I took out the rear end in my 75 corvette. The shafts, differential, suspension parts are full or rust and grime. I also want to clean the frame, trailing arms to like new status. Any suggestions as to cleaning procedure? I was going to dip the parts in a bucket of hot water and soap detergent then use a rust remover drill attachment to remove the rust.

Should I use a sandblaster? Any cheap good brands? I was looking at Eastwood and they have one for 185.00. I wasn't sure if a sandblaster is necessary?

 

I would sand blast that stuff, but unless you have a very stout compressor and don't mind getting sand in just about every crevice and orifice of your body, I would send the parts to a sand blasting company.

 

use mineral spirits to dissolve grease.

 

I am in the same process for my 76. I knocked off most of the grease with a water based degreaser, but that left lots of crusty rust. I didn't have a big enough compressor for sand blasting the rust, so I went a different direction with electrolysis and have been very pleased with the results. Electrolysis is very simple and more important - it works while you are doing something else. This web page gives some details and theory http://www.rickswoodshopcreations.co...st_removal.htm . I used those instructions for a trial in a 5 gallon container. It worked so well I made a vat using a 50 gallon drum and was able to fit all the rear end components - even the spring and trailing arms. It even works on bolts and hardware. It is very safe - the only "chemical" is Arm and Hammer Washing Detergent. If will help, I can post some pictures.

 

that was cool! - never heard of that before. I will keep that in mind.

 

Here are some photos of what I did with electrolysis. I got a plastic 50 gallon drum (big garbage cans won't work) and cut out the top. Then I lined the inside with wire used to reinforce concrete (hog wire?) and bolted it to the side at the top for the positive electrode.



Then I filled it with the Arm and Hammer Washing (not baking) soda and water (1 tablespoon per gallon). The parts to be cleaned are suspended on a wire wrapped around a bolt on some scrap angle iron across the top. Connect the negative from a battery charger to the bolt and wires and the positive to the bolt on the outside cage (polarity matters). It will start bubbling and makes a gross foam while it cooks.

This picture was a trial in a garbage can before it split.

Here are a few before and after pictures of a trailing arm and seat back. When it is done (3-5 hours, depending on the amount of rust), it will be coated with a black scale. That comes right off with scotch brite or a wire brush. No damage to the part being cleaned.





The solution will get gross, but you can keep using it as long as you want. It is safe (just detergent fortified with iron) and there is no sand to clean up! You cannot "over cook" it. When the rust is gone, the reaction stops. It does not remove any of the base metal. This process cannot repair rust pits, but it will remove the rust down to the metal.

 

Cheapest and easiest is just to pressure clean using a good degreaser like the cheap purple stuff.
Then spray with OSPHO or the cheaper "Prep and Etch" from Homey Depot ($16.00/gal).
Comes out like new metal.
Then paint.

 

To remove the grease, use soapy water. I have done this many times. If very stubborn grease or crud use a solvent parts washer.

After that, Evaporust will remove all the rust you have. It is surreal to see the bare steel part with pits, but no rust. Harbor Freight has it.

Seat back channels before Evaporust


After Evaporust

 

That's amazing, but IDK about surreal

I'm going to Harbor Freight now, I'll look for it.

 

Got it. It has a picture of Rick from Rick's Restorations on it. He said on his show he uses a watered down mixture of vinegar to remove rust, probably what this is for $8.99 a quart.

 

I'll second the evapo-rust recommendation!! Dunk the part till the rust is gone, remove it and rinse it off with plain water and you are done. The really cool thing is it leaves all the original inspection markings that are there under the rust.

I am doing a full under body restore on my 81, and after using the evapo-rust to kill all the rust I bead blast everything to remove any residue from the evapo-rust. The parts come out like brand new. I then give them a coating of satin clear spray, though I am thinking about powder coating them clear.

 

Or you could have gotten the stuff I mentioned and had 20 gal of Evaporust for 16 bucks.

 

Ditto I used the same stuff with great results. Works great on the nuts and bolts.

 

Muriatic acid and water, 50/50 mix. Soak until rust is gone, rinse, then a quick dip in baking soda/water mix to neutralize any remaining acid, then one more dip in clean water. WD-40 before flash rust hits again.
And keep it off of concrete, it'll stain hell out of it.

 

I know this sounds odd, but Molasses. That's right Molasses. Do a google search on Molasses rust removal. It's on Youtube. I didn't believe it until I saw the results. Only affects the rusty parts. Take a little time and is biodegradable. I had a friend who used a tarp and made a pool the size of his frame, and got Molasses in bulk from a farm supply store. It's cheap (seems they use it to add to feed for some reason) it can be gotten in powder or liquid form. I don't recall the mixture, but it worked, The part comes out black, but when you hit it with the garden hose it washes off to leave clean steel. I understand it sounds goofy but it works. There is probably a chemical answer to it, but that's above my pay grade.

 

I've never seen it there, I'll look next time I go, but whatever, I don't have a pressure washer anyway.

 

Here it is. You can mix it with water to whatever strength you feel comfortable with. Also is a rust converter.



The pressure cleaner and degreaser is first used just to remove grease and oil. All rust removers benefit from that first. Often times a hose nad degreaser works too, just not as fast.

All the rust removers contain an acid of some type or at least are acidic. Molasses contains several acids, vinegar is an acid, Coca Cola works too, contains phosphoric acid.

Evaporust claims no acid content but has a PH of 6-7 which is acidic.

 

The sodium carbonate in arm and hammer washing soda used for electrolysis is alkaline. I think the PH is around 11.

 

learnt alot i didn't know reading this post.

The thing is i dont know if half of these products ar avaliable in the land of Oz. Googling now .

 

Thanks for all the knowledge. I actually picked up the phosphoric acid prep and etch from Home Depot and plan to try that out first. I will let you know how it goes.