Oh Hello Rustness my old friend! Help

[annvp89]

Hey Guys,

I'm back in Miami and got started on the floors. I knew the downfall of getting a Florida bus but with my situation(I live in the UK and I'm staying at families place rent free every time I come over to work on the bus) I had no other options. I got the bus for 3000, only +70000 mileage and they've let me keep it on their guard lot and do work on it while I find somewhere else to do it(Since August last year)
I knew Rust was going to be an issue and my budget was prepared for it. Now my question is... How would you go about it?

I have used a leaf blower to get most of the dust out. Tomorrow I was thinking of
1)Giving it a good scrub with Krud Kutter
2) Loctite rust dissolver on for 10 min, wash it off
3) Grind all the bad stuff aka most of the bus lol (Angle grinder and wire brush)
4) Bit more Loctite and wash off
5) Corroseal
6) Rust Oleum paint
7)Patch all the holes. Any preference for the bolts? I saw someone used roof flash tape... Is that any good? For the 2 holes at the entrance I'll probably have a friend weld a square sheet of metal over both of them.


Does that sound right? Any tips?


THANKS!!

[Twigg]

You are doing more than I would do ...

Grind the loose rust off first. Coat it with an ospho-based rust converter. Let it have time to work and dry. Wash it off and paint with Rustoleum Primer ... Done!

ps ... the larger holes need welded patches. The smaller ones can be plug welded, or you can just epoxy small patches over them. Pennies make good patches and they only cost 1c each.

[Robin97396]

If you've got a fancy bus you can use nickels or quarters to epoxy over your floor holes. Quarters are usually reserved for coaches though.

[Tango]

Sounds like a good plan to me. Knock off any loose rust then "convert" the surface with a good rust reformer...then paint. Never build a house on a shakey/flakey foundation.

Hey...it's in the Bible!

[Robin97396]

Don't build on the rust, build on the rock?

[Rusty]

You do have to fix the big holes. Welding rusty metal is a hassle- you need to grind it to clean metal, it gets thin, pulls crap into the weld from the underside..

I'd rivet pieces of 18 ga over the big holes and weak spots. Don't skimp on the patch- go int the good metal to attach. Use seam sealer before placing the patch. You will put foam or wood over the floor, just need to seal-out the bugs and water and road slime.

Harbor freight air riveter and electric shears. we have coupons if you need.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

Don't build on the rust, build on the rock?

Enough razzing about my name. I've had it my hole life. My last name is Bottom.

[tobeamiss]

Sounds like a solid plan.
I did all of my grinding first, then used ospho...then did more grinding where I wasn't satisfied.
But.......after I was finished, I started working around the driver's seat when a friend had suggested using Coca-Cola. So I thought why not give it a go. I poured some on a bad spot, waited about 5 minutes...when I wiped up the area I was so very impressed with the results!! If I had known how good it was going to work I would have used it on the whole bus. I wasted money buying the"good stuff" when the coke worked, in my opinion, better. It left behind beautiful bare shiny steel which left me with minimal grinding.
So, what I would suggest is that you not do any grinding first, let the coke do it's thing and then grind the bad areas down.
I'm banging my head over this because it would have made shorter work over a long tedious job and could have saved me money too.
As far as plugging up the small holes, I used Henry's Crystal Clear. I love the stuff. It dries like hard rubber. I had to remove one of the plugs about a month later (can't remember why), and it took alot of strength to pull it out. I didn't think I would get it without having to resort to cutting it out.


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[EastCoastCB]

The best rust converter I've tried is this stuff-


The gallon, NOT the spray.

[annvp89]

I’ve heard of Coke before for bicycles but never thought of it for the bus! Looks like I’m going to detour to the supermarket before I get there!! I’ll give you an Update!

Do you think I should wash it with kk first and then put the coke? Or put the coke and then wash that off with KK


What is henry’s crystal clear?

Originally Posted by tobeamiss

Sounds like a solid plan.
I did all of my grinding first, then used ospho...then did more grinding where I wasn't satisfied.
But.......after I was finished, I started working around the driver's seat when a friend had suggested using Coca-Cola. So I thought why not give it a go. I poured some on a bad spot, waited about 5 minutes...when I wiped up the area I was so very impressed with the results!! If I had known how good it was going to work I would have used it on the whole bus. I wasted money buying the"good stuff" when the coke worked, in my opinion, better. It left behind beautiful bare shiny steel which left me with minimal grinding.
So, what I would suggest is that you not do any grinding first, let the coke do it's thing and then grind the bad areas down.
I'm banging my head over this because it would have made shorter work over a long tedious job and could have saved me money too.
As far as plugging up the small holes, I used Henry's Crystal Clear. I love the stuff. It dries like hard rubber. I had to remove one of the plugs about a month later (can't remember why), and it took alot of strength to pull it out. I didn't think I would get it without having to resort to cutting it out.


Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[annvp89]

See I would of gotten the Rust Oleum if it wasn’t for the pushy RO salesmen at home depot who tried to upsale me the spray but couldn’t tell me why I should buy it if Loctite was Cheaper, took less time and had many more years behind it. He seemed more interested in trying to get picture of my shopping cart with rust oleum products in it than to convince me that it was a better product which made me think if the guy who sells it doesn’t believe it, why should I?

[EastCoastCB]

I've never seen a Rustoleum salesman.
I just know I've worked with metal, especially rusty metal, for my entire adult life. And this is the best product I've found for actually converting rust.

[annvp89]

Oh they exist. And they turn your 30 min stay at Home Depot into a 2h stay. I’m definetely buying the paint on Amazon due to the fear of bumping into him again, life is to short when you’ve just started a skoolie. Lol

[EastCoastCB]

I wish there were more Rustoleum salesmen. Maybe less folks would end up painting their buses with latex house paint.

Seriously though- I hate pushy sales tactics.

[annvp89]

I know it made me feel like I missed out on a good product but it was bad. I mean worst comes to worst coke and loctite doesn’t work and I order some from amazon. No biggie, little budget blow and a lesson learned!

Going at 1pm to start with some coke and cleaning and see how that goes! Might do Coke the Loctite and then grind and see if it needs another hit of reformer. Then get some corroseal on and a coat of rust oleum pain and then seal with That crystal clear stuff!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by annvp89

I know it made me feel like I missed out on a good product but it was bad. I mean worst comes to worst coke and loctite doesn’t work and I order some from amazon. No biggie, little budget blow and a lesson learned!

Going at 1pm to start with some coke and cleaning and see how that goes! Might do Coke the Loctite and then grind and see if it needs another hit of reformer. Then get some corroseal on and a coat of rust oleum pain and then seal with That crystal clear stuff!

I'm sure the loctite will be a similar product. The coke would just make a sticky mess, so I'd see how the loctite does on its own. s The Corroseal isn't necessary. The loctite is the same product- a rust converter.
Also I really don't think your floors need a clear coat.
Just wire wheel/brush all the rust as hard as you can then put that loctite stuff on per instructions.
After that you should be able to prime or paint it and forget it.
If the rust is really bad replace that with new metal.

[Tango]

These days I have to ask...

Coke, Diet Coke, Mexican Coke, Coke Zero, Coke with Lime, Coke Life, Coke Light...

This was not an issue when I was a kid. Coke was Coke.

[annvp89]

Here comes hurdle number 2... Lady with the lot I have my bus on won't let me wash off anti corrosive because supposedly she gets inspectors checking her drainage every 6 month for it to make sure they don't do any mechanical work there...

Anyone know of a space in Miami (Or within 40 min of Bal Harbour) where I can park and do work? I . have $200 bucks a month(negotiable) and work would be for 3 weeks every 3 to 4 month the rest of the time I'd be back in the UK and the baby would just be static.

[Rusty]

Could you just move the bus when its rinse time and return when dry? dunno.

Rustoleum salesman sounds cool, as long as they are informed. I hate push salespeople, but I was in retail long ago and have ways to get them to leave me alone very quickly.

I wast at Lowes the other day and spotted an unusual gallon can of FLAT black rusotleum for $10 on clearance. I went to buy it and the checkout lady (who was a mgr) said it's illegal for me to buy it. Message on computer would not let her sell it to me. I told her to ring it as semi-gloss, she refused. Sign of things to come- everything is going to crappy water-based paint. I sure hope they dismantle that EPA soon.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

If you've got a fancy bus you can use nickels or quarters to epoxy over your floor holes. Quarters are usually reserved for coaches though.

I understand that on Prevost's you need to use Loonies....