Thoughts on OSPHO?!

Off the back of a discussion that evolved into undercoating, I was doing some research into the correct way to prep and prime a chassis for treatment and whilst watching a video of someone prepping the underside of their vehicle using a mixture of hand wire brush, drill brush, grinder, etc, below was a comment saying that its all a waste of time and that all you need is Ospho!

It was my first time hearing of it but apparently its well established, been used for decades (since 1947) and used in marine and industrial applications. Lots of good testimonies from what I've seen online.

Does anyone have experience/come across this being used as primer on a Jimny before treatment and what are your thoughts?

P.S. I like the simplicity of the website, makes me think they focus more on the product rather than flashy marketing lol

The Key word here is "marine". 
Wich is a good clue to how good this product might be.

Never heard of it before.
But it is phosphoric acid in some kind of formula like most other rust treatment products. FerroBet is a type but guess it is a norwegian brand name.
Oxal acid, citric acid or phosphoric acid based products is not stupid. Beware they might be harmful for your skin, eyes and weak paint or parts on your car. There are also acid based base coats that claim to be just to put on and paint over or underseal over. I would still use a wire brush before treating and get as much rust as possible off. and read the label, some products should be washed off after use with fresh water. And then you should dry the car for days before coating with base coat and underseal. 

If the car is clean and tidy you really should put on waxyol treatment like mercasol, tectyl, dinitrol some of these may be norwegian names but they are oily waxy blackish brown stuff. 

I hear more and more bad things about the fluid film or lanolin treatments. It lasts just a few years and mice are attracted to chew on your wires. And mechanics hate the smell and sticky dirty stuff so they get more MOT unfriendly. linseed oil or lanolin based could still be smart to use inside cavities though.

If the car is allready rusted the best is to completely remove the rust and use an epoxy base. But the rust is never properly removed so any oil based stuff that penetrates and partly harden is for us home based DIY can be a good solution. Owatrol (also just a norwegian brand name?) penetrating oil is one good option and can also be mixed into oil based paints. many, many thin layers is best.

OR even better the brownish red base coats with Oxal Acid or phosphoric acid but in a base coat. Or similar stuff that reacts to the rust like this OSPHO wich most likely reacts more or less like any acid based formula. but if you take your time to treat the rust there is no point in not also putting waxyol or something over it after. 

I may have said this before too many times but it is not so much the product but the time you spend and work you put into it. 

And for gods sake do it now and do not procrastinate!
I postponed and sure got to pay for it by lying under my car for weeks making it great again.

Agree with all that. The product is secondary in every respect to the amount of time and effort put into the preparation. Also the more and better the results claimed for a product the more snake oil it tends to be.

Think of it somewhat like male and female cleaning products, we're both variants of the same creature but they sell all over body wash called soap in either liquid or solid bar form for men and yet just going on the things in my Mrs bathroom cupboard they apparently sell separate cleansing and maintenance products for the skin of your elbow and a different one for the soles of your feet and something else for areas I'm not going to mention on a family friendly forum and that's just for starters. And it's the same with protective coating for cars. A simple yet thorough clean followed by a straightforward and relatively cheap product and acceptance the you are going to have to do it again if you intend to keep the car a while.

Lambert wrote:

Think of it somewhat like male and female cleaning products, we're both variants of the same creature but they sell all over body wash called soap in either liquid or solid bar form for men and yet just going on the things in my Mrs bathroom cupboard they apparently sell separate cleansing and maintenance products for the skin of your elbow and a different one for the soles of your feet and something else for areas I'm not going to mention on a family friendly forum and that's just for starters. And it's the same with protective coating for cars. A simple yet thorough clean followed by a straightforward and relatively cheap product and acceptance the you are going to have to do it again if you intend to keep the car a while.

Haha!
I just remember the product from the movie Cars:
"Aching for a Medicated Bumper Ointment with a rear end formula? RUST-EZE, PLEASE!"—Slogan, Rust-eze Medicated Bumper Ointment

But I think this OSPHO is way better and at least as good as most other acid based so called "rust killers".

And totally agree with Gymknee, the web site and also this text make no promise that they cant keep and no flashy marketing.

When applied to rusted surfaces, it resists/retards rust in chemical change on drying to a tough, hard surface ready for priming. A paint job will last longer after an application of OSPHO because subsequent paint coating securely attaches itself so that moisture and oxygen normally do not attack the metal. OSPHO is water-thin, can cover a larger area than paint, and goes on easily. It is equally effective for exterior and interior work alike. SKYCO OSPHO: a balanced formula of Phosphoric, Dichromate, Wetting Agents and Extenders . . . compounded exclusively by the Skybryte Company since 1947 ... recommended by paint manufacturers.

 

The real marker of a good product is the warning label.

If you are holding an environmental disaster, full of carcinogens, heavy metals and chromates then it will work.