The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Cleaning between frame and gusset (2 ton)

I'm finally working on cleaning up my frame and I want to know how to get between the frame and the reinforcing plate. Is this something you just do as best you can, or will rust come back out of here? The plate is riveting on very well and would be a nightmare to remove.

.... I scrape, scratch, steel brush and pressure wash the best I can then, with a brush I painted on POR-15 "the best I could" in getting it to all the places. I figure it'll still out live me by many many years. Now if someone is anal about then they can go to the trouble of grinding and knocking out all those rivets but NOT ME!!

As mentioned in another post regarding chassis paints, your truck,assuming it's the '47, has lasted 63 years so far.
That was with fairly basic protection.
So what ever you do,it'll be an improvement over the original.

I agree with Alvin though,it's pretty much what I did with mine.
You can buy radiator paint brushes for those 'hard to reach' places.

It's going to be a long time before I need to worry 'bout it!

I did a frame on an old Studebaker and they were hollow in the center. I tied rags soaked with POR and pulled them through a few times.

It was money well spent for me to have the frame sandblasted .They also did the rear end housing and front suspension .Charged $150.00 .Then I used the por-15 where he couldn't sand blast.

How much did you strip it down. Did you remove the suspension, springs, u-bolts, etc.?
I'm afraid I'll break too many things trying to get them apart.

Once you've got your frame as clean as possible use Jasco prep and primer. It has the consistancy of water and will go in cracks water has been. I got mine at Lowes. Use rubber gloves,it,s toxic and should not be sprayed but is easy to apply with a foam brush and does a good job. Give it a few days to dry before painting over it.

Farmdog, it depends on what your going to do. If you plan on replacing shackle's,bushings,pins ect then strip it down to the chassis and crossmembers. If your only planning to blast it rest assured sand WILL get into everything. I replaced my torque tube with a pumpkin so I could actually wash out my housing with detergents and water.
Having someone else blast it will save you time and money unless you just have to do it yourself. I did mine but NEVER again. The money and time I spent, as well as time lost, just was not worth it. I sold my pressurized blaster the week after I finished my chassis...... no more blasting for me. Not now but Heii NO!!!

Only removed the bed ,cab steps ,drive shafts and wheels .Bagged the transmission and engine.Used air compressor to remove sand .Primed and painted ,Changed brake lines,tubes and rewired brake lights.Juust wanted to clean up the truck and not have it down long.Nuts and bolts were actually easier to removes after the sandblasting also.

Farmdog...On my 2-ton, I removed everything to where I was looking at only the "frame". I had a buddy of mine sandblast the whole thing then I brush painted Zero-Rust afterwards. I covered every square inch with paint, I'm anal that way. I'm glad I did. As far as taking off the leaf springs and shackles, it's not that bad and quite honestly, I'm glad I did. Gives you a chance to inspect them. Shackles and hardware associated with them are still available for purchase if needed by numerous vendors at a reasonable cost.

I removed the two rear spars of my 1.5 ton's chassis. There was rust between them and the main beams. It was obvious, and had to be done. I ground off the rivets and then drilled and punched them and they are REALLY tough. The whole chassis had a coat of bitumenous paint when new, and this seems to have done pretty well. I'm not sure if it was put on prior to chassis assembly, but I see no rust between other major chassis joins. The spar under the cab rear was full of dirt- it spent 60 years as a farm truck. From what I can tell, the cab protects the chassis very well.
Mine is fully stripped and will go to the dip stripper for full clean, rust strip, bead blast and paint in a few weeks. The effort of doing this myself just isnt worth it. Once it comes back, I will treat anywhere I cannot see with CRC soft seal, I guess any penetrating oil will provide good rust protection and go anywhere water will.
On removing the shacles etc for a full strip- easy, these spent there life from new full of grease, I had no problems.

Hi from New Zealand I have just replaced the gussets in the back crossmember the best way to remove and clean is to drill the rivets and do your rust clean and paint then use hi tensile bolts to hold gusset back in place