Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

I took the bed off and in the process of cleaning the frame for painting with Hammerite. Looking at the project, a few questions came to mind that I can't find answers to in the forum ...

- Brake lines lines are in great shape, should I unclip them and don't paint?
- Trailing arms are newer, but the C-bolts and other suspension components have surface rust, should I remove and paint individually or paint everything in place.
- Going to paint the axle and brake backing plates. Should the transfer case cover be painted in place or removed and painted? Should I tape the bolts if painting in place?
- Wiring harness has been removed. Should the metal retaining clips be painted after they're cleaned up?

Seems like taking apart and painting individually is the right way to go ... but maybe I'm overthinking this.

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

That's my opinion. :) But then do you HAVE to have the truck back together in a certain time frame?

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

I don't go for "There's never time to do it right, but there's always time to do it over". Nothing back there I can't take apart and put back together. Would like to hear opinions about painting / not painting brake lines and harness clips. Also, skip painting bolt heads? I figure the paint will get scraped up the 1st time I take a ratchet to them, so why bother.

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

spray oven cleaner and let it sit....spray off with water....repeat steps several times... take a wire brush wheel on a grinder to all the spots you can get to.... hand wire brush as much as possible.....wipe off as much as possible.... let dry, spray a rust inhibitor in a can or brush on some por-15...let it almost dry, then spray a primer, then engine paint in a can.....keep the frame out of the sun after that... reinstall everything to frame and other stuff like rearend..... bolts can stay in or not, doesn't matter if you do a good job with wirebrush. I have found that even a great job of doing this will still result in rust later. Only way to really keep it away is sandblast and epoxy coat or powdercoat

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

That's great advice, I forgot I used oven cleaner on my transmission a few years and you're right, it does a great job of cleaning things up. Epoxy paint would be sweet, but the house accountant would deny my funding request, though I've heard a yearly dose of Fluid Film can work miracles.

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

Several months later and the back half of the frame is painted along with the rear end, trailing arms, and other misc. suspension pieces. Next step is repairing the bed sides. The goal is to have Claire back on the road by fall. Thanks for the push to do more than just paint the frame, it was well worth the effort.

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

That looks Nice, I doubt that you will wish that you didn't take the time to do it Right! I plan on taking my 64 apart this winter and doing the same thing.

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

Me personally, I don't have the time to do most things on my truck as well as I should.
I tear it down. Do a couple things. Then put it back together.

I did have the cab and whole front clip off, so I pressure washed it and hit it with rustoleum black. :)

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

Im going to brush mine with por 15

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

Por 15 fixes everything just like ice cream.

Re: Frame Cleaning and Painting Prep
 

I approve these.

Get the grease and flake rust off...por 15.