Tiny bit of rust on a steel frame - how do I handle this?
03-30-09, 03:52 PM
#1
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Tiny bit of rust on a steel frame - how do I handle this?
I've recently purchased an all-original 1983 Trek 400 that is in mint condition.
The frame is mangalloy steel and there's a few scratches, no more than 1 -2 mm wide, where a tiny bit of rust shows. Right now I have them covered with scotch tape.
Since I live in a coastal area, I want to take care of this ASAP. Being that these spots are tiny, what are my options?
I understand I gotta sand these things, am I just gonna have to destroy some of the paint in the process?
The frame is mangalloy steel and there's a few scratches, no more than 1 -2 mm wide, where a tiny bit of rust shows. Right now I have them covered with scotch tape.
Since I live in a coastal area, I want to take care of this ASAP. Being that these spots are tiny, what are my options?
I understand I gotta sand these things, am I just gonna have to destroy some of the paint in the process?
03-30-09, 04:19 PM
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Find some matching touchup paint. Then sand, smooth and clean the area, getting rid of all the rust before touching up and clear-coating. Don't worry about messing up existing paint. In the long run, you'll be saving a lot of original paint by fixing the problem now.
03-30-09, 05:47 PM
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03-30-09, 05:53 PM
#5
Mostly Mischief
That frame is history!
No, seriously I wouldn't take sandpaper to that. Just dap a drop of paint on the raw spot.
No, seriously I wouldn't take sandpaper to that. Just dap a drop of paint on the raw spot.
Last edited by jan nikolajsen; 03-30-09 at 06:05 PM.
03-30-09, 06:11 PM
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Automotive touch-up paint in a pen. Poke, poke, poke. You're done.
03-30-09, 07:10 PM
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Pull the seat post and look down (inside) the seat tube towards the bottom bracket. Internal rust is the biggest threat. I have had some bikes that externally looked perfect, but had some serious internal rust. Other bikes looked pretty rough externally, and internally were spotless.
Those couple of small spots on the outside are nothing. If you are worried about it, buy a bottle of rust converter at Walmart ($6), carefully paint the small areas with that. Let it dry, and then touch up with model enamel.
Those couple of small spots on the outside are nothing. If you are worried about it, buy a bottle of rust converter at Walmart ($6), carefully paint the small areas with that. Let it dry, and then touch up with model enamel.
03-30-09, 08:11 PM
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The inside of the bike looks smooth and kinda like the inside of a raw steel pipe, I guess. Kinda dull grey black. I wiped it with a kleenex, nothing seems to be rusty about it.
I did, however notice this small area of discoloration on the seat post that matches a similar area of rust colored discoloration on the seat post that matches an area of discoloration near the opening of the seat tube. Going to sand the seat post and the area on the inside of the tube just in case.
I did, however notice this small area of discoloration on the seat post that matches a similar area of rust colored discoloration on the seat post that matches an area of discoloration near the opening of the seat tube. Going to sand the seat post and the area on the inside of the tube just in case.
03-30-09, 08:37 PM
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Thrifty Bill
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Might want to treat the inside of the frame with framesaver or similar product. It does require disassembly of the bike to treat it.
03-30-09, 09:28 PM
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Just polish that spot on the seatpost with Flitz/Blue Magic/Noxon before potentially ripping off any anodizing.
-Kurt
P.S.: I've seen folks worried about rust, but this is stretching a point, don't you think?
-Kurt
P.S.: I've seen folks worried about rust, but this is stretching a point, don't you think?
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03-30-09, 09:42 PM
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Sorry, just like to take care of my investments and have ZERO experience with this stuff. Assuming people take the time to dissassemble the entire bike to spray frame saver, my guess would be that rust can be prettty vicious. I live a few blocks from the beach and most of my rides are in salt air.
The bike was blessing because with my budget, I could only afford a piece of junk from WalMart. I'd like it to last.
The bike was blessing because with my budget, I could only afford a piece of junk from WalMart. I'd like it to last.
03-31-09, 12:13 AM
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03-31-09, 12:52 AM
#14
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Wow, you're WAY overworrying this. Those scratches are the seatpost are absolutely nothing on a 27-yo bike. You should have seen my Trek 400 before I had it repainted - it looked like it had been through the war, but today I ride it every day.
- Mark
- Mark
