Frame Rust? Get Klean Strip Prep and Etch at Home Depot!

[Benski]

I moved out to Utah last year and worked the Winter at a ski resort. I had a daily drive up the canyon which was regularly salted to help remove the snow. I noticed rust starting around the bumper and in many places on the frame. I also do some off roading around the Great Salt Lake. I had bought a gallon of Klean Strip Prep and Etch to neutralize rust on a boat trailer while I was living back in Maryland. I washed my truck well recently and started detailing it. I climbed under it and found rust in many spots on the frame and hitch. I bought a cheap paint brush, poured some of the phosphoric acid in a glass jar, put on some safety glasses and started brushing it on anywhere I saw rust. I just leave it on and it neutralizes the rust and turns it black. I think the gallon was under $20 and it goes a long way.

 

[Quadsbc]

Fluid film works great preventing new rust from forming. After one of the harshest maine winters I'm still rust free.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I have a gallon of their phosphoric acid. Is it the same thing?

 

[Benski]

I have a gallon of their phosphoric acid. Is it the same thing?

I believe so. Try it on some rusted scrap metal or hardware. It should turn the rust black after a few hours.

 

[thaemcee2]

aside from the changing of the rust color to black, what does the acid actually do chemically speaking? does it remove the rust or do anything structurally or preventatively speaking? thanks guys im gonna have to get some of this stuff

 

[shootmymime]

aside from the changing of the rust color to black, what does the acid actually do chemically speaking? does it remove the rust or do anything structurally or preventatively speaking? thanks guys im gonna have to get some of this stuff

phosphoric acid is a rust converter, not a remover. It turns iron oxide into iron phosphate, which is very stable. then you paint over it.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

phosphoric acid is a rust converter, not a remover. It turns iron oxide into iron phosphate, which is very stable. then you paint over it.

Technically it changes iron oxide into ferric phosphate.

 

[02SE]

I moved out to Utah last year and worked the Winter at a ski resort. I had a daily drive up the canyon which was regularly salted to help remove the snow. I noticed rust starting around the bumper and in many places on the frame. I also do some off roading around the Great Salt Lake.

My advice would be to wash your 4Runner, paying particular attention to the undercarriage, as often as necessary when driving your 4Runner in those conditions. That might be several times a week.

The Salt will rot away any make or model of vehicle, well before it's time, if it is neglected.

 

[96LTDrus]

I'd avoid the rust forming in the first place by treating the underside with Fluid Film. A gallon is $40, I heat it in an old pot on my camp stove in the garage, stirring constantly. Pour it into a cheap 1 gallon weed sprayer from Lowes with a trigger+wand and let'er rip. Takes some finessing to get a spray pattern going, adjusting the nozzle and temperature and pressure on the sprayer. But the result is awesome and holds up well. I did the backs of my bumpers, the frame, brake and fuel lines, fender wells and undercarriage, spare tire, etc. I put the truck up on jackstands and take the wheels off (I have them off to put snow tires on anyways), and cover the brakes with plastic bags. Fluid Film is great at creeping and penetrating, and once it dries it is thick and waxy, won't wash off easily at all even with pressure washing the underside.



FYI that is a Midwest truck from 1996 that gets used in the winter. Caveat being that it sat in a heated garage from 2000-2012 without any winter use. The goal is to keep it that clean well into the future with regular washing of the undercarriage and avoiding parking it in a heated garage when it has any salt/slush on it. That's one of the worst things you can do for a car in the winter where they use salt: expose it to constant thawing cycles, as heat catalyzes the iron oxidation process.

 

[Sisente]

I moved out to Utah last year and worked the Winter at a ski resort. I had a daily drive up the canyon which was regularly salted to help remove the snow. I noticed rust starting around the bumper and in many places on the frame. I also do some off roading around the Great Salt Lake. I had bought a gallon of Klean Strip Prep and Etch to neutralize rust on a boat trailer while I was living back in Maryland. I washed my truck well recently and started detailing it. I climbed under it and found rust in many spots on the frame and hitch. I bought a cheap paint brush, poured some of the phosphoric acid in a glass jar, put on some safety glasses and started brushing it on anywhere I saw rust. I just leave it on and it neutralizes the rust and turns it black. I think the gallon was under $20 and it goes a long way.

Thanks for the info. Used this on an old bbq pit I have. Worked great.

 

[nissanh]

chemistry

Technically it changes iron oxide into ferric phosphate.

Ferric phosphate is the older name. Now it is called iron(III)phosphate.

You can use a solution of oxalic acid to remove the rust. Once the rust is gone, you ill get a very clean surface which can be painted right away.
What happens is Fe2O3.xH2O (rust scales that comes off) reacts with C2O42- ion and forms a Fe(C2O42-)3 complex. This complex comes off from the solid metal with a good wash.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I believe so. Try it on some rusted scrap metal or hardware. It should turn the rust black after a few hours.

I will. I am going to approach rust control differently on the 97 limited. The 96 I sandblasted (silica blast) the frame. It came out great other than all that stuff in the frame.

The way fluid film drys and waxes over it sure sounds like what linseed oil does. Wonder if it's what fluid film is comprised of. The Jeep CJ guys use the linseed oil for flooding the frame to rust proof. My dad costed all his cement and plaster tools.

 

[Salman]

my rust removal project

Remind me of my rust removal project...such a pia and lot of work. I also used gallon of same paint with brush. Don't have all pictures but finished work looks much much better. Did whole frame..all skids..brackets..rear bumper...some area on body..etc..

Respirator is must for this job. I did lot of dust inhaling as I was doing it in winter inside my garage with small fan as exhaust fan...:frusty: I was using basic masks they are useless for this job. 2 broken bolts still need to be removed from frame.

 

[shootmymime]

You guys have seen my rust removal write up right?

 

[Colorado buff]

Shootmymime,

I would like to see it. As I want to do some surface rust removal once mine is done.

 

[shootmymime]

Shootmymime,

I would like to see it. As I want to do some surface rust removal once mine is done.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/143309-simple-frame-rust-repair-prevention.html

 

[DiggerT4R]

I'd avoid the rust forming in the first place by treating the underside with Fluid Film. A gallon is $40, I heat it in an old pot on my camp stove in the garage, stirring constantly. Pour it into a cheap 1 gallon weed sprayer from Lowes with a trigger+wand and let'er rip. Takes some finessing to get a spray pattern going, adjusting the nozzle and temperature and pressure on the sprayer. But the result is awesome and holds up well. I did the backs of my bumpers, the frame, brake and fuel lines, fender wells and undercarriage, spare tire, etc. I put the truck up on jackstands and take the wheels off (I have them off to put snow tires on anyways), and cover the brakes with plastic bags. Fluid Film is great at creeping and penetrating, and once it dries it is thick and waxy, won't wash off easily at all even with pressure washing the underside.



FYI that is a Midwest truck from 1996 that gets used in the winter. Caveat being that it sat in a heated garage from 2000-2012 without any winter use. The goal is to keep it that clean well into the future with regular washing of the undercarriage and avoiding parking it in a heated garage when it has any salt/slush on it. That's one of the worst things you can do for a car in the winter where they use salt: expose it to constant thawing cycles, as heat catalyzes the iron oxidation process.

Also a huge fan of Fluid Film. Spray that stuff on the underside and youre good to go. I prefer to repair/prep well before hand but if you do the proper preventative work itll make fluid film the icing on the cake.

 

[shootmymime]

I picked a gal up on this today from Home Depot and going to try it on my coil overs that are trashed.