I just picked up these parts for my Baja Impreza project. I'm using Forester and other Subaru parts to lift it. The parts I got were a little more rusty than I had anticipated. Can anyone tell if the rust makes these structurally compromised? I'm planning on sanding and repainting them, but I'm not sure if they'll hold up to the offroading and daily driving I have planned for the car. I want it to be durable and last quite a while. Would I be able to reweld anything? Maybe the trailing arms? Thanks!
Photos are the most recently added ones in this album.
none of that looks structurally compromised, it looks way better than anything under any 5+ year old impreza in cleveland.
In New England we get new parts that look worse than that.
I think all you need is some Evapo Rust and then reevaluate. http://www.evapo-rust.com
My initial thoughts are they look fine.
Pictures aren't loading. If you mean control arms, apparently you can get new "rust warranty" arms from Subaru for very very cheap, cheaper than used. Wagon GD arms are the same length as GC, too. We don't tell people they need replacing until you can push a finger through them.
IMO, if you're worried about strength, scrapbin them and get the aluminum arms.
Nothing I see looks even remotely worrisome. wire brush it and POR-15 and call it a day if you want it to look cosmetically nice. Or just don't do anything....
I've bought "good" parts from the junkyard worse than that, scuff them up, hit with rustoleum rust primer and rustoleum black, thin the primer about 10% with mineral spirits if you use the brush on (preferred).
Counterpoint: That rust isn't bad or dangerous now, but it is never going to get any better. It would drive me crazy. Fix it now and check up on it once in a while.
Rufledt
UltraDork
11/7/15 11:18 p.m.
Another vote for Evapo-rust here. check this page and scroll down to see it in use: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/323-gtx-the-refresh-ening/106218/page4/
Thanks for all the help! I'm going to hit them with some evapo-rust and then prime/paint them.
Brett_Murphy wrote:
Counterpoint: That rust isn't bad or dangerous now, but it is never going to get any better. It would drive me crazy. Fix it now and check up on it once in a while.
Finally saw the pictures. That is nothing to worry about at all. That is just color, nothing serious.
If you're worried about strength, don't use steel arms period, they bend. But that rust is nothin'.
The part that normally fails is the small welded on section for the front bushing, rots out and falls apart right where it welds to the main section, and there's still even paint there.
