Austin, you'd be proud of me!

[taxreliever]

So this is my MIL's Explorer, which she just bought this about a year ago and her darn step rails stuck out like a sore thumb BECAUSE the rest of the vehicle, body and all, are in super shape and looks real nice.....so it just bothered me and I decided to clean them up:

Not just an accountant!

Sanded: 30 minutes (longest part, used drill and wire brush attachment)
Rust converted: 5 minutes
Rust encapsulated: 5 minutes
Gloss paint: 5 minutes
Total Material cost $30

 

[O'Rattlecan]

That looks great. I wish they'd put more effort into ultra-sealing step bars.

Ryan

 

[taxreliever]

That looks great. I wish they'd put more effort into ultra-sealing step bars.

Ryan

I'm not sure why they don't because it's so low to the ground and gets hammered with the salt...without having a grinder to grind the metal, these things if you look up close look like the grand canyon, they're so pitted up. But just a little bit of work and bam, makes a huge difference visually!

 

[Beach66Bum]

rusted running boards really take away from an otherwise nice vehicle, great job bringing them back better than new! and only $30 dollars spent,

 

[taxreliever]

rusted running boards really take away from an otherwise nice vehicle, great job bringing them back better than new! and only $30 dollars spent,

Roy, thanks.....you're right....made a world of difference with such a small issue being resolved.

 

[smokey]

Great job Ken! They look sharp now.

 

[taxreliever]

Great job Ken! They look sharp now.

Thanks....it was fun doing it too!

 

[m78]

Looks good Ken. What did you use to encapsulate the rust ?

 

[taxreliever]

Looks good Ken. What did you use to encapsulate the rust ?

I used Eastwood's liquid rust converter then their rust encapsulator in aerosol.

 

[Austin]

Awesome work Ken! It's the little things like this that really make the vehicle.

 

[taxreliever]

Awesome work Ken! It's the little things like this that really make the vehicle.

Thanks!

 

[nobodyspecial]

I have the material to do our Expeditions steps, but just have not had the time. I am going to take them off, and grind the mounts and everything down to bare metal, prime them and then Herculine them.

Seeing how great they look makes me want to take the time and get them done.

 

[taxreliever]

I have the material to do our Expeditions steps, but just have not had the time. I am going to take them off, and grind the mounts and everything down to bare metal, prime them and then Herculine them.

Seeing how great they look makes me want to take the time and get them done.

Hope you can post some before and after pics. I didn't have the tools nor the time to grind them down but even if I did, these things were so pitted, I wonder how much of the metal would have gone (gone all the way through?) before making it smooth.

My goal was to make it look 10x's better (not perfect) with little money and little effort and I think I accomplished that goal and had a little satisfactory fun in the process!