Rust is the New Black

As you have already seen there are a few rust spots on Maverick.  Some are through the metal while others are simply surface related and others are a mix of surface and heavy pits.  Working on the brakes I have been under the truck and have been surprised at the general rust free condition I see.  I thought that perhaps it was just hiding under the layers of dirt and grease, but when I cleaned the suspension components the metal seemed fairly good.

Some of the areas I would like to clean then paint are the hubcaps, rims, bumpers and GMC badges.  These mostly have surface rust on them and could be mechanically cleaned to a point.  I'm also currently trying to unfreeze the parking brake cable.  A new one seems to be either $30 or $60 depending on the vendor. 

So this got me to thinking about rust removal. 
 
As best I can tell there are as many thoughts on rust removal as there are in politics.  They range from store bought products like Kroil and Liquid Wrench to kitchen remedies like straight vinegar or ATF fluid mixed with either acetone, diesel, or mineral spirits. And of course the old mechanical methods of grinding or blasting with sand or soda. The other consideration is just rust removal or do you also want the paint removed on parts which have them such as my hubcaps.  Many of my underbody frame, engine, brake and suspension parts are not painted so the method I use for those areas are simply focused on rust removal. 

I do not have the funds to try anything and everything available nor do I have the time.  So I needed to come up with a plan of attack. I came up with three rust conditions which would point me in a possible solution.  Of course I might need to use all methods for some parts but in general here are my thoughts.

1. Things that need to be loosened because of rust - think bolts

2. Things that need to be cleaned to work again from rust - think brake adjuster

3. Things that need to be cleaned from rust for painting/protection - think body panels and bumpers.

So it is fairly obvious that using a sand blaster to remove a rusty bolt is not going to work.  Neither is using WD40 to clean a part for painting.

The next consideration is what specific method from the group of remedies will I use based on my situation mentioned above.  I decided that cost was probably the driving factor.  Otherwise I would just hire it all out.  So the manual labor, or time intensive vs immediate result methods would be the first to look at.  Also I have a strange quirk in that I always like finding the method that works wonders that is fairly unheard of.  However I also try to balance this with both long-term and short-term needs.  In other words I will not do something that was cheap to do but will cost me time and money later because it was not done right the first time.  A good example is proper surface preparation for paint.  Its easy to just want a clean layer of paint on a part as quickly as possible, but multiple layers plus the proper surface treatment is so critical to success.

The following is a list of rust solutions I have heard about and or tried.


Sand/soda/glass blasting -  Use for cosmetic cleaning paint removal and some rough rust spots to a point. Consider the dust, mess and capital expense plus the ongoing media expense. when using this solution.  I have borrowed a friend's blaster (Thanks Dr.) mostly to remove the paint and surface rust from some components that I plan on repainting.  This limits my costs, but not the mess. A bag of coal slag at Harbor Freight is only $15 in my area, with a 25% coupon its only $11.25 for a 50lb bag. 

Replacement - When there is no metal left or the rust has made the part inoperable because the metal is missing, think of a bolt that no longer has usable threads, its time to cut it out and patch or simply replace once removed.  Cost is low for removal but the expense comes in at the repair or replacement parts.  For example my parking brake cable appears to still be intact and the outside cosmetic looks great, all I need is the cable to slide inside the metal sheath.  The obvious choice would be to simply replace it and move on....however this is where managing the project is critical.  Each time I had a difficult part and simply replaced it I would be spending more money than I have time.  So removal is not my first choice but the last one.  In some ways it allows me to be more daring because I have nothing to lose but the cost of replacement.

Wire brush or wheel/putty knife/screwdriver - This has been my primary so far.  Cost is low and the physical part is not to bad. Of course this does not remove parts and in the case of the brake cable it only cleaned the outside not the inside where I need it.  I also find that it does not remove the harder solid layers of surface rust as well as I would like.  For example on the rims there is bubbling rust patches which are rough enough that the wire brush can't smooth it out or get into the deeper pits.  It has worked great on the brake and suspension areas which cleaned them up from the dirt, grease and oils, and I have no intention to paint these areas so wire brush and other scrapers were great.

Sanding/Steel Wool - For a few areas where the wire brush was only taking surface rust the course sand paper was actually removing the buildup of rust.  I would not use this for large areas but for the occasional small rust "chunks" it works great, followed up with the wire brush and or steel wool. When I cleaned my vacuum and fuel lines I used a combination of sandpaper and wire brush to clean them followed up with a 000 steel wool to polish them up. Fine steel wool is also wonderful on chrome parts.  Pitting will remain but the rust will be mostly gone.

Acid Bath Dip - This is expensive from what I have been told.  Again not real useful if the part is still attached to the truck but may be great for items you want to reach that are unreachable.  Not really an option for the home mechanic wanting to remove rust themselves, but certainly for those that are wanting a fully clean part. This method does not exclude rubber parts but attacks everything, so consideration is important.

Electrolysis - I'm real interested in this as a rust remover for my brake cable.  Will it take care of the rust inside the sheath?  I have all the equipment and the cost is next to nothing.  Obviously this would not work on a part still attached to the truck nor would it work on large objects because of logistics, such as a bumper.  But for many small items this would work well from what I see. No issues with rubber components so it is very targeted.

Home Recipes (Molasses/Soda/Vinegar) - This section never ends and quite frankly exhausts me with the pros and cons of each method.  I've seen the YouTube videos on each one and read the blogs and reviews.  All very interesting and seems to have truth but then I hear quite the opposite in the rebuttals.  For now, soda and vinegar are super cheap and could easily be used for soaking parts, but not removing parts unless you can soak them.  I suspect that for some this will work but with limited use or commitment.  I was going to try the soda and vinegar options on the cable next, however 4 days of soaking in fuel plus bending the cable to "crack" some of the stiff areas plus some brute force has finally freed the cable.

Heat - The old blow torch has its place.  I tried it on the brake cable to no success.  Does that mean it doesn't work? No just not for that application.  Other areas that I had a rusted bolt it was also surrounded with paint which I did not want to ruin.  So again limited applications and the surrounding parts should be considered.  Do I use the blow torch to remove a stuck bolt on my gas tank?  Probably not.

Re-purposed Chemicals (ATF/Acetone/Diesel/Mineral Spirits/ wood bleach) - I was really excited when I found these solutions.  Again each one has a discussion along with it on the internet.  The ATF mixture seemed plausible as that stuff is toxic!  I just assumed that ATF fluid would devour anything in its path not actually metal.  Diesel is also interesting as that also is a corrosive chemical.  Then there was wood bleach known as oxalic acid.  This was also interesting to me because of the cost and potential to really work.  I recently purchased some and will give it a try on the hubcaps.  If I can soak the hubcaps and it removes the rust then it will save me time on the sand blaster, also its a great test to see if it works.  I might also use it on the steps of the truck.  I've been told that I could also soak a rag and lay it on the area to remove rust. 

Liquid Sprays (WD40, Kroil, Liquid Wrench, etc) - I suppose this is not really rust removal but to loosen rusted parts.  I grew up with WD40 so that is what I use.  Often I'll squirt the area that needs loosening and go work on another project before I'm ready so as to keep ahead of the time curve.  Obviously not to be used for objects you want to paint but good in getting them off if stuck.  The ATF mixture was often mentioned as a better chemical than the high priced sprays, but again not sure if the hype is accurate.  Plus ATF is nasty stuff, so WD40 smells reasonable and works for my jobs.

Hammer -  Similar to the liquid sprays a hammer does not remove rust but helps loosen the stuck rusted part.  I have found this to be the best and works best on screws.  Normally I try to unscrew with a counterclockwise motion.  But if the screw is stuck I then insert my screw driver and bang a few times with a hammer.  90% of the time I find I can easily unscrew the stuck screw, or at least get a few turns to expose the head more for vise-grips. 

Rust Removal Chemicals - EvapoRust  and Por15 are the two I have heard about the most.  But the cost keeps me from buying yet.   Not sure how Por15 works but it supposedly cleans up the rust and then you coat it so it can't return.  I would not use this on say my brake cable or fuel lines, but for the inside step in the truck.  Starting with a wire wheel and cleaning/removing as mush rust as I can get to, then using the Por15 process.  EvapoRust is not like Por15 in that EvapoRust is suppose to remove rust, not coat it so it can 't return later.  I'm also interested in EvapoRust but again the cost is keeping me from trying.  If the oxalic acid works then I'll probably keep using that before exploring EvapoRust.  Further research seems to show that it is a chelating agent.  It is non-toxic and easy on disposal.  Apparently it is owned by one company and marketed in a variety of products, including bulk to automotive companies.  Per one source I found the product is made up of 3 things.  Phosphoric Acid (found in Coke), a reducing agent, corrosion inhibitor and a surfactant all designed to be non-toxic but effective.  So the bottom line is that any product that is non-toxic and easy to dip and remove is probably based on a similar formula... which may be why all of these "miracle" solutions are all priced about the same because its all the same stuff or close to it....so find the cheapest.

Again this is not an a complete list of rust removal items but I also don't need to regurgitate all the chatter online.  Google "rust removal" and have a blast.  Remember that my purpose is to focus on cleaning up and enjoying this old truck, not to win awards or enter car/truck shows.  The rust issue has both an immediate issue as well as long-term.  I do wonder what rust issues will be a concern 30 years from now, but perhaps then I'll want to tear her down to the frame.  Today I just want to get her running and operating so I can teach the boys to drive a stick, go to the dump or have a cruise around town.