Recently we removed the coil springs we had put into our van about four years ago. Our main observation was that the lower two turns of the springs were heavily rusted while the rest of the spring was unaffected.
These lower two sit in the 'pocket' on the lower control arms and are at the bottom of the tower so perhaps that in conjunction with their proximity to the road has something to do with it. ** The 'pocket' of the control arm was not rusted so it was just the coil springs.
Before we put in the new coil springs we have put three layers of paint on them but got to thinking....
Perhaps we could coat these lower few turns on the coil springs with some grease when we install them and that would help shed moisture and other stuff.
Would there be any reason that putting a coating of grease on this lower section where it sits and meets up with the lower control arm would be a bad idea or cause a problem?
IMO, grease will allow dirt and dust to stick and collect. (Annie's never been scared of dirt roads). Maybe some rust conversion paint? After all, they were there for a lot of years and only got rusty.
Last edited by CatFish; November 17th 2018 11:44 am.
CatFish... I had considered the dirt and dust issue. Got plenty of extra layers of paint on them and the control arms so maybe I'll just go with that and let it be. Last ones I put in I didn't put any extra paint on them but these I decided to.
So here's the deal with the rust "encapsulating" and "converting" paints, they are okay for a temp fix, but nothing permanent.
I've tried a million of them over the years, and there is no magic to any of them, they ALL allow rust to reform. Here's a decent video I watched recently that shows the differences between them all, but it also shows how rust came back with all of them.
Best thing I've found is Ospho rust treatment. Even Ospho will eventually degrade and let the oxidation process commence.
This is my 1972 Chevelle. Sometime around 1995 my father trying to teach me body & paint work stripped the car down. We tried Ospho at the time, but on half of the hood to see how it worked. Long story short, his substance abuse got in the way of finishing the project, and my raising 3 children and life in general got in my way, so she has sat half that time in the weather, and half that time in a shed. Only polyurethane primer protecting it, which is too porous and will not protect the metal. Can you guess which side we used the Ospho on? Yep, look at the difference it made on the driver side of the hood, even with all the neglect this car has seen over the years.
As far as springs though, a little grease won't hurt, but just as Catfish said it's going to collect road dirt a LOT more with the grease. I would simply sand them and paint them using a good heavy duty primer and some of the tractor paint in the spray can you find at places like Tractor Supply.
Some good canners gloves and some scrubbie sponges, after the wirewheel treatment. dip the scrubbie sponge in a container, or pu some ospho in a spray bottle, and get all rust/ bare metal wet.
Scrub, wait..
Once rust turns black, it is easy to hit that black with a wirehwheel, a then the black rust patches get smaller as grey etched pitteed steel grows.
This process can be repeated until there is no rust, just pitted steel. The final coat of opsho should have 24+ hours to do its thing, so the white powder forms and can be brushed off and acetoned.
I have fiberglass laminating epoxy. viscosity of warm honey. Clear.
One coat brushed or rolled atop Ospho prepped steel, will be as thick as 5 or 10 coats of paint, and dry stink free in 3 to 5 hours. Epoxy adhesion to properly prepped steel is impressive. it is much less porous than paint, or regular fiberglass resin, which is polyester resin.
Since i care about stopping rust and preventing its return as long as possible, as opposed to winning any bodywork awards, I now use epoxy as a basecoat/ primer, then paint that, if it is exposed to UV light.
Epoxy is also more flexible than polyester resin, in addition to its much higher bonding strength. I've had to replace missing steel with fiberglass. The properly prepped Osphoed, and mechanically toothed steel, has yet to release any epoxy saturated fiberglass, even with a sharp chisel trying to lift it off from the edge. I have to grind/ sand it off, if work adjacent to it is later required.
Ospho directions say just to apply twice, wait 24 hours , wipe the white flaky dust off, and cover with your favorite paint, but one can really take it much farther, remove more rust, and allow much higher adhesion of paint/primer, if they want to expend more effort.
What I like about Ospho, is I can get it on nearby paint, and while it might change the color slightly, it only damages/lifts the existing paint where rust has begun to form under the paint, helping one to eliminate future rust bubbles.
While the springs are still out treat with Evapo Rust then when done spray with a high quality rust stopping primer then apply the color coat you want to use…….I would use POR 15…..hard as a rock when dry and will not chip so no more rust will return……they also have a good quality "temporary" rust stop coating called Rust Stop that lasts up to a year...when ready to paint...rinse it off and prime & paint.
Last edited by soundhd; December 21st 2021 10:32 pm.
Recently purchased (10-2021) a 1991 Chevy G-20 “Shorty”. Past vans are a 1976 Chevy G-10 (purchased new in 1976 & sold in 1995). A 1978 Chevy G-20 Shorty purchased in 2010 and sold in 2015.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserve body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming