I wanted to do a bit of a rebuild on the Disco but with using it daily time isn't on my side, so I hit on the idea of picking up scrap/cheap parts such as props/axle/trailing arms etc and refurbishing them in an evening in my shed, them come Sunday I just bolt the 'new' bit on and downtime is minimal. I put some new UJ's on an old prop and the disco was off the road for just a few an hour or so...even manage to sell the original prop for more than I paid for the replacement.

Anyway I'm currently doing up an old a-frame and have removed the ball joint, separated the arms and removed the bushes from the arms. I'm going to wire brush everything down and then hammerite it before fitting a new ball joint and superpro bushes to the arms, question is do I paint everything including inside where the bushes go, or do I leave these 'inside' bits as they are?

Also has anyone any better suggestion than just wire bushing to remove the old rust prior to painting? I was going to have the parts powder coated but I thought they would outlast the car and hence wouldn't be worth the expense?

grind it down to clean metal and slap hammerite on it... don't have to look pretty long as it lasts... well thats my attitude anyway!

Id go with marine hull paint. I got some from my work but im sure you can find it somewhere
if it good enough for the salty enviroment it must be good!

use an angle grinder with brush fitting (dont forget the gloves and goggles!)

Dont powder coat as 1st little dink it takes the moisture gets under it and eats it from within.

I would angle grind, treat with Fertan Rust Killer & Preventer stop remover stopper treatment- 500ml - UK BASED | eBay then red lead/hammerite red oxide, if you really wanted to go for it then also paint it with a marine grade paint aswel.

Just done this. Degreased it fully and then a rotary wire brush, 2 coats black hammerite. Don't paint inside where the ball joint slips in. Smear of copper slip is all that is required. Same also if you take the arms off ie dont paint machined faces.

David Preston said:

Just done this. Degreased it fully and then a rotary wire brush, 2 coats black hammerite. Don't paint inside where the ball joint slips in. Smear of copper slip is all that is required. Same also if you take the arms off ie dont paint machined faces.

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Thanks mate, that's what I was stuck on..whether or not to paint inside where the bushes go. Sad I know but I'm quite enjoying being in my shed with a load of rusty disco bits and the radio