Rust Control

[tlmgcamp1]

Coming up on 4th season for the TT and I want to address frame rust issues as well as the rusting of the metal straps holding up the tanks. I used POR-15 about 15 years ago on my popups frame and it held up great but was a PIA to use. Has anybody found a similar but more user-friendly alternative?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I prefer Ospho rust converter - very easy to apply. If cosmetic appeal is important I paint over it, but the converted rust (iron carbonate) is ok as is.

 

[workinonit]

Nothing better than POR15 but it is dangerous and messy to use. I like Ospho as well.

 

[DutchmenSport]

I've had great success with Professional Rust-o-lium and ORIGINAL Rust-o-lium for over 50 years. Not everyone agrees. But, I've had great success.

 

[TXMOOSE]

I've always used Rust-O-Lium myself. If necessary, depending on what I was doing I'd scrape a little add the jelly pressure it off put the ROL on and spray some rubber over it. Always came out great.

 

[TheBar]

There are 2 types of spray on undercoating. The rubberized/tar based kind stays soft and sticky for years and stays put if loose rust is removed first. The cheap plastic kind cracks and falls off after a year.

 

[Onyrlef]

Doesn't matter what brand name is on the product. It's phosphoric acid. Ospho, Rustoleum.......
On the boats, it was scale the rust with a chipping hammer or needle gun, wire brush, apply phosphoric acid, wait a day, wire brush the white residue away, prime with red lead, wait a day and paint. Ad infinitum......
The first thing a new deckhand is handed is a chipping hammer with instructions to "familiarize yourself with this".

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

"Rustoleum" is used very loosely in forums such as this, rarely specifying which of the many Rustoleum-brand products is being recommended (or complained about). The most common Rustoleum products are just spray paint and have no specific rust conversion or rust-inhibiting ingredient. However, their Rusty Metal Primer is designed to bond to iron rust and does so, but I don't think it has any phosphoric acid or similar "converter" ingredient. In general, Rustoleum products "stop rust" simply by sealing the surface to stop moisture and air, the two things needed for rust to form, from reaching the metal. Any quality paint can do the same.

Rustoleum Rust Reformer claims to be a "converter" but I don't see the chemical identified anywhere. It says only that it's a vinyl acrylic resin. Gotta be something more, but what?

 

[Onyrlef]

"Rustoleum" is used very loosely in forums such as this, rarely specifying which of the many Rustoleum-brand products is being recommended (or complained about). The most common Rustoleum products are just spray paint and have no specific rust conversion or rust-inhibiting ingredient. However, their Rusty Metal Primer is designed to bond to iron rust and does so, but I don't think it has any phosphoric acid or similar "converter" ingredient. In general, Rustoleum products "stop rust" simply by sealing the surface to stop moisture and air, the two things needed for rust to form, from reaching the metal. Any quality paint can do the same.

Rustoleum Rust Reformer claims to be a "converter" but I don't see the chemical identified anywhere. It says only that it's a vinyl acrylic resin. Gotta be something more, but what?

Originally Rustoleum was a product for treating rust and I'm pretty sure that's what they're describing. I use a product for sealing wood floors which is intended to prevent stain bleed back, it's sold under the Zinnser brand but is a Rustoleum product. Otherwise, the principle for sealing off the surface from moisture and air sounds good but it never last for long. That's where the infinitum part comes in.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The original Rustoleum paint product used special oils in the formulation (supposedly "fish oil") that enabled it to bond over rust. That formulation was discontinued decades ago, but the mystique still remains. Modern Rustoleum uses alkyds and polyurethane to improve adhesion and seal out moisture, but does nothing to convert existing rust or scale. It helps prevent additional rusting.

 

[Onyrlef]

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Thanks - I was looking for that specific Rustoleum product because it's the only one I've seen that actually converts rust (iron oxide) to an alloy (iron carbonate). My whole point is that the Rustoleum brand name alone on a can or in a forum post is not sufficient to claim what it does about rust. You need to reference a specific product.

 

[TXMOOSE]

Yeppers, as long as the rusted area is taken care of rite you can pick out your finish.
And the rubber spray is what I like alot of times. At my pops body shop in the early 80s alot of people started to ask about it and wanted a foot of it sprayed in then painted. Everyone figured it would help with rocks and shopping carts. Is what it was.
I liked it on my trucks. I even put it in my mud trucks. The 10in lift and 45 Super stampers. , ya had some good times. Of course I'd get pulled in the office when my dad wanted to know about the truck tires and my racing tires. I tried to explain that him being a parent was his job to provide for my vehicles.
Besides I was still in school worked after school 3pm-10pm, worked at the body shop from 11pm-4am or such. Weekends it was work with my uncle paper hanging and painting then the gas station then the body shop. Couldn't really sleep got headaches if more than 4hrs.
But again preference is fine almost ,if you clean it up first. Otherwise we know it could be a waste.