Exactly! A poor paint job will peel in sheets as well.

The nice thing about all of this, you have plenty of options!

Different strokes, The powder coater I work with has been at it for awhile. It took a couple of tries but we came up with s system that works for me. He has a paint stripping tank followed by sand blasting. Dipped in another solvent tank. First coat is a zinc rich primer followed by chassis black then flip the frame and apply another coat of black. Fronts get an extra trip though the oven to help run oil and solvent out of seams. It's just like any paint job it's all in the prep work. Steve (CTR) 

I agree with paint, paint, paint not powder coat.  Did that once on a brand new rear subframe...4 years later a garden hose lifted paint in sheets off the steel.  Back to primer & paint.

I had mine sandblasted and I'm really glad I did. Took everything off and I could really see what I was working with. Then I vacuumed out the sand because there was a ton left in the little nooks.

Coated it with 3 coats of spray on epoxy paint so that I could get it in all of the little places a brush couldn't get. Then bolted everything back in. the POR15 is a popular suggestion, but I just couldn't see paying all that price after having it completely sandblasted. There wasn't a spot of rust on it after the sand hit it.

Right on the POR15. It actually likes rust. You just dont want to apply it over loose rust.

Also, never dip the brush back into the can. Pour paint into a different container. The brush will pick up metal/rust from your frame and then it will ruin the entire can on ya

I coated mine with POR 15.  Super strong polyurathane.  Seals steel off from O2 thus preventing the rust.  It recommended leaving the surface rust to provide a bit of a surface profile for paint to adhere to.  So far looks like the day I did it 5 years ago.  Has been in a high corrosion environment on east coast of canada during that time.

Hope it helps.

sand blast it not media.  Sand will take all the rust off, depending on the media, it might not be aggressive enough. I like to use an epoxy like a hammerite on the subframes. Easy to touch up if needed and I float lots of it into the corners where a sprayed

coating will give marginal results.  the dirt gets trapped in the rear subbie and that's what makes them rot out.

Once it's blasted you can determine if it's too thin to use and where if any patching needs to be done.

The epoxy paints usually thin with xylene or xylol not  paint or lacquer thinners.  Wash your brush up the same way.

Use never seize compound on your mounting bolts and you'll never have a problem removing them again. Also on wheel studs.

I did mine about six months ago. I would go for new as you don't want to do this again. I would paint rather than powder coat. I know there are different schools of thought but  the rust lifts the coating off. Primer and two top coats. I would also open up the drain holes on the bottom. clean and paint everything. when assembling check for play in the trailing arm bushes.Replace as needed.  Stainless nuts and bolts again people say they do not have the strength but there are plenty to hold the subby on. just my opinion. have fun. you should be able to get it all done in about 2 to 3 days. A week if the paint dries slowly.

there seems to be some rust ( really?) on the heelboard so they

might need new panel work there. once i get it to media blast

i'll have a better idea.gotta do the front subby next. hoping to lift

the body off of that. should be loads of fun....oven...lol

thanx coop, i'll look into that product.

What's your plan for removing the broken bolts?

"I powder coat myself" ...... it must get awfully hot for you in that oven 

Sandblasting is a good way to really see what you got there. If its just surface rust then you should be fine. I powder coat myself but have never done a subby. I'd imagine it would come out wonderful though.

You could also wirewheel it REALLY good, clean it just as good and use a product like POR15 on it. It can be brushed on or sprayed and encapsolates the rust. It is very tough stuff and I have had good results with it.

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well, just took out the rear subframe. surprisingly only 2 of the bolts on the front trunions

broke.it looks and feels pretty solid despite the rust.what's the best way to tackle this?

have it sandblasted or is there a better way? then have it powdercoated?...and is there

some kind of rust preventative to be done to it? thanx in advance.bob