Best method to restore rusted metal?

[dieselenthusias]

I was wondering what is the best method to restore some of the rusted metal on our travel trailer. Should I use a wire brush and rattle can, or do something else?

[mosseater]

That's not rust, that's "patina". Just Mother Nature doing her job. I've had decent luck with Restore and similar products. Wire brush the worst off, hose with some brake cleaner, then hit with Restore and your fav top coat (Rustoleum?). It's quick, cheap, and holds up pretty well for 3 or 4 years. Nothing if forever.

[Brett_K]

I have tried POR-15 and also Eastwood rust converter and their frame paint. I prefer the Eastwood products. The POR-15 would go on too thick and make your jack difficult to operate.

[Tequila]

I use rust mort which is usually behind the counter as it is a heavy duty chemical. It will react with the rust, sandblast and paint with epoxy paint as mentioned above. That looks like salt air damage.

[Bill___Kate]

I have had decent luck with Rust Oleum Rust Reformer in the spray can. Our stabilizer jacks and stairs tend to develop surface rust like yours, so I get underneath once or twice a year and touch up the bad spots. I would hit the worst rust with a wire brush first time around.

Rust Oleum has a similar product that is available at most hardware and big box stores that works pretty good but the V2100 System is industrial grade and seems to hold up better. I have seen it at specialty paint stores, but usually order it by the case from Granger or McMaster Carr to get a better price. We live by the beach, so we have to stay ahead of the underneath of everything - trailer, truck, cars, tools, etc.

[Lyrikz]

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Lyrikz wrote:

As a guy who has restored quite a few vehicles from the frame up and used many different processes. NOTHING, NOTHING beats sandblasting the effected area, then adding a couple coats of epoxy paint. It will last as long as you do.

Is epoxy paint something that I can rattle can, or is it a product that needs to be professionally sprayed?

Hmm. Not professionaly, but you need a paint gun. You can get a paint gun for relatively cheap. You do mix it. But its like an egg shell.
Amazing stuff.
I epoxied some bare metal that was rusted/sandblasted and then painted. Outside in the seattle rain for 7 years. Not even one sign of rust.

[dieselenthusias]

Lyrikz wrote:

As a guy who has restored quite a few vehicles from the frame up and used many different processes. NOTHING, NOTHING beats sandblasting the effected area, then adding a couple coats of epoxy paint. It will last as long as you do.

Is epoxy paint something that I can rattle can, or is it a product that needs to be professionally sprayed?

[Lyrikz]

dieselenthusiast wrote:
I was wondering what is the best method to restore some of the rusted metal on our travel trailer. Should I use a wire brush and rattle can, or do something else?

As a guy who has restored quite a few vehicles from the frame up and used many different processes. NOTHING, NOTHING beats sandblasting the effected area, then adding a couple coats of epoxy paint. It will last as long as you do.

[tvman44]

Wire brush the loose stuff off, then Ospho let dry throughly then good primer and paint. Will last for years. I did this on some heavily rusted farm equipment several years ago and still looks pretty good. 🙂

[dieselenthusias]

westend wrote:


Some of the specialty coatings like POR-15, are really good for frames and undercarriage. The durability can be outstanding.

I've heard a lot of good things about POR-15. I haven't personally used it, but others have said it's good stuff. The frame and undercarriage still looks good, but I'm going to keep POR-15 in mind for future prevention and/or restoration.

[dieselenthusias]

USARMYCW wrote:
Ospho available at Sherwin-Williams. It's what is used by the professionals. Stops rust in it's tracks and you paint right over it. 🙂

Good info. Thanks!

[dieselenthusias]

moonlightrunner wrote:
For some of your stuff (like the jack pads) would a brush on truck bed liner be better (once you get rid of the surface rust of course)? I'm not sure a "one product fits all" would apply in your case.

I was actually thinking about Line-X for the pads. I could remove the pads, have them sandblasted or wire brushed,then sprayed.

The trailer is a 2008, so it's not an old unit with lots of rust. This is very minor surface rust that didn't appear until recently. I think it took a lot of salt this past winter when we drove through TX, OK, MO, and KS due to heavy ice and snow. The surface rust was barely visible last summer!

[USARMYCW]

Ospho available at Sherwin-Williams. It's what is used by the professionals. Stops rust in it's tracks and you paint right over it. 🙂

[moonlightrunner]

POR-15 needs to be painted as it is not UV resistant (says so right in their lit and website). If you use Rustoleum Stops Rust, bear in mind that a wire brushing is likely all you need. It works best with a light amount of surface rust. Since rust is simply metal oxidizing, you need to stop the air/water from reaching the surface of the metal. Paints can become porus. Use several coats and keep touching it up. POR works so well because it is a thick product. It is also very expensive and messy. I has gotten a small amount from them. I was not terribly impressed with it for the money spent. As with any paint "Prep is everything". For some of your stuff (like the jack pads) would a brush on truck bed liner be better (once you get rid of the surface rust of course)? I'm not sure a "one product fits all" would apply in your case.

[VintageRacer]

wire-brush the loose stuff off, rust converter then a top coat. I personally use POR-15, but others will work. I've actually found the POR-15 to be permanent.

Brian