Frame cleaning need help

[ryanohn]

So i have a 1989 f250 frame for 91 ranger body and i need help about removing the rust on the frame. I almost have it on blocks to be cleaned can i take off the cross members to be cleaned and whats the best way to reattach them ? senice they have been riveted on ?

 

[jrpdash9]

Hum, cant really give you good advice on that but I'm interested in a picture of your truck. That sounds like a interesting combo

 

[ryanohn]

Well i had the ranger for the ranger over an year and the f250 for about two weeks with big boy dana 50ttb and 10.25 with a 4.9l and i want to do complete restore on the frame. it has little amount of rust its Canadian truck but it flacking hard. i just have to get both them in place but the snow is stoping me. but its gonna be a monster of a ranger

 

[PanamaExpat]

I used a wire brush on a variable speed angle grinder and Scotch Brite pads in the areas it couldn't reach. But if I had to do it again I would get one of those small sand blasters for my compressor. Was not a fun job by any means.

 

[Schnot]

Id leave the crossmembers on since removing the rivets, I think, would weaken the structure of the frame. Replacing them with bolts I dont think would be as tight and would allow the frame to flex in unwanted areas. Id leave them on and go to town with the wire wheel on the grinder. If youre looking for show quality rust removal, just take it to a sandblaster.

 

[cvar]

Yeah, I'd leave those rivets on. Bolts are strong, but can loosen. You won't find much rust inside a riveted joint anyway.

I used wire wheels on a small angle grinder, and hand-held wire brushes, same as PanamaExpat. It worked well. Tediously tapping with a pointed chisel gets of most of the rust scale. Needle scalar might work, but was too hard to manipulate it into most areas. Next time, I think I'd remove cab, since it was too tricky to reach up into many areas above transmission, and esp. above front axle. Ospho eats rust. Use Zep Purple Industrial Degreaser too.

 

[FritzTKatt]

Sand blaster, weld in any patches or whatever repairs might be necessary. Then have it hot dip galvanized. Bedliner it afterwards.

On the cheap, I'd just go for a very large cold chisel for chunks, then a wire wheel and hand brush. Any repair spots would need to be ground to 100% bare metal. At this point I'd consider doing custom bumpers and/or crossmembers. Then use a commercial degreaser, and rustoleum rust converting primer.

For all that time and effort, a couple hundred at the sandblaster and galvanizer is probably worth more than all your time. One issue may be transporting the frame.

What about body work on the ranger?

 

[PanamaExpat]

For all that time and effort, a couple hundred at the sandblaster and galvanizer is probably worth more than all your time. One issue may be transporting the frame.

What about body work on the ranger?

^^ What Fritz said I have done one by hand.... NEVER AGAIN!

 

[ryanohn]

im puting the frame on blocks and redoing the leaf hangers and other bolt ons like those. The motor and axles will be pulled out to get a complete clean. whats your opion on rubberized undercoating vs bed liner ?

 

[ryanohn]

but theres lot of rust work to be done. um for the body filler whats better than bondo ?

 

[PanamaExpat]

but theres lot of rust work to be done. um for the body filler whats better than bondo ?

LEAD..... You have to be talented to use it though.

Before you go calling me nuts... What do you think they did in the days before Bondo? And why do you think they were called lead sleds?

 

[ryanohn]

okay lead

 

[PanamaExpat]

Just Google auto body lead and there are all kinds of links on method and suppliers.

 

[ryanohn]

thanks