55.2-59 Rust/paint removal. What to do for my step into my cab

[Missyblue]

Curious if you would share photos or thoughts. The awesome people that painted the truck before I bought it made a mess. Rust is bubbling through my steps into the cab and they did no prep work so trying to decide what to do. I feel like I have seen some do the step area black? Or color match paint better? And opinions and photos would be helpful. I think I like matching color better but undecided.
Any advice on how to remove the paint and clean the steps? Not like I can sandblast it now. Been removing other rust with flapdisks, wirewheels and whatnot but havent had to go through this much paint and ridges from the texture of the stairs. Thanks

[mongocanfly]

Really no choice but to take it to bare metal...3M roloc discs work great...but its gonna be tuff to get in the seam and not hit other painted panels...I would remove the steps and then work on em...take it to bare metal ,epoxy prime it...a constrating color would be ok...color match on a small scale can be done as well

[Missyblue]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Really no choice but to take it to bare metal...3M roloc discs work great...but its gonna be tuff to get in the seam and not hit other painted panels...I would remove the steps and then work on em...take it to bare metal ,epoxy prime it...a constrating color would be ok...color match on a small scale can be done as well

Thank you I havent tried those yet. My flapdisks just gummed up so quickly with painted sections I did on the floorplan. So I'll have to try those

[sack54]

You could use a small hand held sand blaster with vacuum. Tape cab closed with plastic and tape .This is the only surefire way to remove all paint and rust.
Or you can use a pressure washer and a sand blaster attachment.

[1project2many]

Thank you I havent tried those yet. My flapdisks just gummed up so quickly with painted sections I did on the floorplan. So I'll have to try those

When I stripped my truck, which had original paint plus an old repaint, I had to use bristlediscs. They lasted longer than any abrasive wheel I tried and they didn't leave any blasting media in the shop or in my lungs. A new 3" bristle disc would be able to get into the corners on that step.

[mr48chev]

Those bristlediscs work with a roloc setup and are available though Amazon. Most likely outside of the roloc mandril you wouldn't need anything except what you already have in the garage.

I have an Eastwood Contour setup that works great but for your purpose that would be a big investment for one project. I have enough projects to make it pay.

Still if you have a decent air compressor and have a place outside where you can sandblast without making a mess in the shop or on the driveway an inexpensive sandblast gun good goggles and a good respirator might be the order of the day.

[mick53]

You might want to start with paint stripper for the heavy stuff.

[68blackbird]

Any and all those ideas will get you there. I used these a bunch. From Amazon. They will take you to bare metal real quick. For those hard to reach areas, I used the cheapo HF gravity feed sand blaster & Home Depot play sand. I did blasting in driveway, would sweep sand in pile, used a window screen to filter and reuse sand 2/3 times. If you have a good air compressor, can't beat it for the $$$, Kel

[MiraclePieCo]

I'm both old fashioned and cheap; I use wire wheels on a die grinder. But first I'd chisel that gunk out with a sharp object, such as putty knife or panel separator. Oops, looks like you already did that in a subsequent photo.

[my56chevytruck]

there's someone on this forum that did paint his step using a heavy undercoating (black) on his as I'm going to do to mine. Some people have done the step in a color to match the body color, but if you intend for the painted area clean, you'll have to make sure to step over when getting into the cab. I'm going to use the undercoating material.

[sack54]

I used Por followed by rhino: liner came out real good.

[mick53]

Make sure you use a respirator what ever method you use. Could be lead paint or primer.

[Marty68]

Originally Posted by 68blackbird

Any and all those ideas will get you there. I used these a bunch. From Amazon. They will take you to bare metal real quick. For those hard to reach areas, I used the cheapo HF gravity feed sand blaster & Home Depot play sand. I did blasting in driveway, would sweep sand in pile, used a window screen to filter and reuse sand 2/3 times. If you have a good air compressor, can't beat it for the $$$, Kel

these work great. on flat (non ribbed" panels you have to be really carefull not to heat and warp panels. roloc disks are available with this same "stripper"

[Marty68]

also I am NOT a fan of "undercoating" or bed liner however when epoxy primed duplicolor has a spray can of bedliner that leaves a bit of texture (hiding rust pits) it is paintable. I used it on the inside of my tailgate on my 90 gmc

[sack54]

Bed liner is also tint able I tinted mine, Dover gray.I adjusted the ****z gun for a nice medium texture,came out great. And will ware like iron .