what primer to use?

[Ochre]

Ok, so the blazer I recently purchased has some, uh, body issues to say the least...its a MN truck what can I say...

My question regards the bedsides - thanks to environment and no doubt a bit of help from the road salt here, the bedsides are peppered in nasty little bubbles anywhere from 1/16" to 3/8" in diameter, some of which have "popped" and there is visible rust.

That said, there's also rust in the "regular" areas of the truck, and I'm not going to paint the truck until the rockers, rocker boxes, WS frame etc are all repaired. However, in the meantime, I'd like to stop these spots on the bedsides so that bedside repair and replacement pieces can be kept to a minimum. I don't have the luxury of a garage/barn to keep it in (permanently) so for now its only going to be wheeled into the garage when I can spend time working on it, and wheeled back outside when I'm done.

I was thinking that the thing to do would be to sand off the paint on the bedsides, grind out any spots where rust has dug into the surface and possibly finish them out by throwing a weld in the divit left by grinding out any rust and going over with a flap disk...not bothering to bondo or anything, at least for the time being. Now comes the hard part - what should I spray this with, knowing full well that I probably won't get around to actually painting the truck until late next summer, or possibly even later? The truck won't be on the roads this winter, so road salt isn't a concern, but snow & spring rain definitely are. Being able to clean off (reasonably) easy for when I get to the point where I can sand down to bare metal and finish out, prime & paint.

Would you guys recommend weld-thru? Primer-sealer? Something else?

I'm not really well-versed in bodywork, though I'm eager to learn. I have a cheapo home-depot HVLP gun for spraying paint if that helps. I don't *really* care how the finish looks once sprayed (primer jobs usually look like crap anyways) as long as it keeps rust at bay.

Thanks for the help

[xam]

If the truck will be inside I would use rattle can lacquer primer BUT keep in mind that all primers absorb moisture. I have media blasted cars and parts stored in primer and found rust under the primer.

[shelby987]

I have had pretty good luck with rust enders/converters (walmart sells the stuff in the automotive paint aisle, i believe home depot carries it too)......sand the area, spray it on (any areas with rust should turn a black/purple color, dont bother to cover areas that were clean metal, you will just waste the paint as its a converter not a primer), you can then sand the area smooth, and shoot your favorite primer over it.....i personally like to thin out some krylon and throw it down with my air gun, but depending on your situation, rattle can is fine too....if you are just looking for a coverup though, i wouldn't go all out with anything specifically automotive.....krylon is made to keep patio furniture rust free for at least a couple of years....and a truck sitting outside waiting for repair likely won't see much worse weather than patio furniture

[tnblazerk5]

for the primer use zchrome <sp? but keep in mind wear a really really good chemicle <sp? mask even when sanding the stuff it is very toxic stuff but it works realy good

[Palf70Step]

You could try and use Eastwood's Rust encaspulator. Clean, spray/bursh, then when your ready you can primer and paint over it. Works real good IMO.

[jamesi20]

get yourself a decent epoxy primer it will be good as the day you painted it next summer

[72CSTC5]

ALL primers have talc resin in them so you can sand them. Every primer, sealer, epoxy and what ever you want to think off will absorb moisture. The only way to prevent it is to paint the areas. I hope you are good with a welder because if the pits are as deep as you say, you may "blow" through the metal. Like Tnblazerk5 said, you need to use a primer with "chromates" in the primer. PPG DX1791 is good, you spray one light coat and then an epoxy based primer over that wet on wet. Now here comes the good part, if you leave this outside it will STILL get moisture under the paint and rust underneath. The only way to stop it is to color and clearcoat. I hope this has answered any of your questions or concerns. Good luck.

[Ochre]

Originally Posted by 72CSTC5

ALL primers have talc resin in them so you can sand them. Every primer, sealer, epoxy and what ever you want to think off will absorb moisture. The only way to prevent it is to paint the areas. I hope you are good with a welder because if the pits are as deep as you say, you may "blow" through the metal. Like Tnblazerk5 said, you need to use a primer with "chromates" in the primer. PPG DX1791 is good, you spray one light coat and then an epoxy based primer over that wet on wet. Now here comes the good part, if you leave this outside it will STILL get moisture under the paint and rust underneath. The only way to stop it is to color and clearcoat. I hope this has answered any of your questions or concerns. Good luck.

I am pretty good with a welder, and I was fully expecting a couple of them to blow thru once I get all the rust completely ground out of the spot...a learning experience I guess, I refuse to let rust get the best of this old K5.

The part I'm having a problem with is just how much rust under the primer I'm going to have - if just going with a primer/sealer it's going to be barely any, I can live with that, I was fully expecting to have to sand to bare metal and refinish before spraying next summer anyway. This vehicle isn't anywhere near a salted highway and outdoors it won't be constantly exposed to moisture or tall grass.

Which spawned my next two questions -
#1, what do the rat rod guys who spray their vehicles in primer use to keep from rusting thru?
#2, Could I just spray a primer/sealer and a layer of clear over that to seal out the elements?

[tnblazerk5]

Originally Posted by Ochre

I am pretty good with a welder, and I was fully expecting a couple of them to blow thru once I get all the rust completely ground out of the spot...a learning experience I guess, I refuse to let rust get the best of this old K5.

The part I'm having a problem with is just how much rust under the primer I'm going to have - if just going with a primer/sealer it's going to be barely any, I can live with that, I was fully expecting to have to sand to bare metal and refinish before spraying next summer anyway. This vehicle isn't anywhere near a salted highway and outdoors it won't be constantly exposed to moisture or tall grass.

Which spawned my next two questions -
#1, what do the rat rod guys who spray their vehicles in primer use to keep from rusting thru?
#2, Could I just spray a primer/sealer and a layer of clear over that to seal out the elements?

the lot of the rat rod dudes use paint (it just looks like primer) i think its Jonh Deere blitz black paint

and yes you can prime and then use a sealer over that and you good to go for a while but when ya go to paint it just sand all the sealler and primer back off to look for rust and start all over again

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by tnblazerk5

the lot of the rat rod dudes use paint (it just looks like primer) i think its Jonh Deere blitz black paint

and yes you can prime and then use a sealer over that and you good to go for a while but when ya go to paint it just sand all the sealler and primer back off to look for rust and start all over again

My truck has been in primer/sealer for about 8 years or so. Check my avatar pic. It is DEFINATLEY wearing though, I just touch up spots when need be. The truck is absolutely getting painted soon. BUT for your situation, primer with a sealer will last plenty long. I believe it was a PPG primer with a sealer (we're talkin a long time ago this was done) and even back then I think it was about $150 to do the whole truck with just one coat. I'm not sure if they even sell it anymore.