Technical Axle crossmembers

[Steveetee55]

Later in the month I'm going to clean the surface rust off the subframes front and rear and rustproof them.. There are two crossbmembers that the axle is bolted too would it be easy to unbolt these one by one and clean them up, off the car, or will I have to remove the axle I have all the tools to do all this at my disposal just sizing up the job before I get stuck in, I intend to keep this car for as long as possible and I know that of everything the subframes will need looking after

 

[lambou1d]

I don't know if you're talking 4x4 but I did the same to mine.
The rear crossmembers were easy to remove. The rear most, behind the diff , was a bit fiddly but was easy enough to remove with the rear raised up on ramps with the wheels still on.
I removed the forward rear crossmember after replacing the rear most - for that I had to take the wheels off to wiggle it out. Didn't have to take the axle or diff out or anything like that.
I sandblasted mine before epoxy priming them - better than new.
The front subframe was rust free, so just sprayed that with Lanoguard.

 

[lambou1d]

The rear axle wasn't too bad so I treated and painted what I could in situ. To get the axle off is a whole world of hurt!

 

[Steveetee55]

The rear axle wasn't too bad so I treated and painted what I could in situ. To get the axle off is a whole world o

 

[Steveetee55]

I'm not going to take the subframe out I will remove the dampers and springs, clean and wire brush it all, paint it probably in some red oxide or similar paint and lanoguard it when it's dried, but I will remove the axle crossmembers 1st and do them

 

[WitleyPanda]

I'm not going to take the subframe out I will remove the dampers and springs, clean and wire brush it all, paint it probably in some red oxide or similar paint and lanoguard it when it's dried, but I will remove the axle crossmembers 1st and do them

Go the whole hog and use POR chassis black, rather than just red oxide. Lanoguard an annual event, IMO would stick with oil rig grade stuff like Bilt Hamber.

 

[lambou1d]

If you are going to paint over rusty (or wire brushed rusty) metal I would only ever use Epoxy Mastic Chassis Paint sold by Rust.co.uk. Any other coating will either fail (if any rust is still present) or will fail to convert all the rust then fail. The Epoxy Mastic is the best I've tried - I painted it on some rusty but wire brushed farm implements about 7 years ago and it's still there. Even better on shot blasted steel, then it's almost indestructible. Not UV stable but doesn't seem to be an issue.

 

[The Panda Nut]

If you are going to paint over rusty (or wire brushed rusty) metal I would only ever use Epoxy Mastic Chassis Paint sold by Rust.co.uk. Any other coating will either fail (if any rust is still present) or will fail to convert all the rust then fail. The Epoxy Mastic is the best I've tried - I painted it on some rusty but wire brushed farm implements about 7 years ago and it's still there. Even better on shot blasted steel, then it's almost indestructible. Not UV stable but doesn't seem to be an issue.

I have to do all 3 cars this spring so Im going to try your suggestion and then Im going to try 1 with BiltHamber and one with Lanogard on top and see which lasts best. Its a real pain having to keep doing this job. Im tempted to get a new axle then have it galvanized before fitting on the oldest one.

 

[lambou1d]

I've used the Bilt Hamber products and lanoguard, Waxoyl, POR, Hammerite etc you name it.
In over 40 years of trying to keep old rusty things going and restoring even older things... I've settled on the following;
If it can be shot blasted it should be, then either 90% Zinc solids spray followed by epoxy primer, then two pack paint or miss out the Zinc.
If it can't be shot blasted, Wire Brush with angle grinder, Epoxy Mastic 121 then epoxy primer before over coat.
Lanoguard everything after.