Surface rust

[chrismoore701]

My buddy has a 70 fleetside. Has surface rust on the floor of the bed. What is the best way to handle this? Hit it with a wire wheel and it removes the loose rust and left the steel black. Can i hit this with epoxy then a bed liner? What is the best way to deal with this. I don’t want to sand blast. What about that rust release gel type stuff. Thoughts?

[sick472]

That's a tough one to answer with any level of confidence...

Assuming the bed is on the truck and no disassemble will be done, wire wheeling is a good option with some sandblasting in the tight spots. Sandblasting is by far the best for the bed floor IMO, but you don't want to do that (I understand, SB is not a fun job). Wire wheeling is not going to be the greatest, but it can be good enough. I would not put any type of spray in bed liner over a wire wheeled rust removal job. The rust will still be there (the balck steel you speak of) and the spray-in liner could start to pop back up. Consider wire wheeling the bed floor and hitting the nooks and crannies with a little sand blasting and then seal it with a sealing primer (self-etch and regular chep grey primer, or maybe epoxy - IDK much about the epoxies) followed by a good brushed on coat of Flat Black Rustolem (or sprayed from the can cut with mineral spirits, but brushed works well for me).

The problem with the acid rust removing products is controlling it. For a part in the shop on the bench, not too bad, BUT for a bed on the truck...good luck not getting it on the paint you want to keep or from running through any cracks or pin holes and eating at your undercarriage. Not to mention washing it off and running over the back, splashing up, and/or through drain holes.

The real nice thing about the Rustoleum can of paint method is if it starts showing some wear or rust coming back...for 30-40$ for a new can of paint and a couple hours brushing it back on and you are back in busines for cheap, AND flat black touches up really well compared to spray-in bed liner of glossy paints.

My 2 cents!

[Foot Stomper]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

My buddy has a 70 fleetside. Has surface rust on the floor of the bed. What is the best way to handle this? Hit it with a wire wheel and it removes the loose rust and left the steel black. Can i hit this with epoxy then a bed liner? What is the best way to deal with this. I don’t want to sand blast. What about that rust release gel type stuff. Thoughts?

Yes. You are on the right track.

Remove loose and flaking bits with coarse sand paper or wire brush, epoxy bare steel, abraid/scuff entire bed and paint or apply bedliner.

It's not anymore complicated that that.

[chrismoore701]

Originally Posted by sick472

That's a tough one to answer with any level of confidence...

Assuming the bed is on the truck and no disassemble will be done, wire wheeling is a good option with some sandblasting in the tight spots. Sandblasting is by far the best for the bed floor IMO, but you don't want to do that (I understand, SB is not a fun job). Wire wheeling is not going to be the greatest, but it can be good enough. I would not put any type of spray in bed liner over a wire wheeled rust removal job. The rust will still be there (the balck steel you speak of) and the spray-in liner could start to pop back up. Consider wire wheeling the bed floor and hitting the nooks and crannies with a little sand blasting and then seal it with a sealing primer (self-etch and regular chep grey primer, or maybe epoxy - IDK much about the epoxies) followed by a good brushed on coat of Flat Black Rustolem (or sprayed from the can cut with mineral spirits, but brushed works well for me).

The problem with the acid rust removing products is controlling it. For a part in the shop on the bench, not too bad, BUT for a bed on the truck...good luck not getting it on the paint you want to keep or from running through any cracks or pin holes and eating at your undercarriage. Not to mention washing it off and running over the back, splashing up, and/or through drain holes.

The real nice thing about the Rustoleum can of paint method is if it starts showing some wear or rust coming back...for 30-40$ for a new can of paint and a couple hours brushing it back on and you are back in busines for cheap, AND flat black touches up really well compared to spray-in bed liner of glossy paints.

My 2 cents!

Great points. Thanks for your input.