info on cleaning corroded bulb sockets, please!

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str12-340

str12-340

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I'm working on rear lights - brakes, back-up etc. and need to clean out corroded bulb sockets. I seem to remember there is some magic potion that you can buy to accomplish this task. Any suggestions/information would be greatly appreciated!
 
Wire brush. If nothing else go to your sporting goods store and pick up a 12ga barrel brush. Preferably something hard, like stainless
 
A plumbers brush to clean inside of copper fittings. They come in 1/2", 3/4" and so on.
 
^^All of the above will work ^^
I Soaked my bulb sockets in a small dixie cup of vinegar and salt solution. Work it with a toothbrush if heavily corroded.
Rinse with warm water and baking soda to neutralize.
It will be shiney and new looking.
 
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I don't recommend this for bulb sockets. However, I just cleaned all my factory wiring plugs and terminals with vinegar and salt. The black-looking copper wire and terminals were shiny again after only a few minutes soak. When they came out clean, I dipped them in water/baking soda to neutralize the acidic vinegar and then used a hair dryer to blow 'em dry. A little tedious but worth it when re-using what you got.
 
Yes, I stand corrected, it WAS salt, then the Baking soda neutralized.
Edited previous post.
Happy new year!!
Thanks
 
On another thread it was recommended not to "sand" (and this was AFTER I had already sanded away a lot using the wife's emory boards) because it removes the top layer that is applied to new brass and/or copper as a protective finish. This is just what I read, so I don't know if that is truly an accurate statement or sound advice. I haven't found Deoxit in any stores around here yet and don't believe it's a new product either.
 
Lord Sparky said:
Sandpaper/Deoxit
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Never use sandpaper. It will cut through the protection the standard costings provide and incourage future corrosion.

I used deoxit on my bulkhead connections, it does not make the connectors bright copper colored, but I trust the formulation to do the job.

Before
PXL_20201226_183906820.MP.jpg


I don't have an after photo but it looked clean and ready for re assembly.
 
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If you can find old fashion cotton pipe cleaners (not polyester) they work well with scrubbing contacts. Soak the pipe cleaner in DeOxIt and scrub the contact.
 
I use a bead blaster, Rustoleum paint on the outside, and then some socket grease inside. Except for the paint, it works good on fuse box, bulkhead, and other wire connectors too.
 
I have used a small blaster pot/gun with baking soda powder. It cleans the corrosion and gunk really well. Then use contact cleaner to clear last of the soda powder.
 
Replace them. They are cheap as hell and you can never get all the corrosion out, so it will return pretty quickly.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Replace them. They are cheap as hell and you can never get all the corrosion out, so it will return pretty quickly.
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This would actually be my preference, but they are swaged into the housing - no obvious way to remove them or to replicate the process of putting new ones in place. Since 70 Dart taillights are in a housing hung in the bumper, the whole socket is exposed to the weather on the outside and has to be completely water tight. If there is a process here that I am unaware of please school me
 
str12-340 said:
This would actually be my preference, but they are swaged into the housing - no obvious way to remove them or to replicate the process of putting new ones in place. Since 70 Dart taillights are in a housing hung in the bumper, the whole socket is exposed to the weather on the outside and has to be completely water tight. If there is a process here that I am unaware of please school me
Click to expand...

When I look up the sockets, I show Standard Ignition S29 as the part number. You know how it is with old cars, no telling if that's right.

I know what you're talkin about though. I've modified them in the past to make generic replacements work. Beats buying the whole dang housing.
 
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