What’s best for removing rust from chassis

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Mr G Imp

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Hope someone has some advice here As per title - I have a battery grinder that I could attach something onto? It’s for removing/prepping surface rust on chassis before painting chassis with chassis paint or waxoyl or whatever - cheers !
 
You will probably find the metal used to make your chassis wasn't that good to begin with. There will be imperfections in the steel that will eventually cause corrosion no matter what you do. Prepping and treating old chassis's is a never ending job unfortunately. My take on it is that I could spend several hours each year or two trying to keep the rust at bay or just leave it until it is dead, then buy another chassis. I choose the later. My landy is 43 years old and apart from whatever the factory coated it with to begin with, it's had no other treatment and it's actually still pretty good, just one new outrigger 6 years ago which I didn't bother painting.

Col
 
It’s a 31 years old 90 - there is a bit of welding needed on the floor and front outrigger which I will get done first - but it’s pretty solid overall, has had a new rear chassis end bit at some point. I have been leaving it up till now but I want to spend some time making it look a bit nicer over the winter, prep it up and paint including the body work.
 
Then as Europa486 suggests, a needle gun is best for removing rust but they are noisy and a bit fierce. Alternately, use a wire brush or flap wheel on a drill, make sure you wear safety glasses. Once down to shiny metal, then you can prime and paint or apply one of the usual chassis protection products. There is a guy near me who use a very high pressure steam wash but he advices that quite often, there isn't much metal left after he has blasted away the crud.

Col
 
when I replaced the chassis on my 1983 110 some 18 years ago I was horrified by the state of the top of it , the part you cannot see because the body is in the way, you could poke your fingers through it !! It would be worth checking the condition of the chassis overall before spending too much time on it
 
How many would I need to do the chassis? Would one be enough?

QUOTE="lynall, post: 5006270, member: 62401"]I find flap discs tend to polish the rust, an angle grinder with one of them wicked wire bush attachments is bloody good, decent gloves and face covering essential.
Bottom left and top right versions are fast and evil!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rotary-Steel-Wire-Brush-Crimp-Bevel-Wheel-Cup-Twist-Angle-Grinder-115-100-65-mm/131779308436?epid=1658022177&_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item1eaea8ab94:g:lFIAAOSwLmVXDU7O&amdata=enc:AQAFAAACcBaobrjLl8XobRIiIML1V4Imu%2Fn%2BzU5L90Z278x5ickkBUIiHwYv5YgVss0WaiENz99pmDCbbulCecTKdrXiTDHlKsGzWyB8gA2t62hlw9B8rPu%2Ber35Y5%2FePZ20ElhU8kXh0FaZ5xWNq4g5uPZO8R5nRXWqDGaJ4zVH1UVv3j3Y450la%2B3%2BU8eezAPA9ozmqrGRKxC3%2BvGtbX2UYxBKz0630S8v7pvqR0Jc3nOAESH76hoJ3hjFCAs6k%2BCtiJ9nM4R4r92vZq4vaU2RtCWQMZ9mQ6u5nvLO5gBoSnUmM4KbC32%2Fwa8PAruuLhNisJLZx7w6WPoXjdLBURutww2%2B3ddwiNBCsBlZKklhNLgKAaCKo1N0dEiOVaRbT3yWIdIPXZk4jvN8Hg4gCu8B72h58WqqTgZKUyWgaPRpBrqJNiL2VQxSVAFmLBrhmgNmre654nY3dUPsRgsLp0fmGMOUmCiqF8ns8lZvyy7paQzE6klEb9OyXkMe7FgEiMigCcQlzBF%2FIUCL246IZe18L2vUEPpbCYB3tC%2FzL4wfnh2cPuf%2BHbwpIcFjyueEWCQfI1Rn5Tu23FlDZyflLO4qZ5eujET5uNLoe4jeIAX%2FAc2whCjmTkJZgHoHlURbFoYuKmERE0vHspgOaVF%2B2mPupy7%2FGp5j%2BQ1vPehoN06aSxXMwg7oHG2kjXNhacNjlXvvWnYs4GZBv76NprvKtd7cJrRHrINdKslpwj6kU24LvFJRAf8uc4TgMbTPMrOSgJkz6ekjDkAxS09MfLOq7wbrHjVJwPClml4niGD%2BA7plwCmQyqwVRYPam4mg8uyOhHZIsM87PA%3D%3D|cksum:131779308436ca7a215c480f476f95342244a071b0e5|ampid:pL_CLK|clp:2334524[/QUOTE]
 
Horses for courses really. It depends on how bad the rust is as to what device you use. Personally I tend to use either a wire wheel, a flap disc or a clog-free disc, I also like a phosphoric acid based rust converter to slap on, it helps stop the rust in its tracks. I don’t have an air compressor, but needle guns are good for really heavy rust, by which point you may be needing a welder!
 
bluedog333 said:
Horses for courses really. It depends on how bad the rust is as to what device you use. Personally I tend to use either a wire wheel, a flap disc or a clog-free disc, I also like a phosphoric acid based rust converter to slap on, it helps stop the rust in its tracks. I don’t have an air compressor, but needle guns are good for really heavy rust, by which point you may be needing a welder!
Click to expand...

Agree...you need a good compressor for a needle gun...youtube maximus ironthumper is doing a chassis as is churchhouse classics just now...
 
Needle gun fk that I hate them horrible things make yer fillings fall out lol
A half decent compressor & a sand blaster or can use metal fillings/soda/bead ect
will make a quicker & better job of it.
 
lynall said:
I find flap discs tend to polish the rust, an angle grinder with one of them wicked wire bush attachments is bloody good, decent gloves and face covering essential.

Bottom left and top right versions are fast and evil!
+1 on the protective gear if you use these, I did when I stripped my chassis, thought I was alright with gloves and one of those full face masks that are used when heavy duty strimming. Had a sharp pain in my leg and one of the wires had come off and went through a pair of overalls and a pair of jeans to stick in my leg, not impressed. May be safer if used in a drill (corded), angle grinders are rather quick.
Click to expand...
 
If a needle gun goes through the chassis, it needs welding then !!
Spend 30 odd quid and buy a mains grinder as a battery one isn’t great to power a wire cup brush, which is the best thing for scale and surface rust removal IMO.
 
It’s mainly surface rust luckily....I have a mains grinder on standby when the battery one is not up to the jobs !

meego said:
If a needle gun goes through the chassis, it needs welding then !!
Spend 30 odd quid and buy a mains grinder as a battery one isn’t great to power a wire cup brush, which is the best thing for scale and surface rust removal IMO.
Click to expand...
 
@Mr G Imp , I recently completed the same as you're about to start. The job's quite straight forward but very messy...
  1. Remove all crud and ancient waxoyl type muck
  2. Spray/soak chassis with Gunk degreaser [place large sheet of carboard underneath to catch dripping Gunk], wipe off excess two days later
  3. Spray/soak chassis with slow drying degreaser
  4. Use heat gun to flash off any slow drying degreaser
  5. Wire wheel back any surface rust
  6. Paint complete chassis with zinc rich/acid etch primer
  7. Paint complete chassis with Buzzweld Red/Brown Primer and leave to dry for a good few days
  8. Paint complete chassis with Buzzweld glass based 2k FX Chassis Paint - this comes in spray can for ease of application - WARNING this is a 2k paint :. contains isocyante which is very carcinogenic. You must wear complete coveralls, boots, gloves, safety goggles and use the Gerson 2k disposable masks
  9. Let to dry, then carefully inspect/repaint where the aerosol will swirl out in the tight to reach places
  10. For seams, re-touch in with a paint brush
  11. Make mug of tea and enjoy with your favourite choice of biccies, and sit back and admire your new chassis...

Then Dinitrol or BiltHamber the life out of the chassis inner box sections - I find 2-3 recoats get into every crevice.

Repeat pt.11 :)
 
Or remove surface rust and paint the chassis in old engine oil at least twice, do it every couple of years and let the dust etc mix with the oil to make a coating of thick mucky oil and it'll last forever
 
landowner said:
Or remove surface rust and paint the chassis in old engine oil at least twice, do it every couple of years and let the dust etc mix with the oil to make a coating of thick mucky oil and it'll last forever
Click to expand...

Well it’ll last until the inside rots out....
 
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