Rust belt peeps, need some help

[jeffmarion]

My new to me LJ has some surface rust issues on the back half of the tub and cross members/shock mounts. Being from Texas, this is something we normally don't deal with. I want to address these issues when I have the T-case, axles and gas tank out during the build in about a month. What is the best way to stop the rust and prevent it from getting worse?

 

[Daryl]

From your posted pictures if it were mine, I would sand blast those areas and paint.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

Daryl probably has it right.

Being in Ohio, I'm not sure that I see enough rust I'd even be worried about in Texas unless I was restoring it to put in a car show with mirrors underneath.

 

[jeepndogs]

Blast it or wire wheel it, then a few good coats of Eastwood rust converter. Use some of the internal frame coating inside the channels. Follow it up with a few coats of a good 2K epoxy and flood the inside of the channels with 3-M cavity wax.

 

[-T.]

Looks about like mine did. I just went after the rough areas with various wire wheels and whatever else I could find to clean up everything up, then sprayed with Eastwood Rust Encapsulator and Internal Frame Coating. Eastwood has some extension tubing with little sprayers on the tip that you can fish up into all sorts of nooks and crannies to get the coating sprayed everywhere. I wasn't entirely happy with the results of the Encapsulator in the areas that are easily accessible, so I went back over those areas with 3M Undercoating before putting everything back together.

 

[fourpointzero]

As someone else suggested: sandblast and coat. What to coat it with is another pandora’s box. Definitely something w a petrol base over a primer, would be my MO. A lot of people love POR, but I have no experience w such product. Eastwood converters (and Ive used them) I think are overrated and I question if they really work long term. Probably in Texas, better than in the NE.

EDIT* Whatever procedure you follow, I’d top it off w Fluid Film or 3M cavity wax (never used 3M but guessing its similar to FF) for the preventative effects of such products. FF, or oils / petrol based coatings, are effective at stopping/hindering rust.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jeffmarion]

This Jeep did spend some time in the North East. Sand blasting is more than likely not an option. Looks like I will wire brush, and wire wheel the areas and try a recommended rust encapsulator. Inside the frame rails look great, so no issues there.

Has anybody tried Rust Bullet. https://www.rustbullet.com/product-automotive/

 

[indio]

I would use a grinder with wire wheel, along with manual wire brushes, to clean off as much of the loose rust and flaking paint as possible. Because that stuff allows water and contaminants to be held up against the good metal, and slows the drying process. After that, maybe some rust converter on the rusty metal, as long as the converter will not eventually peal and allow water underneath. Mostly though I would coat the underside and especially inside all those seams, with a product like Fluid Film, every month or so. At least that is what I plan to do. Might be messy but much better than rust. (My 1985 CJ has rust everywhere, except midsection that was exposed to an oil leak, so I know oil stops rust on frames and bodies.) Be careful about any undercoating that might eventually lift and allow water underneath or hide rust.

 

[Mike_H]

Like has been noted, the big key is getting the loose, flaky stuff off. Knotted Wire wheel, Needle descaler, stiff stainless brush, whatever means necessary. Then you gotta figure out how to clean it...Then follow JeepNDogs recommendations...Guy knows his stuff and he's a midwest jeeper...which means he deals with rust all the time.

Incidentally, yours looks just like mine! Texas jeeps can have some rust issues too, if you're down by the Houston / Eastern Coastal area. I have a friend who just moved back from Houston with an LJ that has a bit of rust on it.