How to clean off the rust?

[IWander]

I am wondering how to clean off the surface rust from panels?

Is there an easy remedy to this?

I have heard that if you dip the panel, ( lets call it the bonnet for example. (mine is the roof panel of the beddy) ) in a mixture of molasses & water, leave it overnight, then hose it off next day it works rather well.

Any thoughts? Mark.

[Dano]

Thinking Molasses takes a bit longer than overnight and having to "dip" the panel makes for a lot of liquid and work, I use a simple rust converter aka  Rainex, it's used by most panel shops and relatively cheap, a concentrate that can be diluted but needs to be deactivated and then sealed, as it turns iron oxide (rust) back to it's carbon state (steel) I think thats right....sounds good anyway..

basically a squirty bottle or bushed on (keep overspray to a min and wash off - if any ) scrubbed in or wire brushed, before or /and after any loose surface rust has been removed, left for a cuppa, and then wiped clean with a damp cloth, (neutralized) allow to dry- you will see the oxide colour change brown/red to white / grey, quick good, scuff with 180 grit ,wash with prepsol /wax/ grease remover, etch prime ....and paint to seal.

[IWander]

Thanks Dano. Sounds as though its not so easy to use molasses anyway. (Cant imagine trying to cover the roof panel in this crap.)

I suppose there are a lot of useable rust converters, then at that level, that are a lot easier to use like the one you suggested.

Last time I just used a bit of a Jex & soapy water, then wiped it over with a splash of diesel on a rag.
That worked rather well.

I think for the serious stuff I'll use Rainex or similar then.
Getting it up under the dash in the corner might need the squirty bottle me thinks.

[rumax]

Love the idea of rust convertors, but they need all the loose stuff removed. It will only penetrate so far into a panel. What I do where I can is strip the whole panel back to bare metal with one of those paint removing disks in my angle grinder. That way you can see every bit of rust. Clean up then protect/ undercoat/ paint.

I had my 300E ford van grit blasted and undercoated... and the rust came thru after 5 years..... All that was done was the paint was removed...not the rust.
Took me about half a day and 2 disks to strip back to bare metal..... still a work in progress.....

But IWander, you have another problem...access. To get the worst of the rust away, can you access (buy) a cheap sand blast gun? I grabbed one 20 years ago from SCA, and still on my first nozzle. remove the worst you can and then use the spray bottle.

[IWander]

I agree with you there Rumax.  I did the same with another car a long time ago. Rubbed off the paint with the sander & bogged up the door. Sure as a bear s hits in the woods, the rust came back & popped out a big chunk of bog.

You can almost guarantee it to come back.

I'm just in the middle of repainting a trailer & the rust in the floor was covered with paint but it just kept going the opposite direction till it hit the outside below.

I'm definitely going to have a look for a sandblaster. That one you describe sounds like just the item I've been looking for.

Thanks for the tip.

Actually I just had a quick look on Ebay & they are available in Supercheap for a mini gun (too small) or $130 odd for a 40 LB rechargable bottle & hose, but that uses soda & I dont know anything about soda. (yet)

[BusyKiwi]

Soda is just another form of media - sand, soda, coconut, silicone etc

Just thought I'd add this as have heard of a few people doing it - If you use sand, do NOT use beach sand, only use treated sand. What's the difference you ask, normal sand contains salt; salt + metal = rust.

Using a sander/grinder on rust will not remove it (will remove surface rust), and a wire wheel is a big NO-NO as it polishes the rust instead of removing it.

Removing rust all depends on the way it has rusted, if there is a hole (rusted through) for example then a sand blaster or acid will NOT kill it (it has rusted from the back), only way is to cut it out. If you have a small patch of patch, say 25 by 25mm then you want to cut out a hole no smaller than 75x75mm. If the bit you have cut out has rusted pits on the back of it, go wider until you get clean steel. If you don't the heat of the welder will give the rust a new life and you'll find it will rust around your patch.
The ONLY way sand or acid can work is if you get both sides of the panel (if it has a hole).

Also remember blasting (sand etc) heats the panel up so use with caution on bigger panels as it can warp them.

And most importantly ALWAYS use safety gear and if you are blasting a big area tape up your overalls etc as the sand WILL get where it shouldn't. Trust me, it gets EVERYWHERE

[rumax]

Mine was the $34.99 model. Simple & easy to use.
Agreed BusyKiwi. Especially the sand everywhere. Worse than the beach.

[IWander]

Thanks for all the feedback friends.

I got a one litre bottle of killrust & went to town. Yep cutting it all out is the best way as you say.

a wire wheel is a big NO-NO as it polishes the rust instead of removing it.

Yep found that out the hard way. Shinny as a Glazed Ham on Christmas Dinner.

Some of the hardest parts to get out, are the door corner where the windscreen meets the dash. I'm trying to fix that without taking the windscreen out... (or am I just kidding myself?)

Mine was the $34.99 model. Simple & easy to use.
Agreed BusyKiwi. Especially the sand everywhere. Worse than the beach.

Im thinking I might use the blaster later on in this quest for my rust free Bedford. They are actually pretty cheap for a simple unit.

Oh & yeah the sand does get EVERYWHERE. Ive seen someone using a bigger unit. (Holy s h ! T, its like a duststorm in Afghanistan).

One thing at a time here.

[rumax]

Do yourself a favour,,,
Do it once, do it right!

Removing the windscreen is easy... and so much easier to get to all the rust N crap it hides!

cut the rubber & buy a new one from rare spares.
My windscreen now doesn't leak..... famous last words   

[Marishka]

Your right there Russell,
Do it once and right.