Truck Bed Rust Job: Arrestors, Converters, Preventers, Oh My...

[capturedlive]

I've got some superficial rust streaks on the bed of my '72 Sierra and wanted to treat it before I put a rubber mat in it.

Now for the past week I've gone cross-eyed looking at different forums and reviews for stuff like POR 15, Rust Bullet, Eastwood, etc. I don't want to start buying power tools and liked the idea that with some of these, you just clean the area, brush on the stuff and let modern technology take it from there. That said, I'm dubious that some of these aren't the proverbial "magic beans" but hopeful that at least one is the real McCoy.

Can anyone say with reasonable confidence that any of the aforementioned (or maybe not mentioned) products will do the job for me?

As ever, thanks ahead of time.

[BlackTopMotors]

Is it a just a small amount of surface type rust?
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[capturedlive]

BlackTop, yes, that's exactly what it is. Here's a pic (sorry about the tree shade):

[BlackTopMotors]

Thanks for the pic.

You will get many opinions on this so take mine for what it is worth. It looks like you have original paint and if I am guessing correctly you may repaint in the future. If you go to extreme you may have a more difficult time removing the various high end products. If you are on a budget and just want to manage it. Clean it well, very light sand, rustoleum rust reformer (Lowes on Bouquet Canyon).

I personally like the worn look and at most would just clean...maybe clear coat (maybe). Just make sure you dry the bed if it gets wet and roll the rubber mat as trapped moisture will hasten the rust factor. With this warm weather you should be fine.

[capturedlive]

Thanks, Blacktop. I like the advice and think I'll go that direction. I was nervous about coating anything on for just the reason you mentioned-- doing something that would be difficult to undo. The clear coat sounds like an interesting option. I'll look into it.

Probably won't repaint the truck anytime soon, though:



Thanks again for taking the time and giving me some perspective.

[BlackTopMotors]

I see, very nice!