Rust prevention! bed liners?? do or don't ? thoughts??

[sambudo]

I have a lot of surface rust covering the bed area. Was thinking how to go about handling this. Do I grind and treat with some type of rust prevention product.

What are somethings that have worked for you. I'd like to keep the original color if possible. I have used Por-15 on a frame in the past. Some small use with Eastwood rust converter and encapsulator. I like the look of Monstaliner from Magnet Paints. I also love working with Hammerite products.

[70blackfish]

unbolt the bed sides and front and have the bottom sandblasted and powder coated ..............

[stevencvn72]

If you spray or roll in bedliner, be sure that's your final decision. That stuff is a b*($ to take out! I opted for it because I still use the truck as a truck. I used herculiner. Seems to be okay, but I'm putting in aluminum strips to break up the monotony for a foux wood look. Good luck with your project!

[BruthaMan]

I laid down bed liner (Gator) in my '72 about a year and a half ago. It's already peeling up on the bed floor. Granted, we live ten miles from hell and see five to six months of 100+ degree days here.

It's fine on the tailgate and inner panels, but in the battle of the hot Texas sun vs. the bedliner, that Texas sun won.

At some point, plan to scrape it up, clean it up, and lay down POR or Bill Hirsch type paint.

[Clifford69]

I had Gator liner sprayed by a shop in 2008. The inside of the bed was cleaned up and primered by a body shop prior to the bed liner installation and it has held up well. I've had no issues and my truck sits on the street - it sees most weather conditions.

[Coley]

I'd forget about the spray in rubber coating stuff for the moment....you're more than likely to start a rust problem with that stuff without a lot of preparation, etc.
So, how about get in the back and sand it down as close to the original metal as possible and then clean/blow it out, wipe it down and spray in/apply a good quality etching primer.
After that you could spray in the factory colour. If you aren't too fussy about the inner bed area you don't have to drop a ton of dough into having a body shop do it if you have access to a compressor and a sprayer yourself.
A lot depends on how much time, money and the facilities you have to work with.
My two bits.
Coley

[swamp rat]

Like was mentioned above, take the bed apart and get it blasted and etch primed first to take care of the rust, doesn't matter of its surface rust or cancer if you cover it its still gonna get worse, the biggest problem is where you cant sand at all the seams where its bolted together.

[sambudo]

I like the durability of the bedliner, but don't like the dirt they collect.

Here's a picture of my rusty bed, the rust really isn't that bad. But I would like to get it gone. I was thinking of having it sand blasted, leaving the bed on the truck. Then rattle can etched primer, and color code it the best i can to the original stock color. I'd like to have the distressed look if possible.

I don't see a lot of colors offered that are yellow.

[swamp rat]

If you do that there will still be rust between the panels where bolted together, that rust will continue to get worse over time regardless of the bed liner. But if you were going to do it anyway then you need to at a minimum get some phosphoric acid and coat the hell out of the seams and hope it creeps into all the crevices, it will at least slow the rust down a little.

[sambudo]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

If you do that there will still be rust between the panels where bolted together, that rust will continue to get worse over time regardless of the bed liner. But if you were going to do it anyway then you need to at a minimum get some phosphoric acid and coat the hell out of the seams and hope it creeps into all the crevices, it will at least slow the rust down a little.

what panels are you talking about, between the frame and under the bed? If i sand blast the top of the bed, i will basically get the surface areas that are rusting. the areas that have seams and under neath the bed, looked ok. But i guess you cant see it as its in the seam. This truck seems to be pretty good shape from what i can tell. I'm not sure i understand what you mean about the phosphoric acid, do i paint brush this into the seams?

[boynton]

Do some good prep work on any rust areas and then spend some money on a good spray in rino has worked great for me. On my 70 I left the bed caps painted and sprayed everything below. I will agree with what has beem said before it is a pain to remove. I did make sure the bed bolts were out so I can remove the bed from the frame if needed but the bolts for the bed sides are sprayed over.

[kcsa75]

Originally Posted by sambudo

I like the durability of the bedliner, but don't like the dirt they collect.

Here's a picture of my rusty bed, the rust really isn't that bad. But I would like to get it gone. I was thinking of having it sand blasted, leaving the bed on the truck. Then rattle can etched primer, and color code it the best i can to the original stock color. I'd like to have the distressed look if possible.

I don't see a lot of colors offered that are yellow.

https://carpaintonline.com//index.php
It's a little pricy, but this place will mix up factory color and put it in a spray can for you. I just bought a couple cans to trim out my new doors and fender before I put them on the truck.

What sets these guys apart is you can lacquer, acrylic enamel, base/clear. Most of the spray bomb stuff is always lacquer, which is OK for touchups, but probably wouldn't want to spray the whole bed.

Just my thoughts.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by sambudo

what panels are you talking about, between the frame and under the bed? If i sand blast the top of the bed, i will basically get the surface areas that are rusting. the areas that have seams and under neath the bed, looked ok. But i guess you cant see it as its in the seam. This truck seems to be pretty good shape from what i can tell. I'm not sure i understand what you mean about the phosphoric acid, do i paint brush this into the seams?

The sides are bolted to the floor via a bent lip flange, the wheel wells are bolted to the floor also, I'm referring to the areas you cant see that water collects, where the sides, floor and headboard and wheel wells are bolted together..

Read this thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...hosphoric+acid

[sambudo]

how about hammerite, has anyone had experience with this?