Anti-rust coating: POR15 vs Rust Bullet vs Chassis Saver vs ...?

[JCH13]

I'm looking at anti-rust coatings I can apply to my Miata's frame and suspension links. Does anyone have personal experience with any of these products or one that I don't have listed?

 

[yottabit]

I'm looking at anti-rust coatings I can apply to my Miata's frame and suspension links. Does anyone have personal experience with any of these products or one that I don't have listed?

Are you trying to remove/stop rust that's already there or prevent rust from forming in the first place? Products like POR15 are meant to be applied to surfaces that are already rusty IIRC

Personally stuff like suspension links I would remove and powdercoat, I've had good luck with powdercoating holding up. The frame you could get underbody waxed once in a while.

If you are trying to remove/stop rust that's already there then I don't have much experience... I usually try to cut/grind away any rust that's there and then do repairs

 

[JCH13]

I'm trying to stop rust that is already there, which is why I've been looking at POR15, Rust Bullet, etc.

Powder coating is an option, but I'd like to do the work myself, which is the point of this project car . Is there a "powercoat in a can" type of product that won't give me cancer if I cure it in my oven?

 

[yottabit]

Pretty easy to assemble your own powdercoating kit... all you need is a gun, compressed air source, the powder (which is not toxic at all AFAIK just particles of plastic) and a junk or spare oven. I'm honestly not sure how your oven would smell if you decided to use your main one. In my machine shop some friends found a free oven from craigslist and used that.

Much less toxic than DIY anodizing

Thinking back to it I've used POR15 on some small applications a long time ago and as far as I remember it worked well. IIRC it's pretty nasty stuff though and I wouldn't use it on anything more than surface rust.

 

[JCH13]

Pretty easy to assemble your own powdercoating kit... all you need is a gun, compressed air source, the powder (which is not toxic at all AFAIK just particles of plastic) and a junk or spare oven. I'm honestly not sure how your oven would smell if you decided to use your main one. In my machine shop some friends found a free oven from craigslist and used that.

Much less toxic than DIY anodizing

Thinking back to it I've used POR15 on some small applications a long time ago and as far as I remember it worked well. IIRC it's pretty nasty stuff though and I wouldn't use it on anything more than surface rust.

If you have a garage... and don't live in an apartment

 

[thedarkwolf]

I used por 15 years ago on a 67 ford galaxie that I drove daily winter and summer for 2 years. The rear section of the frame and trunk floor had a decent amount of surface rust on them that I wanted to keep from getting worse. After those two years the parts I put it on looked the same as the day I did it. I just brushed it on and the only problems I had with it was getting it back off my hands.

 

[Zargon]

I've read good things about POR15 and old motorcycle gas tanks

 

[SparkyJJO]

POR15 works really well. If you clean up the rust then apply that, it won't rust again. A friend of mine sandblasted a car frame, then used a spray gun to apply the POR15. It ended up with a fairly smooth and glossy finish. Looks pretty nice actually. And it is hard as a rock.

I'm planning on having my truck frame coated with POR15.

 

[manimal]

POR15 works really well. If you clean up the rust then apply that, it won't rust again. A friend of mine sandblasted a car frame, then used a spray gun to apply the POR15. It ended up with a fairly smooth and glossy finish. Looks pretty nice actually. And it is hard as a rock.

I'm planning on having my truck frame coated with POR15.

Nice!

I would caution you to use a mask with POR15.


Wonder how that would look on my project bike frame. I have a 87 GSXR600 in the corner of the garage that needs TONS of work.

 

[Plugers]

If you have a garage... and don't live in an apartment

A larger toaster oven will fit many brackets, but a free electric oven is the way to go.

Ghetto powdercoating booth warning:

 

[Ronstang]

POR 15 is good for applying to items that are already rusted but I suggest you get one of their kits and go by the instructions for the whole procedure to get the best results. Even if you need a quart you are better off buying it in smaller cans that you think you will use up during one application since once you open the can POR 15 starts to slowly cure. You can keep it for short periods but be careful not to put the lid on the can without first covering the can opening with Saran Wrap (or equivalent) or you will not get the can open again.

POR15 is also UV sensitive so it is advisable to top coat it with another type of paint. Eastwood sells a chassis black that works well but you can use just about anything you choose. If you do not the POR 15 will start to deteriorate almost immediately.

Use POR 15 in a well ventilated area as it is quiet nasty. Also be careful about using it on parts you may weld on in the future. Burning POR 15 is deadly.

 

[halik]

POR15 hands down, that stuff turns into hard abs plastic and doesn't come off of anything (including your hands).

You should not be cleaning the rust off aside from some brushing though, it's designed to stick to rusty surfaces.

 

[SparkyJJO]

POR 15 is good for applying to items that are already rusted but I suggest you get one of their kits and go by the instructions for the whole procedure to get the best results. Even if you need a quart you are better off buying it in smaller cans that you think you will use up during one application since once you open the can POR 15 starts to slowly cure. You can keep it for short periods but be careful not to put the lid on the can without first covering the can opening with Saran Wrap (or equivalent) or you will not get the can open again.

POR15 is also UV sensitive so it is advisable to top coat it with another type of paint. Eastwood sells a chassis black that works well but you can use just about anything you choose. If you do not the POR 15 will start to deteriorate almost immediately.

Use POR 15 in a well ventilated area as it is quiet nasty. Also be careful about using it on parts you may weld on in the future. Burning POR 15 is deadly.

I would suspect that under a car isn't going to get too much UV exposure. My differential cover on my previous car was coated in POR15 and aside from dirt it looked like it had just been sprayed a year later.

 

[Ronstang]

I would suspect that under a car isn't going to get too much UV exposure. My differential cover on my previous car was coated in POR15 and aside from dirt it looked like it had just been sprayed a year later.

The manufacturer still suggests top coating even on the undercarriage. It is not cheap stuff and if it ever starts to deteriorate it is not a simple fix. This is some nasty stuff.

 

[Doppel]

I put some (POR 15) on rusty parts of a vehicle and the following summer it had clearly deteriorated slower than the year prior. I was overall pleased. It is not a cure-all though; there was still some rusting going on, though possibly it was occurring behind the part and water getting in not from the front, as before. Still was worth the effort.

 

[Rifter]

POR 15 works great. If putting on something with surface rust just put it on, if putting on clean metal its a good idea to use a etcher first to help it bond to the metal.

 

[Pacfanweb]

POR is great. It is a rust encapsulator, meaning it keeps moisture and oxygen from getting to the rust, thereby stopping it from going any further. It's also tough as nails.

I have my Jeep frame painted with it. I painted over a sand blasted surface, holds great. It just needs the surface to be rough so it can "grab" it. That's why for the non-rusted places they want you to etch them with an acid product before painting. They have an etcher called Metal Ready. But you can buy practically the same thing at Lowes. Phosphoric acid is what does it.

I also happen to know that Rust Bullet and Chassis Saver are really good products, as is Eastwoods' Rust Encapsulator.

You will have great results with any of these.

 

[bittoe]

"One of the reasons I left Sabbath is Van Halen was blowing us off the stage every night. It was embarrassing." Ozzy

Here's he funny thing about this quote:
It was 1978 Madison Square Garden. VH was opening for Sabbath. It was VH's first tour. They had one album. They were relatively unknown save for a hit single or two.
Their music was nothing like Sabbath's and the crowd was not appreciative. I'm not saying they didn't put on a great show, they were VERY energetic. D.L.R. did a flip off the drummer's riser onto the stage at one point. They were flashy and brightly colored and loud.
The funny thing was, you could hear the crowd chanting "SABBATH... SABBATH... SABBATH... "over the music for their entire set, and when they came out for their encore they were boo'd .

Ahhh.. the seventies

 

[andylawcc]

I've read good things about POR15 and old motorcycle gas tanks

i came here to post this.


a year ago, I was trying to restore my friend's bike. the gas tank was very rusty, i went around to old radiator shop for a quote, they all will NOT coat the tank for me but will charge between 70 to 140 to acid wash it.
I ended up using the electrolysis way.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Electrolytic-Rust-Removal-aka-Magic/


edit: i never bother coating it myself anyways, the POR15 stuff is not cheap.

 

[andylawcc]

wtf necro?

 

[yhelothar]

Necro, but I've looked into this considerably since the OP made this thread. There's an awesome experiment this guy did with all the different products over several years. The verdict: the plain jane, cheap, over-the-shelf Rustoleum was up there with the best.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=131753

 

[JCH13]

Necro, but I've looked into this considerably since the OP made this thread. There's an awesome experiment this guy did with all the different products over several years. The verdict: the plain jane, cheap, over-the-shelf Rustoleum was up there with the best.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=131753

That's a neat test, but not really representative of what one might see in service. I doubt very much that Rustoleum will hold up well to stone chips or other impacts that pepper every vehicle's under-body. Thicker, more flexible and resilient coatings like POR15 and RustBullet excel in those applications.