14 replies to this topic

[Gcornwall]

Okay guys I know this is a classic problem with minis, not really much you can do to completely eliminate the rust without new panels.
But rubbing down just doesn't seem man enough, the rust came through on mine after 4 months!!!!!!! It wasn't that bad to start with either, no holes just surface stuff!
Just wondering what people have done to there's to help prolong the rust?!!
Cheers

[sonikk4]

The only real way to deal with this is to either to cut it out or replace the affected panels.

[miniman24]

4 months after installing new panels? If so, its not been done properly! Probably not sealed or painted properly.

[sonikk4]

4 months after installing new panels? If so, its not been done properly! Probably not sealed or painted properly.

 

He did not say he replaced the panels, just rubbed the rust back.

[miniman24]

Good point, should have done more than skim read! 4 months over winter is probably quite good for rubbed back rust

[Twisty]

how long do the rust converters last for as i thought that if that was used it would neutralize the rust?

 

Is this worth a shot?

Edited by Twisty, 05 February 2014 - 07:49 PM.

[Gcornwall]

I had put a rust killer on it, clearly not that good! Haha. Anyone recommend a good one?.
Also is there any way of lightly grinding the rust off without having to cut anything out or get panels replaced?

[sonikk4]

No such thing as a magic rust killer as such. Unless all of the rust is physically removed it will return.

 

Yes there are various converters on the market and i have tried a lot of them over the years from Jenolite, Krust etc and some more exotic mixtures. I have never found anything that you could brush on and thats it. (that includes repainting etc)

Phosphoric acid could be applied as this is what is found in the various convertors to a certain amount. I'm not sure how neat would work and the detrimental side effects to the metal itself. 

 

Yes grinding etc will remove the majority of rust but still leave tiny pits, this is what comes back. Media blasting should remove everything but the downside here is how thick is the remaining metal??

[Tamworthbay]

No such thing as a magic rust killer as such. Unless all of the rust is physically removed it will return.
 
Yes there are various converters on the market and i have tried a lot of them over the years from Jenolite, Krust etc and some more exotic mixtures. I have never found anything that you could brush on and thats it. (that includes repainting etc)
Phosphoric acid could be applied as this is what is found in the various convertors to a certain amount. I'm not sure how neat would work and the detrimental side effects to the metal itself. 
 
Yes grinding etc will remove the majority of rust but still leave tiny pits, this is what comes back. Media blasting should remove everything but the downside here is how thick is the remaining metal??

I have used phosphoric acid (running a lab has its advantages), never neat as it can be quite aggressive. Approx 30-50% solution works a treat and the surface is chemically clean. The problem with the join in question is how to get any solution into the seam, especially if you need to clean it back out again! I have had some success with injecting boiling hot wax into the seam (something like Dynax UC). You get syringes with needles on at a chemist, expect strange and disbelieving looks. I heat up the wax in an old can on my trangia stove. I guarantee you will get strange looks if you do it outside but it slows down the progression of the rust well.

[Ben_O]

It is not worth attempting to do a long term fix without replacing at least the wings. Rust can be taken out of the pitting and cleaned right back before painting but if the rust is forming from in the wing/front panel seam then it wouldn't be possible to get all of the rust out.

 

Cheers

Ben

[Gcornwall]

The rust in the front reallly isn't bad enough to replace the panels! Got quoted £350 to weld the front panel and 2 new wings, then i'd have to buy the panels! too much money for something that really isn't serious! Damn my OCD, just want it to look perfect

[sonikk4]

Treat it all again and then get the summer out of it. Gives you time to save up.

 

A tip a old time body shop bloke showed me was to use fibreglass gel to skim over the rusty areas. No fibreglass though just the gel. Let it set then flat back as normal prime and paint. He swore blind it would last longer that way but i have never used that method myself.

[myredmini]

You could use that rust gel from Bilt Hamber, I have used it on surface rust, brushed it on thick covered in cling film, and the rust gets killed so to speak, very good stuff! Or a honey comb wheel on the grinder/drill is good at getting the rust out, the more you get out the pits the better, will last longer as a temp repair.

[AVV IT]

Under the headlights the corrosion usually starts in the seam where the panel is folded over itself and is then fuelled from behind by salt and rain water that's thrown up under the wheel arch. Attacking the problem from the outer side often makes problems worse, as the rust you can see and have sanded off is usually just the tip of the iceberg.

 

As you can't get inside the seam to get rid of this corrosion, then only way to sort it permanently is to cut that section out and weld in new metal as Neil suggested above. But if you want to slow the corrosion down, then remove front wheels and strip back all the paint, under seal etc, so that you can grind away all corrosion that's on the back of the panel/behind the headlights, from underneath the wheel arch. Treating the area with a chemical rust converter afterwards (such as Kurust or Jenolite) will also help, but again as mentioned above, it isn't a miracle cure. When as much corrosion as possible has been removed, protect the area from further water and salt with an etch primer, then zinc or epoxy primer, stone chip, and then top coat. I'd then really recommend investing in a pair of plastic wheel arch liners to fit under the wheel arches, they're quite expensive, but they'll will pretty much eliminate any more salt and water getting behind the headlights and into the seam from behind. http://www.minispare...h/classic/wheel.

 

I did this on my Sprite about three years ago now, when the wings started to go under the headlights in the usual places. I use the car all year round, and since doing this the rot hasn't really got much worse at all. I'll still need a new front end at some point, but my current one will probably have lasted an extra five years or so, than if I'd just let nature take its course

[Gcornwall]

Ah thanks! That's sounds like a plan, at least for now.
Thanks everyone!!