Thoughts on RustBullet

As I'm working on my Subaru right now to prepare it for an STi swap, one of the things I'll need to address is rust. I'd like to stop the small rust spots on the car from spreading any further. Didn't GRM use a product called RustBullet on one of its project cars? Has anyone else used it? If you have, how effective do you think it is? I also know that GRM made a set of articles for fixing rust on the Saab 99 project- I'll rifle through my past issues to find them. I'll try to get a hold of a welder, but I've never used one and I don't have easy access to one.

Take a look at the (similar) stuff from Eastwood... many folks that have used several (RustBullet, POR, this stuff) prefer it...

I have used Rust Bullet, POR 15 and Corroless. Of those, I refer the Corroless the most. I don't remember who I bought it from. POR 15 went on well and self leveled amazingly. Smooth as silk. However, once you open the can it is going to go bad fairly quickly. If you are going to buy this, buy it in small containers. I used it in several different areas under various conditions. Inside my Spitfire and on the firewall, it worked pretty well. In the bed of my truck i would say it failed miserably, and I used it correctly. Rust bullet I just bought and used. It went on terribly and left brush strokes. Second coat I used a foam brush, and it worked better. Then I saw show that said not to use foam brushes on paints with a lot of sovlents. I also had a bad problem with painting a large area, because the Rust bullet starts skimming immediately and you screw it up when you try to feather the next area.

I used the Corroless a long time ago and where I used in in the trunk of my Mk I Spit, it has held up perfectly. However, it does have strong odor and will give you an awesome headache.

I've never used the stuff from Eastwood.

EDIT: Just Googled Corroless and it appears Eastwood used to sell it, but now sells a different product. May be the same stuff under a different name and more colors. Actually they try to sell you a whole slew of stuff. I noticed they also now sell a new two part product that looks kinda like the old Naval Jelly stuff i used to buy, now sold by Permatex. That stuff is now crap and i will never use it again. Everywhere I used it on my Spit is where I just ground it off and re-applied the Rust Bullet.

I am using Eastwood Rust Encapsulator on my RX-7 restoration and my friend is using POR 15 on his 914 restoration. Both products are pretty similar, and they both cost the same. The POR 15 does hide brush strokes better; if I brush on RE I go over it with a roller to smooth it out. I have been using the same can of RE for about 6 months, and it still is good. The RE is a bit less toxic, it doesn't have isocyanates like POR. The POR leaves a semi-gloss, whereas RE dries flat.

POR-15 is the way to go. The MG sites swear by it, and thoes cars know how to rust!

But, buy it in small cans.

Its adherence over time is what is important. I've yet to see POR bubble.

Oddly enough, I had better luck w/ Rust Bullet than I did w/ POR-15.

2 different EG Civics, rust in the same typical spot (rear wheelarches).

I dunno.

Decisions, decisions... The POR-15 sounds like it might be my best choice since I plan to paint over the rust once its treated.

Back 20 or so years ago when my older brother got my 65 f100 we did the inside of the bed and the engine bay with POR 15 It is still 100% mint in the engine bay and the bed still has areas where its fine others have bleached out a bit. Two years ago i touched up with new por 15 and that area is almost gone allready..... Seems like all good stuff the EPA regs change whats good......... Now if you read the can it says must be top coated and they say to use there primmer when before primmer was a no no.

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ArtOfRuin wrote: Decisions, decisions... The POR-15 sounds like it might be my best choice since I plan to paint over the rust once its treated.

POR has special directions, rather they have special primers and paints to use, can't simply paint over it according to their directions. Might want to check that as it may turn into a 5-6 step process.

I didn't have great luck with POR 15, applied properly a few years later I got rust bubbling through the compound. It can not be removed from interior fabric however.

I prefer Rust Bullet to POR, although it used to be the other way around. Better coverage and better stick in adverse conditions.

Jack

FYI Eastwood has Rust Encapsulator on sale 72 hours only 6/6-6/8, $24.99 a quart vs. the usual $32.99

Just bought me some