Whats the best rust converter..?

[Cobramad]

Hi all,
Chasing peoples opinions on the most effective rust converter to use on my trusty garden trailer. As it sits in the weather, like most trailers, time ( and moisture) have taken their toll, especially on the base.
If I do nothing for another year, I shall soon be the proud owner of a fully vented and lightened trailer, not the most ideal outcome.
Any thoughts and ideas on the best way to deal with this would be gratefully received.
Thanks, Mal K

[cs123]

Wire wheel it. Treat heavily rusted parts with phosphoric acid(Rust convertor). Brush paint it with some metal paint from bunnings. Use fish oil around crevices etc.

That would be the cheapest solution IMO.

If you have some money then go get it sand blasted and paint with suitable metal paint.

[MR REKLAW]

Originally Posted by Cobramad

Hi all,
Chasing peoples opinions on the most effective rust converter to use on my trusty garden trailer. As it sits in the weather, like most trailers, time ( and moisture) have taken their toll, especially on the base.
If I do nothing for another year, I shall soon be the proud owner of a fully vented and lightened trailer, not the most ideal outcome.
Any thoughts and ideas on the best way to deal with this would be gratefully received.
Thanks, Mal K

Hi Mal,you could use a product like Xtroll gets in all the nooks and cranies and then paint over in your desired colour.Regards Geoff.

[Spurious]

Originally Posted by cs123

Wire wheel it. Treat heavily rusted parts with phosphoric acid(Rust convertor). Brush paint it with some metal paint from bunnings. Use fish oil around crevices etc.

That would be the cheapest solution IMO.

If you have some money then go get it sand blasted and paint with suitable metal paint.

Fish oil=YUK! Easy to put on but nasty to get off. Plus it attracts dirt & dust & wind's up looking horrid. Plus you can't paint over it. I learnt my lesson using that stuff. Phosphoric acid is the way to go. Use gloves & eye protection though. Follow the directions & your laughing.

[ILLaViTaR]

The 3M brand is the best from what I hear (it might actually be called K&H or something). You can get straight converter that you need to wash off/remove before priming/painting, or a converter&primer combo which is ready to be painted over once it dries if I remember correctly. I use a wire brush attachment for a drill and acetone to prep the surface clean but I'm hoping to find a more efficient way.

[Maysik]

If the intention is to keep it for a few more years what about a sand blast and hot gal dip. Almost guaranteed you will find more and more rust as you go and by the time you have spent up big on the rust converter could have paid for the gal treatment...then again just go and buy a new gal trailer.

[Cobramad]

I see your point, but the cost to get it blasted and dipped (allowing time for straightening it all up post dip) is prohibitive. Its a 7x5 deep sided single axle Pappas trailer with a heavy duty floor. Most of the pre-galv trailers are Chinese rubbish and dont compare directly with what I already have.
My last trailer was a shared "family" trailer that went for almost 30yrs. I hope to keep this one for a few more years yet and did investigate the cost of getting it dipped when it was brand new and even then, it was almost a third of the cost of the trailers purchase price.
Fingers crossed, some elbow grease and rust converter and reprimering and paint will keep the tin worm at bay for a while.
All the advice has been taken on board and has given me a head start in my mission to save the trailer from a premature death.
Cheers,
Mal K

[Cuyper]

We rebuild the trusted family trailer every decade or so. Wire wheels, rust converter but most importantly a trip to the steel shop to get some thicker gauge and better steel. Last time a few years ago it got a new floor and half way up the sides and a rebuilt gate. It came out of that operation like a battle tank, probably weighs twice what it did when new, never seen rust on it since

[FrogInASock]

Originally Posted by Maysik

If the intention is to keep it for a few more years what about a sand blast and hot gal dip. Almost guaranteed you will find more and more rust as you go and by the time you have spent up big on the rust converter could have paid for the gal treatment...then again just go and buy a new gal trailer.

IF you can find someone who will dip it! I'm in the Newcastle area and neither Industrial Galvanizers nor Hunter Galvanizing will dip other than a new trailer. Not HAPPY, Jan!

[cs123]

Originally Posted by FlivverFord

Fish oil=YUK! Easy to put on but nasty to get off. Plus it attracts dirt & dust & wind's up looking horrid.

You put the fish oil on after paint. Prepsol cleans up any mess. Plus it's a garden trailer....

I bought zinc trailer a few years back and they actually recommend to use fish oil on the crevices.

[ebxr8240]

Bad rust is best to cut out and add new piece..Drill through floor to let water out or blow a hole through with welder..
I've used http://www.kbs-coatings.com.au/kbs-rustblast works very good..
As said after painting use oil / fish oil / linseed oil / kero / diesel etc anything that washes water moisture out and keeps oxygen away..
Filling an air degreaser gun with oil really blasts into cavities..
Store trailer with NOTHING on it, on angle so water runs off..
When I was dairy farming we would spray outside machinery with waste oil ...
Works a treat..

[GREGL]

Had someone suggest using a certain brand of " bitumen paint " . Could not remember the exact brand and the only ones I could find were not recommended for exposure to U.V as they would soften up . Anyways treated the floor and sides with fisholene and them primed with killrust primer and topcoated with killrust topcoat . Seems to hold together o.k . They actually say that you can prep with fisholene , you just have to let it go off before priming . I guess time will tell .