Rust removal

[Tadams]

I need your advise. Doing a complete restoration on a 65 Barracuda. The original stock wheels are rusty. What is the best way to clean this up for painting. A rust remover, electrolisis, sand blasting or any other advise. I will be using the original hubcaps and the car is mostly original. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[76orangewagon]

If there rusted that bad and you remove that rust you'll probably have very pitted wheels which will require filling and sanding before painting just like body work. Unless your going for a OEM judged car with date coded parts you might be better off buying a set of reproduction steel wheels from Wheel Vintiques or similar company.

 

[barbee6043]

I get pretty rusted wheels here sandblasted for about $15-20 each . spray a good epoxy or self etch primer. if the finish is too rough to suit you, come back with high fill urethane or polyester primer. but be SURE what you use is all compatable with each other.
I guess if your wheels are so bad, and you have the $$$ go buy the others. IMO

 

[Tadams]

Thanks, Just surface rust. Doesn't look that bad, and not going for a perfect restoration. Do want it to look good though. Didn't wish to spend a fortune, going to retire in a few months and will need to cut back on spending as much as I have been on the car. With bumpers and door panels, I probably will spend another 1000 or so to finish my restoration.

 

[sireland67]

I sandblasted the wheels on my duster, they fit in my tractor supply blast cabinet tight.
Be for warned it takes forever to get the wheels clean.

If you are running full hubcaps I would just hand sand them and paint them.

If running dog dishes than I know of no other way to get them clean than blasting, my local sand blast guy will do 4 for $50 for one side only, completely clean is $125.

 

[dibbons]

I sand blasted my wheels once with a small Harbor Freight unit. After painting them, I found rust returning because of some of the sand that had stuck in the minute cracks/recesses of the rim. That sand is hard to remove and even more difficult to see. I would just wash them with detergent, dry, sand, and then go from there. Sometimes I employ a couple of extra steps, which include naval jelly (second foto) followed by rust reformer (third foto) and then Rust-Oleum rusty metal primer (last foto).

 

[71Scamper]

Here's another option, molasses dip. I've done this with many parts. Go to your local tractor supply company or similar joint and grab yourself a gallon of feed grade molasses. Mix it up 10 parts water to one part molasses in a large Tupperware storage tub. Throw your wheels in and let them sit for a few days, pull them out, and rinse them with water. You'll need to act quickly after drying cause it will start flash rusting. The heavier the rust the longer it will take. It'll speed up the process to use a wire brush and knock free the loosened up rust everyday day or so.

 

[Tadams]

Great ideas. Thanks for offering me some options

 

[clifftt]

Cheap bulk vinegar in a deep pan. I've used this to clean up exhaust manifolds nd othe parts. Works if you can spare the time.

 

[Tadams]

Thanks Clifftt, Another good idea.

 

[scooby67]

Cheap bulk vinegar in a deep pan. I've used this to clean up exhaust manifolds nd othe parts. Works if you can spare the time.

I buy commercial grade cleaning vinegar at Home Dumpy. I soak oxidized carburetors in it. It contains acetic acid. You can also use Coca Cola for iron based metals. I soaked my Rusted Olympic weights in it for a few days. The citric acid works on the rust very well. Rinsed and painted. Done deal!

 

[Tadams]

I guess I need to find something large enough to soak them 1 at a time. I'm not in a rush. I had never seen vinegar at the Depot. Do you dilute it, and how much?

 

[scooby67]

I guess I need to find something large enough to soak them 1 at a time. I'm not in a rush. I had never seen vinegar at the Depot. Do you dilute it, and how much?

It's called cleaning vinegar and it's made by HDX. It has a higher content of acetic acid than conventional consumable vinegar. It's in the cleaning supplies section and comes in a half gallon bottle.

No, I don't dilute it.

 

[71Scamper]

Cheap bulk vinegar in a deep pan. I've used this to clean up exhaust manifolds nd othe parts. Works if you can spare the time.

I never tried the vinegar method. How long for the exhaust manifolds that you de-rusted? I wonder if the vinegar will be harmless on delicate metals like pot metal. I know the Molasses method will eat away delicate metals like pot metal and also leave an etched surface on aluminum parts.

I buy commercial grade cleaning vinegar at Home Dumpy. I soak oxidized carburetors in it. It contains acetic acid. You can also use Coca Cola for iron based metals. I soaked my Rusted Olympic weights in it for a few days. The citric acid works on the rust very well. Rinsed and painted. Done deal!

Coca Cola is the same as using Molasses. I feel the Molasses method works faster than Coca Cola though.

 

[Tadams]

Thanks for the info. I had read the vinegar should be diluted, but maybe that was for something else.

 

[bighammer]

There are tons of videos demonstrating each of the methods described above! Whatever you decide to do, be patient and thorough. Even sandblasting down to white steel will leave microscopic rust and it will come back. It needs to be chemically treated after you have mechanically removed all that's possible. Good luck with your project!