Metal Restoration?

[iBrent]

So the explorer I bought recently came with a class II 3500lb trailer hitch and a 4-pin wire harness. Being an Eddie Bauer edition it came with the trailer package, which includes the tranny cooler, brake controller wire harness, and all the capabilities of a class III/IV trailer package, except the receiver. Linders Junk yard in Worcester had an '02 explorer with the OEM class III trailer hitch receiver which is a direct bolt on to my rear frame. I decided to buy it (75 bucks versus 500 new). The problem is it's all rusted on the surface. So I need recommendations to get it cleaned up. Is this something that can be sand blasted and powder coated? Or just painted with a corrosion resistant paint?

Basically I want it to be strong enough to pull the rated weight (7500lbs) and last through New England winters.

Here's the pictures:

This is a close up of where the wire harness bracket connects to the hitch receiver. Buying a new bracket would not break the bank if it can't be salvaged.

This is where it bolts the the frame, so I feel this is the most important part:

 

[CAHUNTERMAN]

Have it sand blasted and painted or powder coated. Either way I would have it sand blasted to remove all the rust or it might continue to spread under the new paint.

 

[Dirtisgood_1984]

Sand blasted or a wire wheel the hitch.

I would suggest using a rust kill product that can be put on the hitch to kill the rust. Followed by a good primer and top coat. Do this and you shouldn't see any rust for a while

 

[DeRocha]

I've had it all (Powdercoating, 3M Rust converter, POR-15, and paint products like Rustoleum)

It all depends on how much $$ you want to spend and who is doing the work. I would personally use a wire wheels, sandpaper, and sandblaster to get the entire hitch to bare metal. I then would wash it with dish detergent in hot water to remove any remaining grease/oil. I would then use a hair drier to get it completely bone dry. I would use a product called POR-15 and lay done a few coats. It is a very durable coating that gets good reviews. Powder coating is great, but its $$ and if you get it scratched or nicked you will need to paint it or seal to prevent it from flaking off. The least expensive solution would be to use a high quality metal primer (I've had good luck with rustoleum products), followed by several top coats..

Sandblasting is key because it creates microscopic nooks and crannies which creates a strong adhesion with whatever you coat it with.

POR-15® is a high-tech, high performance rust-preventive coating designed for application directly on rusted or seasoned metal surfaces. It dries to an incredible rock-hard, non-porous finish that won't chip, crack, or peel, and it prevents rust from recurring by protecting metal from further exposure to moisture.

 

[iBrent]

Thanks for all the replies. I decided to go the powder coating route.

Well, I dropped it off at Central MA Powder Coating, Inc. in Clinton, MA. He told me 2 weeks. 2 days later he gave me a call saying it was done. So I picked it up on Friday and wow, it looks better than new and a quick turnaround.

I'm quite happy with the result. The original plastic plate for the wire harness is all that detracts. Also, many thanks to all the post on how to swap out the hitch. It was a really easy job thanks to the knowledge from this site.

Bumper off, old hitch still on (new hitch in trunk):

New hitch on:

 

[CAHUNTERMAN]

That looks great!!

 

[DeRocha]

It definitely is an improvement IMO they should all come with class III receivers for the increased strength and versatility over C2s. The owners manual still indicates the max recommended towing capacity so all would be good..

 

[iBrent]

Thanks!

For those who want to make the swap in the future, here's a couple pictures to help you along.

After you remove the taillights and bumper cover, here's the plugs for the wire harness. Whether you have class 2, or class 3, this plug will be here. As long as you have the OEM class 3 7-pin wire harness coming from the receiver then it will be a plug and play situation. No splicing necessary.

These are the 3 bolts you have to remove from the frame to slide the hitch off. I had to buy a breaker bar cause they were on tight!