Frame Sealent

crazymjb · August 5, 2006

Hey... So I got my truck(finally) tuesday and I figured a good investment to prevent/inhibit any rust would be to get that frame sealent.

I remember seeing stuff advertized for about $30 a Quart that is painted onto the frame(after light sanding) and is really good at protecting it from corrosion. My truck is 10 years old and is in remarkable condition, the only exterior rust is a little bit under the driver side door, even the cab corners are fine. Anyway, the frame is barely rusting(no peeling or anything like that) though there is obviously some slight signs of rust(spots, etc) that are starting to appear. I would really like to here your thouhts on what stuff to use.

Thanks,

Mike

pm26 · August 5, 2006

You could use the POR 15 special paint which paints right over the rust. It is rather expensive (about $ 30/quart), but it is a good product.

Or, you could just paint the frame with Rust-Oleum rusty metal primer (brushing it on from a can). Only slight sanding to remove surface rust is required. After the primer coat, I would get a gallon bucket of brush-on undercoating from J.C. Whitney and brush that on top. Or buy several cans of proefessional quick drying ruzzerized undercoating from Advance Discount Autop parts (about $6.50 a can) and spray the undercoating on. But make sure you mask off the body panels, becuase spraying undercoating on makes a mess.

crazymjb · August 5, 2006

How do price totals weigh out between the various methods, and which will be most effective in terms of longevity, durability, and rust-stopability? I was thinking if I had a free day I'd lift of the bed and some body panels and try to clean off the little amount of rust that is there, and then seal the frame making sure to get every square inch of it.

Thanks

Mike

crazymjb · August 11, 2006

I picked up a quart of POR 15 today at a local auto body shop for about 40 with tax.

Can anyone tell me what is required in preping the frame? Is there a special abrasive bit I can get for my drill to just get off all the big stuff? Also, is there a cheap but effective degreaser I can use? Am I supposed to use any special method to apply it?

Thanks,

Mike

Corky356 · August 12, 2006

I picked up a quart of POR 15 today at a local auto body shop for about 40 with tax.

Can anyone tell me what is required in preping the frame? Is there a special abrasive bit I can get for my drill to just get off all the big stuff? Also, is there a cheap but effective degreaser I can use? Am I supposed to use any special method to apply it?

Thanks,

Mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Some guys are using Rhino Liner (or other brands) bedliner on the frame.

crazymjb · August 12, 2006

While using linex would be preferable... I don't have the means to rip apart the truck and send them the frame.

Mike

crazymjb · August 14, 2006

I starting prepping with a drill and wire brush about 10 minutes ago, I'll take pics along the way(If I remember), the frame is actually shiny... It's pretty amazing.

Mike

Corky356 · August 14, 2006

Have you seen the company's website instructions for applying? Looks like you're in for some work:

http://www.por15.com/4STEPSYSTEM/tabid/187/Default.aspx

crazymjb · August 15, 2006

They also brag about it being directly paintable onto rust... Anyway, the brush is etching the metal just fine, then the degreaser I'm using, though not their brand, is working more than sufficiently. Topcoat is only neccesary for sun exposed areas.

I only did a small section today... But the good news is POR 15 comes out of hair with dial soap(I kinda lay down in the cap).

Mike

crazymjb · September 28, 2006

Progress update. Today we removed the the bed(yesterday we replaced the diff cover). We started stripping off some of the larger parts of rust but the overall integrity seems very well intact. 2 pieces of metal, however, were removed(seen in pics). Do you know if these can be purchased and for how much, or if I can just use some thing U stock. We also started ripping out the brake lines and will do the fuel lines tommorow. Also, do you know how much the metal part on of the filler neck goes for?

Truck in my driveway with bed removed:

Bed:

You can see we used rope and 2X4s to lift it off, as well as had a few friends come by and help us out. That thing is a bit heavier than it looks.

Frame pic 1:

Note the puddle of break fluid by the gas tank. As we were loosening the line fitting the line dissintigrated right in the middle. Good thing we chose to do this now.

Frame pic 2:

And the new diff cover...

2 causulties of the breakdown. Do these serve any structural purpose? How much do they cost? Should I just use U stock or box stock to replace them?:

Thanks,

Mike

Corky356 · September 28, 2006

Progress update. Today we removed the the bed(yesterday we replaced the diff cover). We started stripping off some of the larger parts of rust but the overall integrity seems very well intact. 2 pieces of metal, however, were removed(seen in pics). Do you know if these can be purchased and for how much, or if I can just use some thing U stock. We also started ripping out the brake lines and will do the fuel lines tommorow. Also, do you know how much the metal part on of the filler neck goes for?

Truck in my driveway with bed removed:

Bed:

You can see we used rope and 2X4s to lift it off, as well as had a few friends come by and help us out. That thing is a bit heavier than it looks.

Frame pic 1:

Note the puddle of break fluid by the gas tank. As we were loosening the line fitting the line dissintigrated right in the middle. Good thing we chose to do this now.

Frame pic 2:

And the new diff cover...

2 causulties of the breakdown. Do these serve any structural purpose? How much do they cost? Should I just use U stock or box stock to replace them?:

Thanks,

Mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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I don't know where they came from on your truck, but they dont look like they're heavy stock. If I were you I'd just pick up some "U" stock the same or a little heavier guage. If you looked for original you'd have to hit a junk yard, and they'd probably be in the same shape.

crazymjb · September 29, 2006

They went in front of and behind that rear frame member, and didn't appear to provide any structural support. Regardless, I will try to find some U stock, but HD didn't have any when I went today.

Mike

Schmids5.3l · September 29, 2006

Some guys are using Rhino Liner (or other brands) bedliner on the frame.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats what I was going to recomend

crazymjb · September 29, 2006

While id love to box the frame and send it out to be Line-Xd that is simply not possible as I do not have the means to rip apart the entire truck and ship off the frame. The sealent I am using, POR15, is pretty d**n strong.

Mike

crazymjb · September 30, 2006

Can those two large crossmembers be purchased, as well as those brackets that attatch the shackles? After taking the rust off the members and seeing a few holes(fortunatly none in the frame rails) I'd feel much better about replacing them all together.

Mike