Simple way to clean up and stop rust?

[mc4nam]

I have a 2004 truck that has a few rust spots popping up in the bed of the truck. From what I can see, it doesn't look like it is all the way through the bed or anything. I bought the truck used and the truck never had a bed liner or anything, just standard scratches from using the bed of the truck.

I do not care how the bed looks after I clean the rust. It is already scratched up and I plan on putting one of those rubber bed mats in there anyways. I just want to stop the rust that has started and prevent any more in the future. Pictures below:
(On the last picture, I scrubbed the rust spot with Megs scratch X 2.0 and then put some Zaino Z-5 Car Polish over it.)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and ideas.

http://i52.tinypic.com/15f3yib.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/2aromg.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/5dplah.jpg

[Blackthorn One]

The Eastwood Company sells a rust converter and a rust encapsulator, both available in brush on or spray.

[SeaJay's]

The Eastwood Company sells a rust converter and a rust encapsulator, both available in brush on or spray.

I was about to suggest the same thing. I'd take a wire brush to it, then sand or grind the area down to ensure no more rust is there. Then cover it with some rust encapsulator. Then slap your mat on top.

[Midnight1700]

Eastwood is the way to go. But after you've corrected the problem, I'd seriously look at a spray on bed liner instead of a rubber mat. There are a few good spray-on bed liners companies out there including Rino-Lining or Line-X just to mention a couple. Once the prep work has been done and the liner sprayed in, you can say goodbye to any rust in the bed of your truck.

[BobbyG]

RUST-MORT

I used this for years and it neutralizes the rust..

SEM Products - Catalog - RUST-MORT (http://www.semproducts.com/Catalog.asp?prod=164)

[Mazda.Mark]

Make sure we get some afters!

[Blackthorn One]

Eastwood is the way to go. But after you've corrected the problem, I'd seriously look at a spray on bed liner instead of a rubber mat. There are a few good spray-on bed liners companies out there including Rino-Lining or Line-X just to mention a couple. Once the prep work has been done and the liner sprayed in, you can say goodbye to any rust in the bed of your truck.
I agree. Spray on bed liners are best, because water can get trapped under mats or between drop in bed liners and the bed and cause more rust. That can't happen with a spray on.

[BobbyG]

I bought a gallon of bed liner product from Hercules and sprayed my trucks bed. It came out superb and to ensure I laid down a thick enough coat I bought an additional gallon and just kept spraying layer after layer.

I laid down a full gallon and about a week later over coated it with the second gallon, talk about bullet proof!! I think the total cost was about $160.00 for the 2 gallons of product.

[mc4nam]

Thanks for all of the responses:

1. Spray in Bed Liner - Just didn't want to spend the money at this point. $400 for aftermarket or $160 to do it myself and I am not very good at a do it myself spray. bed Mat is $60. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing it up, plus I hear all of this spray in stuff doesn't stop anything from sliding around. I have seen a lot of people with bed mats over spray in. I do have a hard bed cover that prevents any water from getting in the bed now. so once I stop the rust, it should not get worse right?

2. What grit of sandpaper should I use? These are all small spots and I don't have an electric grinder or anything.

3. Eastwood. My plan is this:

a. Sand the spots
b. Put the converter on spot
c. Put the encapsulator on spot.
d. Paint with touch up paint if the black spot bothers me.

[Blackthorn One]

Thanks for all of the responses:

1. Spray in Bed Liner - Just didn't want to spend the money at this point. $400 for aftermarket or $160 to do it myself and I am not very good at a do it myself spray. bed Mat is $60. Maybe it is just a fear of screwing it up, plus I hear all of this spray in stuff doesn't stop anything from sliding around. I have seen a lot of people with bed mats over spray in. I do have a hard bed cover that prevents any water from getting in the bed now. so once I stop the rust, it should not get worse right?

2. What grit of sandpaper should I use? These are all small spots and I don't have an electric grinder or anything.

3. Eastwood. My plan is this:

a. Sand the spots
b. Put the converter on spot
c. Put the encapsulator on spot.
d. Paint with touch up paint if the black spot bothers me.

I guess the hard bed cover covers the whole top of the truck bed with a rubber seal, so it shouldn't really get any worse.
You should use a really coarse grit like 80-100 grit, just to clean out the loose rust. once the loose stuff is gone, you can apply the converter. The converter converts rust into a primer. The encapsulator seals it.

[anthony73]

Try naval jelly the pink stuff you can get in the hardware store . smear it on there then use a wet red scotch brite pad and scrub then let it sit 10 min and scrub some more.It will be nice clean metal pretty quickly.

[ChevyZ71LTZ]

What is Por-15? - POR-15 Inc. (http://www.por15.com/whatispor15.asp) :dblthumb2:

[Ted S.]

If the area is so small that a wire brush is superfluous, start with a low grit, like 100, then 200, then 320. If you can get rid of all of the rust, you do not need a converter, just some sort of primer. Just something that keeps that oxygen or water from seeping into the metal. Put a quick coat of primer; let it cure (usually about a day with primer, then sand with 600 till smooth. If you accidentally sand through to the metal, just prep it with some rubbing alcohol and coat, cure and sand. This is just my method. Works well if you want a super smooth surface.

[mc4nam]

Have you guys ever used one of these Rust Pens?

FRYS.com | Philmore (http://www.frys.com/product/2581741?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG)

I am going to get some sandpaper,one of these Pens, small paint brushes, some Rust-mor or Por 15 and some touch up paint and get to work. I will post pictures of my results.

Thank You

[C. Charles Hahn]

Personally I'd just grind that surface rust off, shoot some etch primer on the bare metal, and use touch-up paint or follow it up with bed liner. That new Dupli-Color Bed Armor kit with Kevlar is roll-on or brush-on, so that might be easier as a DIY project.