What to do about light rust on vehicle frame

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Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
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lol, those are some awful quality pictures. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about the rust on the frame, it would take too much time to try and fix it. IMHO for the side steps, I'd just take them off totally.
 
SarcasticDwarf

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
2
76
Originally posted by: Cattlegod
lol, those are some awful quality pictures. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about the rust on the frame, it would take too much time to try and fix it. IMHO for the side steps, I'd just take them off totally.
Click to expand...

I was basically hanging upside down while reaching underneath and blindly taking pictures while the wind was blowing and my camera was on the wrong setting. Yeah, some of them suck.
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Have you tried getting those side steps off? They are probably rusted to the frame.

I wouldn't worry about the frame, it looks fine, ESPECIALLy for a 98 in Wisconsin. My 2005 has the same amount.
 
SarcasticDwarf

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
2
76
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Have you tried getting those side steps off? They are probably rusted to the frame.

I wouldn't worry about the frame, it looks fine, ESPECIALLy for a 98 in Wisconsin. My 2005 has the same amount.
Click to expand...

It was actually in Kansas from 99-2001, NY 2001-2002, Wisconsin 2002-2006, Arizona 2006-2007, and just got back to Wisconsin. I *am* concerned about the trip to AZ because from past experience going from AZ to a state with lots of snow (and therefore salt) leads to rapid rusting.
 
IGBT

IGBT

Lifer
Jul 16, 2001
17,976
141
106
..I own Dodge trucks too. I use RustOleum (spelling) flat black on the frame and color match as necessary. I brush it on after light sanding.
 
P

Pepsi90919

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,162
1
81
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
your pictures need not be the size of the eiffel tower and blurry as fck
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Sorry, I am used to Firefox resizing. Oh well.
Click to expand...

my browser resizes but it takes a long time to download first. also they are blurry as fck.

that is the end of my rant.
 
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Black88GTA

Diamond Member
Sep 9, 2003
3,430
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For a 9 year old truck, that's NOTHING. Come to Michigan, and take a peek under any (year round driven) car >4 years old - you'll find all of them to be at least that bad, if not worse. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

 
SarcasticDwarf

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
2
76
Originally posted by: Black88GTA
For a 9 year old truck, that's NOTHING. Come to Michigan, and take a peek under any (year round driven) car >4 years old - you'll find all of them to be at least that bad, if not worse. I wouldn't worry about it at all.
Click to expand...

It may not be bad now, but if there is something I can cheaply do to limit further damage I will do it.
 
spaceman

spaceman

Lifer
Dec 4, 2000
17,616
183
106
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: Black88GTA
For a 9 year old truck, that's NOTHING. Come to Michigan, and take a peek under any (year round driven) car >4 years old - you'll find all of them to be at least that bad, if not worse. I wouldn't worry about it at all.
Click to expand...

It may not be bad now, but if there is something I can cheaply do to limit further damage I will do it.
Click to expand...

im not kidding about bar and chain oil. undercoating does nothing
 
B

Black88GTA

Diamond Member
Sep 9, 2003
3,430
0
0
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: Black88GTA
For a 9 year old truck, that's NOTHING. Come to Michigan, and take a peek under any (year round driven) car >4 years old - you'll find all of them to be at least that bad, if not worse. I wouldn't worry about it at all.
Click to expand...

It may not be bad now, but if there is something I can cheaply do to limit further damage I will do it.
Click to expand...


Well, you could always try naval jelly, prime + paint (as someone above said) but the naval jelly may not work for all of it. You can use a wire brush for the tougher stuff - you can get wire brush attachments for a drill, die grinder, angle grinder, dremel, etc. Use the larger brushes for easy to reach spots (frame rails, etc) and the small dremel brush for little nooks and crannies. This would be pretty labor intensive to do it right though. And, you'd have to make sure to at least prime it right after you do the rust removal, or the rust will start to come back overnight.

None of this will be expensive, but you will spend many hours on it if you do a proper job.
 
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Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,158
59
91
There's a rust converter called Rust Mort, that you spray right onto the rust and it kills it.

There's also POR15, which is a rust encapsulator. It totally seals the rust off from any moisture. The affected area has to be totally clean, then primed with a metal etch liguid, then POR'd.
POR15 is very hard, and basically the best thing you can put on a frame...but unless you're going to do the whole thing, probably isn't worth it.
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
There's a rust converter called Rust Mort, that you spray right onto the rust and it kills it.

There's also POR15, which is a rust encapsulator. It totally seals the rust off from any moisture. The affected area has to be totally clean, then primed with a metal etch liguid, then POR'd.
POR15 is very hard, and basically the best thing you can put on a frame...but unless you're going to do the whole thing, probably isn't worth it.
Click to expand...

POR15 is also a pain to do if you follow their steps. I have used it on my Jeep once. It's also great for never coming off of cement or skin :p
 
SarcasticDwarf

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
9,574
2
76
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
There's a rust converter called Rust Mort, that you spray right onto the rust and it kills it.

There's also POR15, which is a rust encapsulator. It totally seals the rust off from any moisture. The affected area has to be totally clean, then primed with a metal etch liguid, then POR'd.
POR15 is very hard, and basically the best thing you can put on a frame...but unless you're going to do the whole thing, probably isn't worth it.
Click to expand...

POR15 is also a pain to do if you follow their steps. I have used it on my Jeep once. It's also great for never coming off of cement or skin :p
Click to expand...

Eh, considering I will be working upside down underneath the truck....probably not a good idea.
 
C

Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
8,687
1
0
I really wouldn't worry about that rust. That frame is at least 1/4 inch thick steel. You have many years left on that frame.
 
feralkid

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
16,899
4,998
136
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Have you tried getting those side steps off? They are probably rusted to the frame.

I wouldn't worry about the frame, it looks fine, ESPECIALLy for a 98 in Wisconsin. My 2005 has the same amount.
Click to expand...

It was actually in Kansas from 99-2001, NY 2001-2002, Wisconsin 2002-2006, Arizona 2006-2007, and just got back to Wisconsin. I *am* concerned about the trip to AZ because from past experience going from AZ to a state with lots of snow (and therefore salt) leads to rapid rusting.
Click to expand...

Eh?

It is the exposure to the salt and moisture that causes rust, NOT the fact that it was once in Arizona.

:shocked:

Like saying rain makes you wet faster if you just walked out of a dry house.
 
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