There's a very small rust spot on my hood, most definitely caused by a high speed missile impact.
I've attached a picture. What's the best way for me to take care of this? I'm thinking I need to buy one of those touch up sticks from the parts department for my color which contains the clearcoat....
How should I get the rust out? Very lightly sand the area with 1000 grit using a pencil tip?
Since it is surface rust from a surface chip, I'd probably try nothing more than treat the rust with a rust remover ( you can get pints of it at most auto stores), then with a rust converter ( some auto and hardware stors will have it, but most likely you'll need to get it on-line from Amazon), the, finally, fill in the divot with a paint touchup stick. Any sanding you do will just make the divot bigger, making it harder to fill and disguise.
HOWEVER. Before trying the rust remover and converter, try putting the stuff on a place that is not normally visible - like under the hood - to see what, if anything, it does to the paint. I believe that most will not hurt the paint, but it is still best to make sure beforehand!
Yikes that's more complicated than what I was expecting. What tool should I use to apply the remover and converter? A thin paint brush? Or something else?
Probably wouldn't need anything more than a toothpick. just dip the end in whichever liquid to get just barely a big enough drop to wet the surface without spilling over on to the paint.
In lieu of the store-bought rust remover, you can try a drop of vinegar ( possibly need a few applications) directly on the rust to remove it. Then dab in some primer ( laquer-type that you can get at any auto or hardware store), then dab in the color paint.
In any of these "dab in" methods, you will not get a nice smooth surface or have the metallic content in the paint spread out evenly enough to not still be noticeable. However, if you build up the paint surface to just barely above the original paint surface, you can then sand ( 600 grit, then 1000 grit) it even, then polish so that all that you see afterwards is a small circle that doesn't match and is not quite so noticeable.
Alright, I have purchased some Rustoleum remover and converter and have the Subaru OEM touch up paint pen ready to go. I'll use a toothpick as described.
Was going to clay and wash and wax my car this week. Should i do the clay stuff first and then do the paint touch up after? I imagine it will need some time to cure, right? How long should I wait before waxing?
I am going to use the Griot's synthetic clay along with the Griot Brilliant Wash (pink one) for this, and was going to follow with TurtleWax ICE liquid synthetic after.
Can't answer those how long to wait questions with any authority since that depends on the paint being used, but based on my painting experience from decades ago, I'd wait at least a day before doing any sanding, and 2 days might be preferable.
You can always try doing a sample painting on a piece of steel or alu sheet before tackling the chip to see just how the paint spreads and self-levels (if at all), and then how it reacts to sanding after a few hours or a day.
If the touchup paint hardens really fast ( air-hardens to the touch within a few minutes) it is most likely a laquer ( unless they've come up with something I know nothing about), and con probably be safely sanded withing a few hours.
I am planning on getting rust treatment on my 2004 Subaru Forester and looking for some advice on dealing with rust on the subframe. See the attached pictures and let me know what is the best way to address the problem areas. I don't want to put too much money in replacing the subframe but do want to address this issue.
I am more concerned for rust on subframe and axle, and want to make sure that the car is safe to drive.
I am planning on getting rust treatment on my 2004 Subaru Forester and looking for some advice on dealing with rust on the subframe. See the attached pictures and let me know what is the best way to address the problem areas. I don't want to put too much money in replacing the subframe but do want to address this issue.
I am more concerned for rust on subframe and axle, and want to make sure that the car is safe to drive.
Ain't enough rust treatment in the world. Doesn't look safe to drive, would not pass MD inspection. Probably not going to survive another MD winter of roads being salted every time the weatherman even mentions snow.
Time for some new metal.......or a new car..........
I don't know foresters nearly as well. I'm struggling to identify the rusted-through part in the first picture. Lower arm on front suspension? Can't tell. Either way, that part is done. z28dug called it, part needs to be replaced altogether.
The other two show significantly advanced rust but I didn't see a critical failure in the pictures. Of course it's harder with pictures. Once a car gets that rusty its time to get a sharp awl or icepick and start tapping anything orange underneath. You may find even more rust when the tool punches through some paper-thin former steel, and that can help you shape your expectations for the remaining lifespan of the car.
Is that the control arm in the first picture?
It's toast!
Hard to say if it's worth replacing without a close look at the attachment points and the rest of the frame and suspension. It's sad when they rust away when everything else works fine. They can be salvaged with a lot of time and effort, but it's a little like trying to do a skeleton transplant.
According to the shop the first picture is part of the subframe. The control arm itself is not bad. I am thinking of replacing the brace such as the one in picture below to give subframe extra support to make it safe.
I visited local body shop yesterday, the guy suggested not to bother about replacing U-subframe since he doesn't think it would fail or crack.
However, he did give me a suggestion that if I am concerned about safety I could put a H - brace to front subframe that would add additional support as well as would protect transmission, engine and exhaust components if I even plan to take Forester for off-roading.
Here is the link to the H-Brace, Does anyone have experience with these ?