Frame off? why not?!

[section525]

I fought with the radiator until I figured out I just need to cut it. 5.0L only.

 

[377Z]

Okay, thanks.

 

[377Z]

Well, I was inspired by this thread and decided to get the Performance Accessories 792 2" lift, and the 6 pack of 4 oz. cans of semi gloss black POR15 for the frame. Hopefully the 2" kit will give me enough room to get to most of it. As far as the underbody, I'll probably just touch up the spots that have some rust as best I can.

 

[CDW6212R]

Well, I was inspired by this thread and decided to get the Performance Accessories 792 2" lift, and the 6 pack of 4 oz. cans of semi gloss black POR15 for the frame. Hopefully the 2" kit will give me enough room to get to most of it. As far as the underbody, I'll probably just touch up the spots that have some rust as best I can.

FYI, covering up rust will not stop it, or slow it down much. The POR15 is only good for the very thin surface layer of rust. It does not penetrate rust deep, especially seams that have rust in them.

If you really would like to reduce corrosion, begin with a rust product that is as fluid as water. Check out the Eastwood website for tons of rust products. Their Rust Dissolver is a similar price to buy as the POR15, or their better Rust Encapsulator. It can be sprayed just like water, or brushed on or used to soak rusty parts. For the chassis it's great to spray on with a normal spray bottle. It will creep into seams where rust is otherwise untouchable. The Rust Dissolver will kill rust for as long as it's wet, the surface will become almost white. Anything can be used over it to seal or paint it. It's the good s**t.

 

[sport97]

FYI, covering up rust will not stop it, or slow it down much. The POR15 is only good for the very thin surface layer of rust. It does not penetrate rust deep, especially seams that have rust in them.

If you really would like to reduce corrosion, begin with a rust product that is as fluid as water. Check out the Eastwood website for tons of rust products. Their Rust Dissolver is a similar price to buy as the POR15, or their better Rust Encapsulator. It can be sprayed just like water, or brushed on or used to soak rusty parts. For the chassis it's great to spray on with a normal spray bottle. It will creep into seams where rust is otherwise untouchable. The Rust Dissolver will kill rust for as long as it's wet, the surface will become almost white. Anything can be used over it to seal or paint it. It's the good s**t.

Their rust dissolver intrigues me. That rust encapsulator seems to me to be the samething as POR-15 or rust bullet. Im getting ready to repair my rockers and doglegs. Ive been leaning towards the POR-15 to coat all my new parts with, as well as protecting my passenger side rocker, which I wont be replacing yet.

 

[377Z]

Any effective vapor barrier that prevents oxygen & moisture from accessing the metal will stop rust (allegedly POR15 is basically a pigmented superglue). After looking high and low at all the different products available I settled on simply using POR15, its already on its way. The primary reason I went with POR15 is to coat the frame, axle, control arms, stuff that has a coat of rust. Still not sure what I will do for the insides of the boxed sections, perhaps a different product that can be sprayed. Anyways, from everything I've read, this is an area where POR15 works well--I plan to find out.

CDW6212R, I will consider some of the other products for the body based on what you posted, especially for areas with seams--some of those other products even come in spray cans which will make application even easier (and you know its fairly thin if it can be sprayed). For the body I'm leaning towards the stuff that has aluminum powder suspended in it (don't remember the brand offhand). Heck, I might even spray on the converter, then the aluminum laden stuff on top as an extra barrier. Anyways it will depend on what I see when I start tearing into it; something I should get a chance to do tonight.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, the 'rust dissolving' products need to be kept wet to work, which IMHO is not practical for stuff you can't easily soak. Great for smaller stuff though. In these cases, instead of buying the prepackaged name brand stuff I just use oxalic acid--sometimes found at your local HW store as 'wood bleach,' or you can order it online (even cheaper). Best part is its not dangerous or toxic. Another way is electrolysis but again only good for stuff you can soak, but you need to be careful anytime water & electricity are near each other.

 

[CDW6212R]

The Rust Dissolver is almost clear when new, as thin as water, and it does wick into any seam or crack. None of the rust converters can or will do that. Any existing rust in seams already has an ample supply of oxygen, and "sealing" it in does nothing except disappoint you when it does come back.

The problem with rust in seams and cracks is that it's virtually always deep and some will remain unreachable by even the best products.

I have a 1991 door that a body man in 1998 "fixed" rust along the bottom edge. I watched him wire wheel it, and I stopped him long enough to treat it with a rust converter I had which is typical of parts stores. He sanded over it when dry and painted it. In 2005 I rebuilt my 99 truck using that 91 door. The rust was still there along the whole bottom and inside. I went at it with brushes and thin screwdrivers to remove what I could reach. I sprayed it then with Oxysolv, which is the original name for Eastwood's Rust Dissolver. I thought that I killed it all. I had it done, sanded and painted after Rust Encapsulator. Over three years later there is evidence of the rust coming back. It still lived deep inside the seam, between the skin of the door and the inner door. That rust will keep coming back, the only answer is to keep treating it, but you have to catch it before it grows big enough that it eats away too much metal.

The Rust Dissolver doesn't dry up fast, nor in a few hours. If you spray it on and leave it alone, it will likely be moist until the next day.

My main point is that surface rust is no problem, body shops grind down to bare metal and it's gone usually. In any seams you should imagine that rust will be so deep you can't reach it. Don't rely on any rust converters or coatings to stop it, it cannot. Treat it with a chemical that is thin enough to get into the cracks, and expect to see it come back in a certain number of years. Regards,

 

[377Z]

Definitely food for thought. I guess for the underbody, I will wait to decide how to approach it.

Wish I had the time & patience to disassemble it down to the steel, because I'd strip & galvanize everything. Believe it or not, its not that bad (they typically charge by the pound IIRC), and you can locate your nearest facility here:

http://www.galvanizeit.org/

They even tell you their vat size! Oh I wish...

 

[CDW6212R]

I refinished the whole underside of my 99(which is my old 93 rear clip), when I rebuilt the 99 five years ago. I had virtually no rust except for a tiny amount in the back around the spare. I'll bet some of those seams on mine still have a little rust to come back out.

You need a car lift, that helps.

 

[snoranger]

Definitely food for thought. I guess for the underbody, I will wait to decide how to approach it.

Wish I had the time & patience to disassemble it down to the steel, because I'd strip & galvanize everything. Believe it or not, its not that bad (they typically charge by the pound IIRC), and you can locate your nearest facility here:

http://www.galvanizeit.org/

They even tell you their vat size! Oh I wish...

I plan on galvanizing the frame on my 94. I galvanize everything I can! BUT, It helps when you work next door to a galvanizing plant and repair their forklifts. I've yet to pay for anything I needed galvanized.

They use a cold galvanizing spray paint for touch-ups from this company:

http://www.aervoe.com/paints_coatings/Galvanized-and-Stainless-Steel-Coatings/

I've used it on alot of stuff and have yet to be disappointed with the quality. Only thing is I cant find the same one they use on the website. Its sku #142. I just get cans from my neighbors. You might want to try it out.

 

[377Z]

I refinished the whole underside of my 99(which is my old 93 rear clip), when I rebuilt the 99 five years ago. I had virtually no rust except for a tiny amount in the back around the spare. I'll bet some of those seams on mine still have a little rust to come back out.

You need a car lift, that helps.

Nice work!

I think I'm going to adjust my plans at this point, out of necessity. I'm freshening up as much stuff as I can before December, when I plan to drive it down to the folks summer home in Fla to leave in the garage for vacation use. I just replaced the valvebody, and am moving on to brakes, will pre-emptively change some of the fairly rusty brake lines, rad hoses, acc belt, change/flush ALL fluids, check ball joints, bearings, etc. Did the rear brakes last night; wasn't planning on changing the parking brake shoes, but they fell apart as the discs came off. Wow, what a crappy job w/o needlenose visegrips. Unfortunately my truck is off site & I only get to work on it 1-2 days a week for a few hours a crack. After looking at how much stuff is bolted to the frame I don't want to just slop paint all over everything assembled since that would make an eventual full teardown a bigger pain, & I won't have time to tear it down on this timetable.

Fortunately, the 'duty cycle' in Fla will be pretty low (i.e. maybe a month's use per year), and it will live in a garage for the balance of the time. My plan is to soak every inch of the underside in WD40 to displace as much moisture as I can. Not ideal, but its the best I can do right now.

I'll still see if I can get that 2" BL on since it will be that much easier to periodically spray the thing down with oil (will do at the end of each vacation). Should at least slow it down some.

I plan on galvanizing the frame on my 94. I galvanize everything I can! BUT, It helps when you work next door to a galvanizing plant and repair their forklifts. I've yet to pay for anything I needed galvanized.

They use a cold galvanizing spray paint for touch-ups from this company:

http://www.aervoe.com/paints_coatings/Galvanized-and-Stainless-Steel-Coatings/

I've used it on alot of stuff and have yet to be disappointed with the quality. Only thing is I cant find the same one they use on the website. Its sku #142. I just get cans from my neighbors. You might want to try it out.

Thanks. Once this truck is in Fla and I move into a house w/garage again, I might look around for my true love, gen I 4 door Ex if I can spare the cash. Since I haven't seen a rust free gen I in about a decade (& if I found one odds are I wouldn't have the cash for it), odds are I will have a chance to try this stuff out.

 

[hans the boss]

ooh thats a nice job long time to do it?? you only put away all chassis mounts and then just lift up the hole body is that realy soo easy to do

i asking because i am in this way now if and i mean if i realy should do it i dont have any lift objects or forklift so if i can is it safe to lift it by an jackstand and then put stands under the vehicle then ??? or some big wood pices under body and then lift?? please tell me one easy way to do it and then were to be safe about electric or fuel mounts or some else i need to now a little bit before i start the big job

 

[KJL]

does anyone have a step by step on removing the body? there is a bit of rust under my 92 and id like to get rid if it plus i wanna say i pulled the cab off lol