frame with it in 1987 and my frame is intact. Best wishes:cheers:
 
chicago said:
Don't forget the good ole flap disc sanders!!!
I love those things.
I sprayed the paint... Rustoleum appliance paint is the ****!
It's an epoxy paint, gloss finish and is sooooper durable! Plus, it's relatively cheap.
Here's a pic of the axle housing, springs and such that I did.
Used rust bullet on the rear springs... It was too hard and started to chip off and it took forever to dry.
Click to expand...

We originally did the Rust Bullet and now I have to sand it off which is a P.I.T.A.!!! In addition that stuff oxidized where the frame was exposed to sun. Hopefully the new paint system we have is good. Everyone seems to use POR15, but I'll get back to yall with picks of how it finally ends up.

Also, since you obviously didn't get it blasted how long did it take you to over haul the frame with the sanding method. I've been sanding with a compressed air DA and like about 50 or 60 grit discs. I'm considering a coarser disc just to speed up the process for the places where a 6 inch sander can't go. I'll probably go out and get the flapper sander too. as well as the sander discs for our 4 in grinder.
 
About 15yrs ago I took the tub off, & left the driveline in. I stripped all the brakelines, gas lines & all the little stuff off. Then I went & rented the biggest badest high pressure washer they had. It was something like 6000psi, for a 1/2 day. When you pulled the trigger it would set you back. It did an excellent job w/no sand to clean up. I let it dry for a couple of days, then wire wheeled a couple of spots that needed some extra attention & some areas that has light surface rust from the water. Then painted it w/a brush. & I spray painted the areas I could not get to w/the brush. Its held up well, no rust, w/yrs of wheeling on it since then. I'd do it again.
 
A DA sounds weak. I prefer items like pbgbottle has pictured.
 
I had mine sand blasted by a co-worker, then I used metal ready and rust bullet (used a brush). Top coated portions of it with rustoleum black. I'm happy with it.
 
I would argue that if you drive an FJ40 in a salty climate, you WILL be redoing the bodywork every few years. If you can afford to drive anything else, and park the FJ inside on gloppy days, the reward will be significant!
 
SteveH said:
I would argue that if you drive an FJ40 in a salty climate, you WILL be redoing the bodywork every few years. If you can afford to drive anything else, and park the FJ inside on gloppy days, the reward will be significant!
Click to expand...

X2

Why drive a classic like a 40 in conditions that you know will slowly destroy it?
 
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