Rusting of steel tubing

[sevencyclist]

I just found some still water accumulating inside the tube of my Thule bicycle rack coming off my hitch receiver. When I pour the water out, a lot of rust came out with it. It would be hard to ensure water stays out of the area since the hitch rack is left on pretty much all the time. The size of rack tube is 2 inches wide.

My question is whether there's any significant issues with the rust for longevity of the rear rack over span of 10 years that I plan to use the rack? Do I need to apply Weigle frame saver? If so, do I need to sand down the interior now that rust has accumulated, or can I just apply? Thanks in advance.

[David Kirk]

Can you drill a hole so that the water can drain out? If so that would be first on my list.

then some framesaver and you should be good for the rest of your life. That tubing is uber-thick and isn't going anywhere.

dave

[Peter P.]

It would be nice if you could get a brush down the tubes to break off the loose rust, maybe just a flush with a hose will be sufficient.

Let dry, then yes; apply Framesaver. The idea behind Framesaver is to adhere to the metal so oxygen and/or water can't reach it. So, once you've applied the juice, you're good to go.

And as usual, Dave Kirk's suggestion to drill a drain hole is very wise.