Touch-up Paint & Rust

About a month and a half ago I noticed small chip in the paint of my '09. A couple months of working 6 days/week, and a couple more to go, and I just haven't gotten around to touching it up. Anyway I was looking at it the other day, and sure enough, it's starting to develop rust. I would assume that the best way to remove the rust would be with a piece of fine sand paper, but I'm wondering what you guys think?

 

You gotta try and get rid of the rust first before covering it up.

Instead of sandpaper, try focusing some tweezers (or other pointy sharp object) at the scratch and try to scrape it off that one area. Try not to disturb the 'good' paint around the scratch.

I use Langka paint chip repair kit. Works really well for a non-professional & time consuming way to fix chips/scratches.
http://www.langka.com/

 

wow, I have a 05' tacoma with multiple rock dings/scratches, a tons of scratches from tree limbs, and to be honest I have yet to see any rust! And we get salted roads 4-5 months outta the year! Must be some good deep scratch you got!

 

I need this kit because someone tried to repair my paint and just left the BLOBs. I have almost 10 blobs .

 

Yep, it's right down to the metal. It's right on the corner where the bed meets the cab, so I think some jackass slammed their door into mine. The rust isn't that bad yet, but I want to get it before it gets any worse. There's a couple rock chips on the hood that I'm not too worried about.

 

I have a 09 super white tacoma that I have had for just over a month and I ALREADY have tiny rust spots on the hood and on the roof of the cab. I was just washing it and noticed these tiny little yellow/orange spots that I could not rub away, so I grabbed a jewelers lens and sure enough its rust. So I go back to the dealer and see what the hell is up since its not even 2 months old yet?

 

Are they starting from rock chips or something...that blows. I got a super white as well. I found a chip on the hood last night

 

no thats whats weird, I have one tiny little rock chip on the hood, but there is no rust around it. But on the spots where there is rust starting there is no visable chips, just yellow rust formations.

 

http://www.newmantools.com/preppen.htm

 

i have tons of rock chips all over my truck. every panel on the truck is chipped. the paint just chips insanely easy. it happens so often i dont even bother to fix them. its a truck; its gonna get beat up

 

Sounds like rail dust, which are small metal particles that embed into your clearcoat/paint. Usually picked up during rail/truck shipping or possibly from the environment that the vehicle lives in. After a while the metal particles begin to rust while in your clearcoat.

Pick up a clay kit from any auto parts store. Meguiar's, Mother's or Clay Magic are popular and effective brands. First wash your truck!!! In the kit will be lubricant and a clay bar. Simply spray the lube on the paint and glide the clay bar across a few times. Feel the area you are working on before and then after, you'll be amazed at how smooth your paint becomes.


Do the whole truck, including all glass( the clay will pick up rail dust, tar, sap and other contaminants, so fold the clay into itself when one side of the clay becomes dirty)

You may need to focus a little more attention on the rust spots, but they should definately come out. Wash and dry the truck and then apply a nice coat of wax. It'll look fantastic and the paint will be as smooth as glass!

wmb67

By the way, all vehicles have contamination of some sort, but white shows it the most.
If after claying, the rust spots are still there, google paint decontamination kits ( Auto-International and FKsomething are two common brands). These decon kits are basically an application of a mild acid and then neutralizer which dissolve the metal particles embeded in the paint. But try the clay first.
Hope this helps and sorry about the longwinded post...

 

Thanks so much for this very informative post. I will try this on my next day off on wednesday. I'll post back how things turned out.

 

Primer that bare spot.

 

Got an update. Today after the gym I got the chance to go to Kragen and picked up some mothers california gold clay kit. Went home, washed my truck, then went at it with that clay and it got all those little rust spots off! That stuff is magic, it made my truck feel sooooo smooth I couldnt believe it. Took me a long time to do the whole truck, especially the roof cause there was alot of that rail dust. After then I gave it another quick wash, and then waxed it, and it looks way better then the day I drove it off the lot. TMuch kudos to you wmb67!

 

^Good job. I clay bar about once a year because, yeah, it is a hell of a lot of work. Wash once a week, wax every 2-3 months, and a yearly clay bar and polish keeps the paint looking good.