Rusty bits

[Bren]

I have undersealed my SD1 after doing the welding - I never want to do that much work again.

However, the trailing arms / steering rack / axle and quite a few other bits are very rusty. I cannot be arsed painting them.

I was going to coat them with engine oil - cheap and plentiful. Or does anybody have any other ideas?

[AlabamaShrimp]

I have no ideas as I was going to do the same. I want to paint the exhaust too but don't know what to use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(please don't move this to the stupid question section it'll get lost in there)

[Mally]

Engine Oil does work, but is very messy, drips all over the road, and throws motor bikes on the floor.

 

Exhausts, high temp paint, but they rust from the inside as well.

Perhaps the question belongs elsewhere

[Royale80]

I had the same with my Royale. I used a wire brush, then bilt hamber rust treatment, painted with two pack epoxy primer then topcoated with a few coats of thick black gloss paint from the pound shop. I know you said you didnt want to paint- but it didn't take long and should last a while. Did the same with the wheelarches but put underseal on top.

 

Do it and forget-with oil how long will it last before you have to recoat?

 

Steve

[lisbon_road]

I tend to wire brush and paint with waxoyl.  I know people say it isn't the best, but I've got three gallons of it so I'm using it.  Seems to work ok.  I have tried all this patient wire brushing and painting but it doesn't always seem to last long.

 

On cars I've given a real strip down, powder coating can be quite good, but I've even had that fail more quickly than I'd expect.

[Rocket88]

Powder coat..............? Surprisingly cheap now............

[Bobthebeard]

ACF-50?

The MG ZT had surface rust on the rear suspension bits. Replaced the worst bits, but ACF-50 applied annually seems to have worked on the rest. Not cheap, but good coverage and seems to do the job.

[cros]

I've never found anything works on exhausts other than starting with decent quality metal in the first place. My series landrover had a complete mild steel system fitted 3 years ago. It was cheap (under £50 from Paddock so probably not the best quality). I rewelded the rear pipe so that it exits behind the mudflap- normally the pipe is straight behind the wheel and gets sprayed whenever it's wet, a stupid design.

As you can see I wasted my time, its about buggered; although the vehicle is used all year round it's not driven every day. Stainless isn't always a cure- I've had two break on me.

 

All the rest of the vehicle gets a regular treatment with whatever waxoyl type stuff I can find cheap to spray on. There's lots of unpainted metal under there, but it's 60 years old now so I just make sure I keep it covered in the stuff. Old engine oil is out for the above objections and it makes working on it very unpleasant. A layer of grime makes any wax treatment stay on much better however.

[jonny69]

Spray underseal works out a bit more expensive but it could be easier to apply. Stays nice and sticky. I would recommend it.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

ACF-50?....

FE-123?

[Talbot]

I was going to coat them with engine oil - cheap and plentiful.

Works, but expect to do that job a minimum of every few months.  Engine oil will run off remarkably quickly and leave the steel exposed again.

[sierraman]

Wire brush it back, treat it then aerosol stonechip. Grease or oil will make working on the suspension a pain and probably damage the bushes.

[Des]

Vactan seems to give the best rust prevention for minimal effort.

[mercrocker]

TBH, Vactan is all I would do at this time of year.   Anything else is likely to waste your time.