Tips/Tricks to remove Undercoating?

[Subarutex]

I have a vast majority of a bottom of a brat I need to remove undercoating from so I can do rust repair.

 

How do you do it? What has worked? What hasn't?

 

I'm thinking a propane torch, and whole bunch of cheap putty knives.

 

[bheinen74]

its missing tow hooks? thats an interesting side to the BRAT most will not see.

[Subarutex]

Rust got them, so I cut them off.

[shadow]

I had a Chevy truck once that I had a tail shaft seal leak on the automatic - completely stripped the undercoating right off where it slung the (relatively small amount of) fluid around - might work really well in a engine wand but I don't know what kind of undercoating that was, or if that is the best way to go about it...

[DaveSluder]

Use an industrial heat gun, it's temp will be more even and will not have a hot spot like you will have with a torch. And no open flame to boot! Use a stiff paint scraper multitool, the one with a semicircle on the side for cleaning the paint roller. That is just the one with all of it's different sides and angles to get all the spots. It costs maybe $5-$7 at Home Depot or the like.

 

Happy Scraping--

[Revolution]

I have used a few gallons of aluminum aircraft stripper that you should be able to find at any auto parts store along with a heat gun as mentioned and a scraper and drill with a wire brush. That worked well on an old project of mine.

[Seahag1978]

Dad's Paint Stripper takes it right off. Let set for 10-15 minutes and hit i with a putty knife. I did the whole bed of my BRAT in a few hours.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Brake Fluid.

[mcbrat]

grinder

[Subarutex]

I tried brake fluid and trans fluid. It was hard to apply in my situation, and I didn't feel it worked very well because of that.

 

I tried heat, and scrapers. Worked okay, but left a lot behind. Also, was a bit of working constantly heating, then setting that down to scrape, repeat.

 

I tried jellied aircraft stripper. The smell is intoxicating. Easy to use in my application. I smeared it on with a shop towel. Hour later I was able to scrape the bulk of the stuff off pretty easily.

 

I then used my secret weapon. Knotted wire wheel in my grinder. Worked awesome!

 

Wire wheel works at taking it off from the get go, however its quite messy. Much cleaner to just do the aircraft stripper first, then knotted wheel after you scraped the bulk off.

 

[Legacy777]

Good tip to know about undercoating. Keep us posted on your progress.

[Caboobaroo]

Tex, when I stipped hoods at the bodyshop, I'd use the industrial stripper from Napa and apply it with a large paint brush. Easier then using towels or anything else for that matter. I have one specifically for that purpose in my toolbox. Wish I woulda known when I saw you yesterday!

 

Oh and if you'd like some help with your rust issue, I'd be mroe then willing to come give you a hand with it. Nothing like bringing back memories of a '69 Mustang I did in Wyoming, lol