Help me save a hundred bucks

I have a set of Avid Off Road step bars that have gotten quite rusty, as a solution, I plan to have them sprayed with bed liner at a line-x location not too far from where I live. Problem is they need to be cleaned up pretty good before they can be sprayed, and while the quote for the spray on is pretty decent, the sandblasting will cost an extra $100, which I'd like to avoid.

So, any tips on how to clean them up real good? is varying grits of sand paper my best bet?

 

this is why you shoulda painted asap!!

just sanding im not sure what grit sand paper

 

That's probably your best bet, depending on what your time is worth to you. It may take you a few hours to do and then you add in what you're spending on sandpaper (I know it's cheap) you might as well just have them do it and then it will be done very well.

 

I did paint asap, had them for a year now, and where I live [read: Alberta] there's a lot of sand and gravel used during the winter, which sticks around most of the summer, for road traction, and this does a number on things like steps, especially the ones with only 4 coats of paint.

 

Very excellent points, I think I will heed your advice good sir. That saves me more that a hundo; saves me an afternoon, a lot of sweat, and a few cusses I'd imagine.

 

And I'm gonna be the guy who asks why?

 

You can just use coarse sandpaper. Surface smoothness won't matter much for bedliner application.

There are various power drill and Dremel attachments that can speed up sanding, for example:

 

Have you thought about just getting a set of stainless step bars. Most are guaranteed for life. Won't have to worry about paint chipping off.

 

I'm in Bonnyville, can you recommend one?

 

you could buy a portable blaster, hook it up to your compressor and blast em your self.

 

Take an angle grinder with a sand paper or grinding disc to them, the line-x will cover any imperfections and thats the best way to make sure your not leaving any rust to be covered over and come back to haunt you.

 

You can get some sand cloth. It comes on a roll at any plumbing supply store or big box store.
It is used for cleaning copper pipe before soldering.
It comes on a roll and if you do the Kansas City shoe shine on the tubing it cleans up fast,
Then get a few cans of spray paint to give them a fast and easy fixed when scratched finish.
The bed liner is expensive and will scrape off when drug over a rock or two.