Combating rust

[LagunaH1]

Today, as I was dropping the '97 off at Tustin Hummer, I saw 3 "rust bubbles" near a seam under one of the rear quarter panel windows. Ugh. I know I need to get the rust stopped before it spreads. I know there is a ton of various rust or corrosion inhibitors out there and I think I need to go that route until I have the budget for a serious trip to the body shop, which ideally should include re-painting the entire truck.

Has anyone had good experiences with any rust stopper / blocker / inhibitors?

 

[Mr_Rich]

I used POR-15 seam sealer for a spot on the lower door seam of my K1500. I wouldn't consider the use of those products a temp repair. It is a very durable product and will last a LONG time if the surface its applied on is prepared correctly.

In fact, I painted (with POR-15) many of the cast iron parts of the undercarriage of my 3T during the first year of ownership. That paint holds up amazingly well.

 

[3Hummers]

Moisture could be coming from the windows or body seam. Not sure an inhibitor will help until you get the source repaired.

 

[abearden]

I've used "rust converter" primer before as a temporary fix, but the only thing that has ever worked well is a strip-to-bare and paint. Are they actually rust, or just peeling?

 

[Green 1]

The Por-15 is a great product and I used it when I was restoring some old cars in the past. Dave is right though you may need to reseal the window where they moisture is most likely coming.

 

[freeze]

I had some scale where the rear cab bolts to the body. I descaled it, used naval jelly ( its made by loctite) then used a rust converter primer and painted it. The naval jelly works pretty well. You brush it on and wash it off. Eats right through the rust.

 

[3Hummers]

More than likely you also have some corrosion under the top where it bolts to the body. Fixing it correctly is a PITA and I don't think I would bother with it until you are ready to repaint the truck. The POR 15 or some other temp measure should suffice until then.

 

[LagunaH1]

Yeah, the plan is to contain / inhibit it for now, then get it all taken care of later when I have the budget.

 

[cgalpha08]

Digging up an old thread here.

I was doing my spring skid plate removal, sand and paint, and i noticed more rust than i am comfortable with on the cross members and frame rails.

What would be the best way to combat this short of doing a body off restoration haha

should i sand the rust down, paint with Por-15 and then with some black paint?
or some other method, the last thing I want to do is make it worse than it already is.

I should add its really not that bad but i want to stay ahead of it.

 

[Kurt]

Do you have any pictures? I'm surprised about rust issues on an H3, I know there's some surface rust on a few chassis items right from the factory.

I usually take a grinder/sander to rust spots, clean it to metal, hit it with surface prep or any rust encapsulator product [eastwood sells this] then top off with POR15 for now. I know when I did the frame on my H1 I used a blue liquid and a white liquid product. One was the encapsulator which turned the rust from brown to grey, then I sanded it more then started painting.

When I got more into my truck some of the rust just ate right into the control arms, so I just swapped out all the crossmembers, supports and control arms to military surplus and kept the military CARC paint as a base coat, ground off a few bits for welding reinforcement over stock then top coated everything with VHT high temperature and chassis paint which holds up really well.

 

[cgalpha08]

I will try to get some photos soon. It is all surface rust so i wouldn't say there are any rust issues, and by no means has anything rusted through. I'm just trying to stay ahead of it before everything is completely covered in rust. Its mainly in areas that have scraped while offroading. If I lived in cali or the southwest this wouldn't really be an issue that i was concerned with, but living in the salt/ rust belt, whenever winter rolls around its horrible.

 

[3Hummers]

I would use a rust remover and repaint. Been doing that for a long time. As long as you keep current on it you should be ok.