Loader FEL Bucket Rust Removal? Or Not??

[KennK]

I have a John Deere 3320 tractor with a front end loader and heavy duty bucket. Its now 11 years old and going strong, but the bucket interior and outside sides have some large areas of rust and flaking paint. Ironically the bottom of the bucket looks better than the sides.

I'm considering using a grinder with a flap disk or similar to remove the rust and then prime & paint it, but I also feel like I'd be removing material and might be doing more harm than good.

What would you do??

 

[Egon]

Move some granular material. It should shine right up.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I would say if it bothers you, spend an afternoon moving gravel and dirt with it. Rust will be gone. Then hose it out and paint it if you must.

I think the rust would have to get pretty deep before I would worry about it.

How often do you use the FEL?

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a JdD3720 with FEL. The paint job wasn't purdy looking after I moved a lot of dirt, stones and boulders. It had rust on maybe 25% of the surfaces. I simply took a grinder with a wheel wire brush and started to polish all the rust off. I also used a flap disk after that to smooth it out and then a 5" orbital sander.

Then I went and rolled and brushed an undercoat on and then a Green paint from the hardware store to match JD green. I used a roller on most of it and it worked out well as I could get it on fairly thick. It looked almost like new.

If unsure of the thickness of the rust you could brush off the thick stuff and brush on a rust reformer that ACE hardware sells, then prime and paint. I would do it for sure even if to make it look nice. I can'r believe a 12 yo bucket would be bad enough not to repaint.

 

[boomer1025]

Clean the rust up and paint with por-15 primer then paint with a good grade of paint

 

[oldpilgrim]

Clean the rust up and paint with por-15 primer then paint with a good grade of paint

Then after the next time you use it, you can do it again. The laws of physics and nature say the paint will not stay on and the bucket will rust.

 

[bigtiller]

Fresh paint on a loader bucket would be about as embarrassing as showing up on the job site with a new tool pouch, or a 6 year old pick-up with no dents or scratches!

Just use it, you'll look like a pro. :construction:

 

[bdog]

A bucket is a ground engaging thing. Just like a shovel, plow disc, chisel point, dozer blade etc. It will never keep paint unless you don't use it.

I wouldn't bother.

 

[N80]

I kept my tractor very clean for the first five years....................

 

[motownbrowne]

Personally I wouldn't let it bother me, but if I wanted the budget to be rust free I'd give it a quick spray with fluid film after use, especially if I was not going to use it for a long time.