Hey guys, I'm looking for an easy way of totally removing surface rust on some spots of my car so I can prepare the pitted surface for bondo. I have some running along the lip inside my wheel well and in other random places. I'd also use the stuff for suspension components or anything that gets exposed to heat (ie brake calipers) since I'm not sure how well any rust reformer paint or Chassis Saver/POR-15 would handle that.

I'm interested in a chemical that you can apply and just rinse off, like Naval Jelly, except I heard that the stuff is pretty mean.

I've wire wheeled some of the spots the best I can, but there are those little microscopic parts that the sanding simply won't reach and I'm afraid that they'll come back to haunt me.

Media blasting is out of the question for me, and I've used Chassis Saver on spots that aren't visible.

here's a couple pictures showing what I'm dealing with:





And yes I searched... I couldn't find much on products like what I'm looking for.

 

RUST MORT use gloves and respirator,,,, that thing is harsh

 

POR 15...rust bullet. all are good products as I understand from reading the threads.

 

bondo wont stick to por15

 

exactly, and I need something that will not leave any sort of residue; only a clean metal surface. especially since I need this for components which get hot (wanna coat them with heat resistance enamel), like brake parts like I mentioned above.

 

definitely go with rust mort its basically acid... so only treats metal and its not a couating

 

if you go with it let me know and i'll share some tips different than the directions on the can

 

Thanks! It seems tempting, but the website says that it leaves a black/grayish coating. Does it wash off? How do you remove it?
http://www.semproducts.com/Catalog.asp?prod=164

 

Ah sorry, must of been thinking about something else.

 

yea i just read that too, lol i don't think the label say that... any ways, i know for a fact that it doesnt leave a residue un less u follow their directions.

they say u gotta leave it 24 hrs bs 30min 1 hr its enough they say wash it off with water bs do it with thiner... i know they're the manufacture and they should know right but come on you wanna get rid of rust and ur gonna wash it off with water i don't think so...

anyways the answer is no it doesn't leave anything, thats why i said i'll give you some pointers

 

I believe thats a chemical reaction to the acid! Its not really a coating, it basicaly turns the metal to that colour.

If it was me, I would take a grinder with a sanding wheel to it first, remove as much rust as possible and then apply the acid to it!

 

that's exactly what you have to do wire brush wheel after the grinder and then its applied

 

This is how I've done it in the past to my beaters!!!!(Fords)

1. Wire wheel (to remove all the loose c**p....rust)
2. Grinder w/sanding wheel
3. Some type of acid
4. Thick gray primer (someone who's in the trade will probably say that this isn't needed.....Oh well.)
5. Bondo
6. Sand, prime, paint

I'm NOT a body/paint pro, but this does get the beaters to last a few more yrs for me.

 

Agree but i would keep most of the body filler on the metal instead of primer, it gets a better grip