Subframe Cleaning
 

I just finished welding up the seams on my subframe tonight and was curious the best way to clean and prep the metal for primer and paint. The reason I ask is because some areas have oil soaked in the metal from oil leaks over the years.

wax and grease remover or EASY off works well.

Send it out for sandblasting. Makes them Sweet!

what he said!... its the best foundation for paint anyway.. and while you are at it have them powdercoat it... its about the same price as painting wet, and it holds up better.. AND you only have to drop it off.. and when you pick it up its finished!

agreed, and after that get it powdercoated,most of the time it will be alot cheaper to powdercoat than get it painted

I sandblasted it before I started welding on it. After sitting for a couple of days, you can see oil that had seeped from the seams in certain areas. It's mainly contained around the steering box area. As I was welding on it, you could see oil bubbling up because of the heat...not to mention the smoke created from welding!

I had planned on blasting it again before I primed/painted it, but obviously paint won't stick to oily surfaces.

We paint ours. Powder coat will really show any pits in the surface. painting aloows us to skim, prime, sand and make it more prettier!

Can you apply bondo or kitty hair over a sandblasted surface? I would think that should give it enough roughness to bond, right?

I'd pressure wash it with degreaser, take it to powdercoater, get it blasted and coated ,it will give you alot better base than paint, primer, kitty hair or bondo,

I hate to powder coat it because I still have to weld the subframe to the connectors. That means I would have to remove part of the powder coating for welding.