The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop RUST!! I GIVE UP!

I have been sanding and preping the metal then priming for about 3 months now on weekends....I finally have i think deceided to give up.....I dont know what i am doing wrong but it is frustrating and it seems like all my work might be for nothing...Rust is showing up on stuff that i would have beleived was good to go....People keep saying that maybe you didnt get all the rust and my response is NO WAY! I am out there for hours sanding to bare metal...I then prep it with Loctites Rust neutralizer...then prime it about 15 hours later...Rust is showing up...2 things could be wrong....either i am not getting all the rust in this case i must not understand rust as if i am at shiny bare metal i would believe it was gone and if this is true I think i give up because obvielsy i cant do it...or something is wrong with something else because somehow it is there...any last ideas before i quit? Thanks!

primer alone will not prevent rust. You need to finish the part with a sealer or paint to stop the rust.

Yes you are using the wrong primer. For extended rust protection before final painting in the future you might want to use an epoxy primer. The primer you are using is not water proof and won't seal out the moisture.

What is the base of the Rust Neutralizer? Can you tell? Also what kind of primer have you been using?

I'm guessing that for things to start rusting as fast as you say they are, the Loctite product is a water borne chemistry and is at least partially responsible for the flash rust. Also, most of these convertor type products need some rust to convert before they can be of much help and the jury is out on the pure value of most of them. The restoration magazine Skinned Knuckles did a comparative of rust control products study back in the 90s and the performance of most of the convertors across the board was pretty mediocre.

For an exterior primer that will do anything protection wise and then be adequate to work with the rest of an automotive system the epoxy option is the best.

The down side is if a guy doesn't have access to a compressor and a gun he's limited in applying the epoxy.

Hope some of what we have passed on has helped..
Bruce Palmer
[email protected]

maybe i need to do epoxy then....Is this only done through a paint gun? You cant buy it in a can?

On bare metal, I apply DuPont's metal prep, wipe down and let dry, then I apply an etching primer. The etching primer is usually a two-part system and affords some protection until a 2k primer or a base coat can be applied.

If you want something that's available in a rattle can, try Zero-Rust. It claims to "neutralize" the rust and create a barrier against further rusting. I primed my whole truck with it. No far, no rust thru.

I bought it at an auto paint supply store. You can go to these web sites:
www.zero-rust.com
www.zerorust.com

One of them has an 800 number you can call to find a dealer in your area.

Good luck,

I work on boats, so dont consider myself a body work expert. So I wont be surprised (and would welcome criticism) to my method. But, that said.....Here's what I've had good luck with. If the areas are small, wire brush thouroughly. Then follow up with a Osphoric acid "rust converter" (like Ospho, or Fozz). After at least several hours, to overnight, wipe down with fresh denatured alcohol, to be followed immediatley with an extremely thin coat of "zinc chromate" etching primer. The two part stuff is best, but I've had good results with the rattle can variety. Let sit for at least 20 minutes, no longer than a few hours, then apply the epoxy primer. I use U.S. Paints "545" Awlgrip primer. It is a two part, high build/solids available in grey or white. It will usually fill the pitting, unless they are unusually deep. Again, if they are small areas, I just use a "preval" sprayer. If youre doing a full panel, you really need a good spray rig. Fair and sand, prime over that with whatever product you are priming the rest of the vehicle with, then do your topcoat. Wherever possible, get behind the panel and apply a good coat of rubberized undercoating. I've kept serious rust in engine rooms of motor yachts controlled this way. Remember, where you have rust thru, welding a metal patch is the only way to go. I also never use polyester "bondo" type products for body filling. Only epoxy based stuff, like West System, with #410 Microlight Fairing additive (microballons). It is more expensive, but is more moisture resistant than polyesters, lighter, and will sand like butter, saving time. This stuff works for me in a marine environment, so it may sound like overkill on a truck, but I've not seen any rust come back in over four years since I adapted this method to my '82 dually diesel.

The Zero Rust guys also sell a metal prep called Prep Step. You can use this while sanding the metal or afterward. Let it dry then put two coats of Zero Rust. Then primer with an epoxy full fill primer, then you are ready for your final prep before shooting the top coat. This works great. I have done this on my '66.. Stip-It disks from sunchasertools.com are the best for stipping paint, rust or bondo.. John