Fixing rusted rock chips prior to paint touch up

[Astouffer512]

On our fusion we have some rock chips that I`d like to touch up with a dr color chip kit prior to detailing in a little bit. My question is for the few chips I see where there is rust how does one go about removing the rust? Soaking it in iron x paste?
Anyone ever use this product from loctite?

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[TheMeanGreen]

On our fusion we have some rock chips that I`d like to touch up with a dr color chip kit prior to detailing in a little bit. My question is for the few chips I see where there is rust how does one go about removing the rust? Soaking it in iron x paste?
Anyone ever use this product from loctite?

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Iron-X paste all day long; I have seen the Loctite product wreak havoc on paint.

 

[Astouffer512]

Thanks.

After the ironx paste soak any other steps (other than a good. Lean with some sort if panel wipe / IPA solution) prior to using the Dr colorchip?

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[Accumulator]

Astouffer512- I try to keep all Rust Treatments off any paint that I`m not redoing. Rust Converters/Removers/etc...all of `em. Some are definitely OK (e.g., ValuGard`s "B") but those have always been too gentle to do the job effectively for me.

If you want to use a Rust Converter (my fave has been off the market for ages), I`d do a pinpoint application with a tiny (disposable) brush or a toothpick/etc.

Assuming you`re not gonna just live with it (yes, seriously), I`d almost certainly try to remove at least the vast majority of the existing rust via mechanical/abrasive means.

The "Rust Removal Pens" that use filaments (usually fiberglass) can be OK for larger ones, but I find them hard to control 100% (back to that "don`t damage surrounding paint" issue) and often less effective than one might expect.

When I`m fixing them (o.e., not just living with them...did I mention that? ) I grind the existing rust out with a tiny (diamond) burr on a rotary tool, then treat with a pinpoint application of a Metal Prep/Etch product.

I usually use a Paint Over Rust (*BUT NOT POR15!*) for the primer and apply the touchup paint to that during the proper "OK to paint over without sanding first to ensure adhesion" window (usually a few hours after application, the product info will give specifics).

Then I wait for the touchup paint to cure for a while before I do anything to it other than maybe a quick wipe with OCW.

Note that DrColorchips works *infinitely* better for me when I apply it with a tiny brush instead of using their "smear it around" method. And/but it`s never all that hard, stays kinda fragile so you have to be careful not to just polish it off, even with rather mild products.

While I`m currently just watching/waiting on the Tahoe`s rusted chips (many of which are over a decade old easy..and that includes annual salt exposure) and not having any problems from doing that, I *have* used the above method numerous times with results that are as good as I can get with a brush-applied touchup (which isn`t as good as my "good" painter used to do, but still good enough for me and I set the bar kinda high).

EDIT: I`d *absolutely* use the right Pre-paint Prep Products, and *NOT* IPA. I know it`s not uncommon for people to reach for that, but I can`t understand why; it`s not like *ANY* paint/body guy would ever use that, it`s just not the right solvent for such jobs. (Actually, I can`t even recall the last time I used IPA for *anything* on any vehicle..been many years as I only use it as the first passes on deteriorated rubber.)

 

[Andyrue]

I was going to make a new post, but this thread is recent and so similar to my needs I felt I should probably just add onto it.

[FONT=&quot]I recently got a new-to-me car and while washing/drying last night I spotted a rusted rock chip on my roof that has some bubbling around it. The bubbling is only visible in the right lighting, so I hadn`t noticed it before. There are also some tiny rock chips on the hood, but none of them have rusted so I had gotten a Dr. Color Chip kit to address those. I`m not sure how to approach this one though, since it appears to have gotten under the paint. I can clean the rust spot out as suggested, but doesn`t the bubbling suggest the rust is under there too? What do I do about that? I know I won`t be able to make it look perfect, I`m most interested in stopping the rust before it gets larger. I appreciate any advice.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Here are the pics.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]https://imgur.com/a/JR5jwas[/FONT]

 

[Accumulator]

Andyrue- Welcome to Autopia!

Hey, those are great pix, show the issue very well.

You`re right, the bubbling means the corrosion has spread underneath the paint, and..sigh..that means you`ll have to make things worse to make them better (in the sense of "the little bit that shows" isn`t all that needs done, gotta go a bit beyond the bubbling, which will be at least a 1/4" probably more like 3/8").

I`ve done that countless times when I wasn`t willing to just live with it, and in this case...[thinking on it, uhm...]...yeah, I`d fix it. I`d do it with a rotary tool/Dremel, which understandably gives many people pause. Here`s what I`d have you do if I were standing there:

-Clean the area with a proper Prep Product, *NOT* IPA or window cleaner/etc. but something that bodyshops use

-Tape off the surrounding area to provide a little protection in case of an "oops!", but try to avoid same too. I *DO* believe that anybody without special issues can do it OK, just gotta be careful. Very, very careful

-Use a small *diamond burr* on the rotary tool to grind out the corrosion. Besides eye protection, I`d use magnification so I could really see what`s going on (but then my vision isn`t optimal) My diamond burrs are about 240 grit, which works OK for this kind of thing

-MAYBE tidy up the area of operation a little with some small pieces of sandpaper or some other abrasive medium. But I can`t remember the last time I bothered doing that and things turn out OK (well..for me) without doing that

-Since there`s a chance you won`t get all the rust, I`d use a good Paint Over Rust product for the primer. NOT POR15, there are better choices these days; my fave being KBS Coatings` Rust Seal. Get the DrColorChips on that stuff before it cures too long so it`ll adhere OK

-Be very gentle with the area in the future; the DrColorChips stuff is fragile and easy to polish off

-Protect the touchup with Optimum Car Wax or some other LSP (Last Step Product, i.e. "wax") that`s fresh-paint-friendly (not many of `em are, use the right stuff or the touchup will "dry soft" and never attain max potential hardness, might even wipe right off)

I realize not many have all the above stuff on-hand, but that`s how I do it and I *know* that it works well. Yes indeed, there are other good approaches too, and whatever you do I hope it turns out OK.

 

[Andyrue]

@Accumulator, Thanks so much for your detailed reply. This helps a lot! I have most of the required supplies and will pick up a diamond burr tip for my Dremel and a proper paint prep product. You`ve given me the confidence to move ahead with this. Thank you!

 

[Stokdgs]

I remember back in the day of auto painting, there used to be a Dupont Metal Etch product we always wiped down any panel that was taken down to bare metal, before we primed it. Never had an issue with rust, etc., after this pre-primer step..
Perhaps search people like Eastwood, etc., for a proper body-shop type bare metal etch, conditioner for use before priming?
Good luck with this !
Dan F

 

[Accumulator]

Andyrue- So glad I was able to be of assistance, sounds like you`re gonna do fine. For the diamond burrs, if you can`t source them locally you might do an internet search on Garret Wade and MicroMark as I`ve ordered really good ones (in all kinds of sizes/shapes) from both places.

I remember back in the day of auto painting, there used to be a Dupont Metal Etch product we always wiped down any panel that was taken down to bare metal, before we primed it...

Heh heh, I bet you and I used the exact same stuff back then My current fave in this, uhm...safer post-VOC/etc. world...is Metal Blast by Rust Bullet. Gotta keep it off any paint/etc. that you care about though, and in this case I`d just rely on the mechanical/abrasive process to get it all.

Won`t matter if Andyrue uses the RustSeal anyhow, that stuff is a [freakin`] miracle product compared to some Paint Over Rust competitors, let alone regular primer.

Perhaps search people like Eastwood, etc., for a proper body-shop type..[product]..

They no longer have the stuff I used to like/get from them for the Metal Etch But their "Pre" prep solvent is *VERY* good IME and even rivals the PreKleano/Prepsol versions that you and I grew up with.