Remove That Rust From Your Old Vehicle

16 December 2015
 Categories: , Blog

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If you have rust on your old vehicle, to make your old vehicle look better and last longer, you need to remove that rust. Here is what you need to do in order to remove the rust from your vehicle.

Visually Inspect Your Vehicle's Surface

The first thing you need to do is visually inspect the surface of your vehicle and determine how extensive the rust damage is. You'll want to write down and make note of all the areas where you spot rust to ensure that you don't miss them when you remove the rust later. 

Although rust is often associated with a dark red color, you need to look for other signs of rust on your vehicle as well. Keep an eye open for the presence of small bubbles in the paint. Often times, the paint bubbles up when rust is present underneath it. You will need to treat these areas for rust as well.

If the area with rust are smaller than the palm of your hand, you can probably remove them on your own. If you have large and extensive areas of rust that greatly exceed the size of your palm, you should let an auto body repair shop tackle remove that rust. When rust damage is extensive, it requires additional tools and may even require a panel of your vehicle to be replaced.

Removing The Rust

If the area that is rusted is small, you can remove it on your own. First, you'll want to use a sanding disc to sand down the rusted area and remove the rust. You can sand by hand if you want to, but using a sanding disc will make the process go much faster. 

You'll want to sand down the areas right around the rusted area as well in order to create a smooth area for the new paint that you'll apply. 

After the rust has been removed, you'll want to use a finer grit piece of sandpaper to sand down the area further. This will help create the perfect surface for a new coat of paint.

When all the sanding is done, use a cloth to wipe away any debris that was created by your sanding.

Prime The Area

Once all the dust and debris has been removed from the previously rusted area, it's time to apply the primer. Use newspaper and tape off the areas around the rusted area that you will not be working on. 

When dealing with a rust repair job, you'll want to put on between three to four smooth layers of primer. You should use self-etching primer. The additional layers are to cover up the affected area and make sure that the new paint blends in seamlessly with the old paint. 

Allow the primer to dry before moving on to the next step.

Paint The Area

The last step is painting the previously rusted area. You'll want to apply very light, smooth layers of paint. It may take up to five coats in order to cover the primer and make the new paint blend in with the old. 

Let the paint dry overnight before you drive your vehicle. You may want to wax and wash your vehicle after you have repaired the rusted area; this will help the new paint job blend in with the old job. For more information, visit sites like http://www.autobodyomaha.com.