Frame: To paint or not; To undercoat or not.

[lint]

So, I have some surface rust developing on my frame. I treated with rust-mort (kinda like POR 15) and I am wondering if I should paint (with tremclad) or undercoat it. If undercoating, should I use wax-based or bitumen-based? Thanks.

[nunya]

Brush on bedliner

 

I don't like undercoat, always hear stories of it holdign moisture IN

[OldSlowReliable]

walmart spray on bedliner, lol.

[why3zx]

if you used anything even close to POR-15 chances are that frame will outlive you, i wouldnt worry about it, that stuff is like satan in a can.

[94 Pathy]

I wouldn't use undercoating on the frame. The POR-15 knock-off you used is wonderful. I'm using a cheap version of it from JcWhitney. I'll try & find my can of it & let you know exactly what it is called. I used it on my running bars, hitch, & gas tank. Planning on using it on the frame. Make sure you paint it on while it is humid. Yes, HUMID. It will dry harder & protect better. Good luck!

[nige]

i prefer using some sort of brush on rust paint. It gives you a faster indication of rust. The bedliner/rockguard/undercoating would be so thick it would hide the trouble spots, i would think.

 

if you can get the metal clean, i think some self-etching epoxy primer would do a good job of protecting the metal. the paint is really just to protect the epoxy primer and make it look pretty. Use glossy texture paints; the dirt has a harder time sticking to it.

[lint]

Sorted! Wire brushed off the loose rust, and two treatments of Rust-Mort with a rinse after each, then a coat of Plastic-Kote's "Rust Not" in glossy black. Now, a good 20 hours later, my frame on the '95 Pathy is happy! I found a rust through the size of a quarter and will weld on a patch after the summer is over. I don't want to use an undercoating, because I want to keep an eye on the rust situation and not hide it from evaluation. Thanks for your advice folks, it helped....and this project is almost finished!

[Precise1]

Nice!! Pictures might help the next guy...

 

B

[GrimGreg]

Once you use the "paint over rust" type stuff, use regular paint to cover that, then undercoat. Each layer is there to protect the one under it.

[adamzan]

Why does it even matter the frame rusts from the inside out anyways. I just wash mine out frequently and give it a dusting of fluid film (thanks simon for telling me about that one) and the rot has been kept to a minimum in the past 3 years. I gave it a coat of rust paint 2 years ago and its still on there and the only rust spots are around the holes you stick the hose in.

Edited August 2, 2010 by adamzan

[slade420]

i found a can of tremclad rust paint (oil based) in my shed, it works really well.

 

The can i found was tho was white rust paint.. so yes i now have a black truck with a white frame.

Edited August 2, 2010 by slade420