Chassis Tubes.

I know this topic has come up in the past but:

What do people do to keep there chassis clean and not Rusty:

Paint?
Clear Coat?
Powder Coat?
Rub on some type of Oil?

Thanks in advance for your advise.

Sincerely,

Absolute Pleasure Racing LLC

Gary Mangiafico

 

Loctite CORP. makes some stuff called RUST PREVENTER it smells and looks like "THE STUPH" if you remember that, except it seems to dry on! we have been messing with it out side on tubing seems to be great! i found it at home depot figured we would try it!


Also hard carnuba wax works awesome sweat just rolls right off. still my choice to date!

 

best stuff I have used

By far the best product I have found is Gibbs brand . This stuff is amazing . You can check it out on there web site www.gibbsbrandlubricant.com It aint cheap but what is if it works. Im getting ready to order anouther case myself.
Hope this helps ya out
Gary

 

just spent 2 weeks getting powdercoat off a chassis- NEVER USE THE STUFF!!! used 3 coats of aircraft quality powder coat acid and then took it for sandblast-
on new pipe- gun blue works well and I have heard people diluting tremclad rust paint to a water like consistancy and using that- leaves a thin enuff coat to still see chassis cracks.
Most people I know use scotchbrite and WD40, but I think I will give the tremclad a try- Hate the WD40 on the fire suit and hands all the time--

 

We have tried a few things and like the LPS products here is the link http://www.lpslabs.com/Products/ProductLine.asp they have about everything in the way of lubricants and coatings. You can also buy LPS off the shelf at any Grainger industrial supply. www.Grainger.com I think we use the LPS#1 and LPS#3 but I haven't looked at the numbers recently, I'll let everyone know as soon as I get a chance to check the cans... Doug

 

http://www.theruststore.com/Boeshield-T-9-12-oz-Aerosol-P3C4.aspx

This stuff is what some of the pro-chassis builders use.

 

I have used the wd 40===sucks,rusts
i have tried the bioshield===sucks, rusts bad, i bought like 6 4oz bottles of it, maybe if someone does it every day, i am not impressed at all
i one thing i have tried that keeps it from rusting period is amsoil syn motor oil
as long as it has a film
if i you can find something that would keep it from rusting without the oily residue/film i love it

 

has anyone tried clear coating?

 

Boeshield was developed by Boeing aircraft. I work at an aerospace machine shop and we had some so I tried it. I had it on my TAD and the next day after a race the frame was full of hand and finger prints of rust. this is caused from the acids in sweat. I'm now using LPS3 and it works a whole lot better than Boeshield. Just don't like the oil on the firesuit and hands every time you touch the car. Mark, I'm going to try the hard carnuba wax. Thanks.

 

a friend of mine had his new mike bos jr dragster chassis clear coated, it looked really good.
frank

 

just wondering!!!!!!! I do paint work on the side and what i wanna know is how are you getting the clear to bond to raw metals? If it last at all I would love to know.as we al know clear is very feniky.

 

Just spray the frame down with laquer thinner to remove all the contaminates. Blow out the areas where the thinner couldn't be wiped off with a towel.

Now tack it off, and clear it. No big drama.

Just as a side note, clean the tubing as above, and you could self-etch primer and paint right over it also. No need to sand it if the tube is bare metal and clean.

Rapid

 

Tool Black from MSC

 

drama will begin when the clear starts to come off!!!!!!there is no bonding agent there... our ppg rep can't beleave that people will or would try to do this..first what do you do befor doing a clear coat??? well if is sent between coats for a period you must scotch bright it so it will BOND if you shoot your base then come over it in the first 20 min. you can just shoot the clear and be safe.. now if you are working on a pice of raw metal the first step always is to clean it then scotch bright it that is first step second step clean and tack 3 step dp 90 which is a self etching primer 4 step k200 which is a fill primer 5 step is to shoot your base color 6 step is to clear 7 step is to color sand last step buff. Ive been building street rods for the last 23 years. not saying it won't work but before you try this clear coat thing on a chrome molly frame call ppg or dupont see what they say...they might say i am behind times and need to go to another ppg class and catch up with time!

 

whats in those "antioxidents" my wife has me taking anyway? I don't FEEL rusty?

Hey why not just pump inert gas into your trailer all the time? Rust cant form without oxygen right?

 

Let me make this clear, I am NOT questioning your beliefs or your work habits on what works on your street rods. You have a good system and it works for what you intend it to. I am just letting the board know what I have done numerous times in the past with good success. Your steps are fine for making a perfect looking frame. I believe the intent here is to just coat the metal so it can be easily handled, not rust, along with showing when it cracks.

That is why you start with lacquer thinner, to remove the contaminates. I just spray the thinner thru my paint gun so it gets to all the nooks and crannys. On bare steel no need to sand, although I wouldn't say the scotchbrite is a bad idea.

I have no experience with PPG, so I can't speak for their products. I know for sure if you choose to paint the frame, you can spray the clean, dry, tacked off bare metal with self-etching primer. You then have 24 hours to coat it with paint. Either single stage or basecoat and clear. If it sits longer than 24 hours it needs a light scuff before refinishing.

I have always used Dupont. I have used clear over polished alum even with out having it flake off. Maybe the flex of the frame rails on one of these cars would cause flaking, I am not sure. I would think that the new urethane clears would have enough flex to move with the chassis. Just something I have used before and thought I would offer it up. The clear, as does the paint, sticks to the hills and valleys of the material it is going on, not necessarily the product below it. I just needs a clean surface to adhere to. JMO

We painted our chassis on our car. Now after making a few upgrades in the last couple of years, I am not sure I would again. That is why I was reading this post with interest.

I hope this helps,

Rapid

 

I am with Will.
Don't paint it for inspection reasons Especially if you are the guy that is going to weld on it for whatever reason. Brownells.com is a gun supply dealer. They have a product called oxpho blue that is a cold gun bluing. I have used the liquid for years on small fabricated steel parts.(works great on small parts you can submerge in a plastic container.) They now offer this product in a thick cream formula that works pretty good on the chassis. Looks good and protects it but, this will still need somekind of oil rubdown maintanance just like taking care of your shotgun.
Rusty Kramer

 

randy you are rite...it will work not real durable but will work plus if you need to do some welding on the frame it would be easy to re clear..as for all of this paint ,clear,powder coats ect. i will lean towards will hannas advice. in all words if will says take a left turn I will turn left will has a lot of expierence.. good luck in what ever you decide.Dave

 

JMO, but this board has one of the greatest groups of people on here. There is a ton of information and everyone is ready to share to help someone else out.

Thanks again Will for making a place where we can hang out and talk racecars.

Rapid