POR-15'ing the Frame, question about crossmembers

[locovaca]

As the title states, I'm tearing my truck down to the frame and POR-15ing it. Never done anything like this before, and it's been a very good learning experience.

My truck has seen about 17 Iowa winters and it has some loose rust on the rear frame. I'm wire wheeling it off with a grinder, and there is some in some hard to reach spots, namely by the strut mounts and where the crossmembers meet the frame. What's the best way of getting these cleaned out? I can't fit the wire wheel down there, and there is definitely some loose rust that needs to come off before I get POR-15 on it (somehow).

Any thoughts? I can probably grind off the rivets for the strut mounts, but I'm guessing you don't do that with crossmembers, right? I know, stupid questions, but I'm learning

 

[ChopTop84]

Look into some stuff called "pickleX". they have a site here: http://www.picklex20.com/

I havnt tried it yet, but its supposed to be awsome, and it gets compared to things like RUSTMORT and some other rust converters.

por-15 is supposed to be a converter, but it has no UV inhibitors, so if any of it gets exposed to sunlight for long periods, the por-15 breaks down. Its NOT a topcoat paint.

RustMort and some of the other chemical converters you have to paint over right away with some form of topcoat, UV resistant paint.

That pickleX stuff you supposedly can leave on, unpainted for long durations (as long as its not actually out in the rain) and then paint over it at your leisure.

Im looking to use the pickleX stuff on my 53 F100 when I get around to doing the body work. Im still in frame and chassis mode on it right now.

Oh, and if your looking for a flat black TOPCOAT paint with UV inhibitors, and CHEAP, I guess John Deere has a flat black topcoat for like 20 bucks a quart. Thats DIRT CHEAP in the topcoat paint world.

The reason you need the UV inhibitors, is if the paint breaks down, it becomes porous, and will allow water to pass thru it, back to the metal underneath, and rust starts all over again. Even your Epoxy Primers like DP-90 and the like only last so long under the sun before passing water. You really need to topcoat with a UV inhibitor paint.

 

[locovaca]

I know about the UV properties. I already have a topcoat I'll be putting over the POR-15.

From what I see with PickleX it's more for future rust prevention and light surface rust. My frame is a little more rusted than that. Ideally I'll get it down to a light surface rust layer, but no guarantee. Plus, my purchase is already made, so that part is decided.

So back to my original question, what is the best way to get the loose crap off by where the crossmembers are riveted to the frame?

 

[Boghog1]

can you get to it with a sand blaster?

 

[locovaca]

can you get to it with a sand blaster?

I unfortunately don't have a sand blaster, nor the money to get one.

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

Good old fashion wire hand brush or blow the loose stuff off with compressed air.

 

[snomaker321]

just get it as good as you can by hand. iirc, your supposed to be able to use por15 right over the rust with no prep work(although obviously prepping it is ideal)

 

[ChopTop84]

Do you have an air compressor? If so, maybe you can get an air scaler from harbor fright for cheap? Its basically a bunch of small round rods on the end of the tool, and they vibrate really fast. I think they are long enough that you can shove them into tight places?

Im thinking of something like this: air scaler: click me

I dont think even POR-15 works on really rough rust. I mean, sure, you can paint over anything, but if the first good bump knocks the rust loose from the metal underneath, than the topcoat is useless, as it will fall off with the chunk of rust.

Many rust converter products use phosphoric acid as the converter. You could spray it down with coca-cola, its full of phosphoric acid...well, and sugar too, thats the bad part, you'd have to wash it again with water, and then your right back where you started.

You could try NAVAL JELLY also. Its a rust converter/dissolver, paint it on, let it work, then wash it off. It might get some of the larger stuff to break free from the base metal.

 

[locovaca]

Thanks for the link on the scaler, I might go that route and borrow my Dad's compressor for a bit.

Yes, from what I've seen and read, you're supposed to knock off the big chunks of rust and get it down to the lowest layer for best results.

Thanks everyone.