Maintaining Closed Cart


 
G

George Si

TVWBB Super Fan
Hi,
I have read in various threads the tendency of the closed cart rusting Everyone mentions the importance of maintaining a closed cabinet.My 2011 E330 has a closed cart and I was fortunate when I got it, there were no traces of potentially dangerous rust starting. My question is are there specific areas that tend to develop rust. I am concerned about specifically important maintenance procedures. Thanks. George
Ps. I was considering removing each panel and doing some kind of preventative application of Rustoleum????
 
George,

I think one obvious place is where the pieces are close together. So taking apart and doing some rust prevention while a good bit of work could yield you a lot more life. Another place is where water tries to drain. So any hole including those with screws in them and the area around the tank hole need to be watched. The last big problem is the bottoms of the frame where the casters go in. I would definitely remove the casters and clean out whatever you find. Use the strongest rust prevention you can here. You see many of these grills where the caster has broken out of the rusted out frame bottom.

Best wishes. Maybe post pictures of your work? It could be a good source of info for others.
 
Hi,
I have been messing around with various things on it and never saw an outstanding problems around the casters, but will have a better look this weekend. Darn thing is so heavy and it's hard to access the casters. Would like any suggestions. I won der if the casters could be removed and then spraying up into the tube(leg) with WD40. But as I said no rust stood out when I looked. One place that I do need to look is underneath, but because of the lack of rust all around I'm thinking the underside will be good. Thanks George
ps I put two pictures to show the overall picture In the back pic there is some paint chipping off the aluminum (?) frame, don't know if that should be left alone because there is no rust or sand it down and spray it black with high heat Rusto?
cISNpe8.jpg

JhNasDT.jpg
 
Wow, that is a really squeaky clean specimen. You would be extremely hard pressed to find anything like that near me. Looks like a great candidate for long term preservation. I would consider masking off and doing a quick spray with high heat gray on that crossbar. Not sure if it is galvanized or maybe aluminum as you suggest, but it is not a part I have found to be rust prone. It would still be worth looking at and treating the frame bottoms, but you seem to have gotten a gem kept in dry storage.
 
George:
Your 2011 is very different than my 2007 E220 which has a firebox bolt going thru that crosspiece. Also, the sideburner is on the opposite side and being a sidewinder, the valves are on the left side, not the front. Also a phillips screw holding the stainless top pieces in place on the back. Very clean grill though. Since the casters don't go that far into the square box channel, perhaps you could lift one end at a time and put a block of some sort under the base so you could remove the casters on that end and feel in the inside of the channel for rust. Like Jon and other have mentioned, check carefully around the circular hole where the tank is situated and feel the bottom of the base cabinet piece for rust. I'm guessing the tanks going in and out of the base remove the paint and in damp or salty air, the rust chase begins. Wondering if that is why the base cabinets are US Navy gray. chipping and painting, chipping and painting......
 
If I do remove thecasters and feel surface rust inside the tube what is best to do. Would b tough to sand. Is it worth removing each panel by panel and using a roller to paint the outside and inside or just the insides?? George
 
George: The restorers would be better qualified on that than me since I haven't experienced the issue. I would think if you have an end blocked up you could sand inside the tube somewhat and you could spray up into it. The base tray is removable with a few bolts removed and the bolt/screws holding the drip pan on the right side of your grill. That angled holder would come off with the bottom panel as a unit. You could then take the angled holder off until after painting and reattach before putting the base back on.
 
I got some time this weekend. Think I will remove lid and FB’s(still waiting for my 9mm 304 grates),and lay it on its back. That way great access to the casters and underneath. Do you think rolling on RUsto would b ok. That way panel by panel can be removed and rolled for prevention(even if no rust present). George
 
George:
You could do that, but I would still be concerned about where the base panel attaches to the frame side panels. That would be more of a area of concern which could be checked out removing the base panel I described above. You don't have to tip over the grill which unless you have help will want to skid on the rollers once you hit a certain point. You then either have a good enough grill to hold the weight or the whole thing will be on the ground. Be careful, it isn't lightweight. I would prefer to keep the grill vertical at all times.
 
George Si said:
If I do remove thecasters and feel surface rust inside the tube what is best to do. Would b tough to sand. Is it worth removing each panel by panel and using a roller to paint the outside and inside or just the insides?? George
Click to expand...

Just get some of this...

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-r...ODE=PLA00010&gclid=CIC45aK01uICFSAerQYdspAF9A

and spray in into the tube...problem solved. If you do take apart the panels then you could spray it with the Eastwood also and not ever have to worry about rust...shoot, just spray the whole bottom with Eastwood and call it a day.
 
Last edited:
Hi
How is the Rustoleum Rust Reformer??not exactly sure what you mean by checking where the base meets the frame. If I remove the base will the grill still have support? I’m kind of reading it as any areas where one piece of metal meets another piece, check the pieces of metal that butt up together. I guess after using one of the rust reformers I could roll the base with a topcoat on the top and underneath
 
Don't waste your money on the Rustoleum product. Buy the Eastwood Rust Encapsulator with the wand and spray it inside the tubes. It will stop whatever rust is there dead in it's tracks and prevent further rust from forming. Leave the grill over newspaper though until the stuff harden as it is MESSY and learn from my mistakes WEAR GLOVES LOL.
 
Buy this:

https://www.fluid-film.com/

Its even food grade and works awesome. I sprayed mine with it as I was putting it together. Its not messy and smells pleasant. I use it on my tractor, 4 wheeler, cars etc... I bought my tractor 6 years ago and hit all exposed nuts bolts and linkages with it when new and I have zero rusty areas.
 
Last edited:
I guess with the Fliod-Film you could spray butting up metal and it would seep between the metal and protect
Could you spray the underneath of the whole bottom panel and leave it like that as a preventative?? Thanks. George
ps I did read that you can't paint over it, whereas the Eastwood product can take a topcoat.
 
You can spray it underneath yes, but no you cant paint over it. It doesn't completely dry. it would be great for all touching parts, nuts bolts and inside the tubing.
 
So if it leaves a protective barrier, there would be no need to topcoat the underside of the bottom panel. Just spray and leave it...I think I will take some pictures and post and get an opinion. I will unbolt the bottom panel and take a few pics. George
 
Keep in mind it's basically like spraying a grease over everything. The Rust Enacpsulator hardens to a ceramic like finish and it's hard as a rock. I got some on my garage floor a few years ago and I can;t even scrape it off.
 
So I guess in places inside the cabinet where the bottom panel meets the side frame, light sand and spray with the fluid film(to hold back any rust if there is any at all), and the underside if there is no rust, the fluid stuff would suffice...If there is substantial peeling and rust then the Rust Encapsulator would be better with a primer then top coat....
Are there local places that sell Encapsulator like BigBox stores or only online
 
I had this same grill type and the bottom panel back and sides had some crust I use a product like Eastwood it took the lower panels off sanded cleaned and painted them with the Eastwood then covered that with a silver kylon . 5 years ago no problems sold this to my friend and he never covers it and it is still rust free..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top