Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

[jim #42767]

All over the front suspension 65 327.

Is there a good way to tumble in a machine or a good way to clean up rusty bolts? They all have the correct heads on them and I am trying to keep it original.

Or is it better to just replace the bolts?

[Patrick H.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

I use a Lyman tumbler with Eastwood's "green diamonds" media if they are rusty and I'm going to replate them. It will remove some of the black plating (oxide or phosphate). If I'm going to just clean them of mild surface rust/dust, I tumble them in either crushed walnut media (preferred) or corncob media. This can really make a bolt look good.

If you have a friend who reloads, they will have a tumbler and possibly media you can borrow.

Patrick

[Christopher R.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

I think you can tumble them, but you'll probably also abrade the black oxide coating off.

Paragon sells most of the correct head bolts. Consider getting new ones. You don't want a suspension fastener failing. I upgrade many of these bolts to Grade 8. Points be darned.

I just bought and used this stuff on mildly rusty engine compartment bolts. Bolts came out perfectly clean and still had the black oxide coating. http://www.safestrustremover.com

[Stephen L.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

If you plan on doing a lot of little things like this...invest in a bead blasting cabinet. They aren't that expensive... I paid $100 for one that is floor standing. A medium output CFM compressor will serve the purpose. If you blast for long periods you may have to wait for the compressor to catch up.
Purchase some glass beads locally for about $30/50# bag. Bead blasting is an easy way to clean not only bolts, but many many items. It was the best investment I made during my restoration. I continue to periodically use it for many things in the garage.

My experience with PARAGON or any vendor of "correct" bolts is that they are "close" but easily recognized as not original. That is when I decided to clean and replate everything I could that was salvageable. You'll probably pay for the blaster with the savings in bolts... they ain't cheap!!!!!!

[Clare Carpenter]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

All the above comments are correct. The grade of the bolts is easily determined by the markings on the head. Most suspension bolts are grade 8. BTW, Paragon has a really nice plasticized poster (free for customers) that helps identify fasteners and where they were used over different years. I used Eastwood green media to clean and walnut media to polish, with a vibratory tumbler, before taking to the plater. It takes awhile but they come out great. If you plate be sure your plater treats for hydrogen embrittlement.

[Barbara S.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

I agree with Steve. I'm in the midst of a body off resto. I disassembled the chassis after removing the body and wanted to redo all of my bolts. I tried the tumbling thing first, but it is too slow. Then I used a friend's media blast cabinet. Wow, that is the way to go. I got them all blasted in an afternoon. Then I took them to the platers (one for cad clear and the other for black phos). They look fantastic and I've reused all the original bolts.

That's the approach I'd take.
Hope this helps.
Tony

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

I have just started using the same stuff that Chris has suggested and it works very well. It omly costs about $30 a gallon and can be reused a long time. I also use phosphoric acid but this stuff is hard to find in undiluted form. Naval jelly works well also but is expensive for anything larger than a few bolts at a time. For all of the above, I soak overnight and then wire brush the next day. I can replate with great results. I also have a sand blast cabinet and this works instantly but not everyone has a cabinet and a large enough compressor to sand blast efficiently.
Jeff

[Gerard F.]

Here's what Beadblasting will do

Jim,

These are 67 exhaust manifold bolts which were rusty and pitted, after beadblasting:


You can also try Jasco Metal Etch overnight and then brushing them up with a Nylok wheel.

But if they were plated, you have to figure to replate them. If they were rusty and plated, you are going to have to replate them anyway. If they are not too bad, try just brushing them with a blue Nylok wheel.

Lots of the repro head markings are standardized, and may not be like your original bolt head markings.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Clare Carpenter]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

I neglected to mention that no matter how you clean your bolts, if you plan to have them replated, the plater will likely use an acid batch to clean before plating. My plater, (cad and zinc dichromate) told me mine would come out really great due to my cleaning and polishing. But they would still dip in an acid bath before the plating process, though probably not for as long. They do classic car stuff in small batches.

Tony, Who did your black Phos and was it the type where you can see the little crystals in the sunlight?

[Barbara S.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

Clare. I had a plater here in Kansas City do it. They do small batch work because the manager has two Corvettes and understands the needs from individual restorers. They mostly do government/military contract work. They do it the old school way, as far as I can tell. The reason why they put the bolts in an acid bath is to remove oils left on the bolts from your hands and other sources so that the plating is uniform.

Hope that helps.
Tony

[Barbara S.]

Re: Here's what Beadblasting will do

Jerry. Exhaust manifold bolts are notorious for having deep rust. When you media blast and remove the rust, it exposes how deep the rust is. The pits aren't from removing good metal. It's from removing all that deep rust. I experienced the same thing with my exhaust manifold bolts after I media blasted them and had them black phos'd again.
Best regards,
Tony

[Clare Carpenter]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

Thanks Tony, but actually no. I was asking about your black phosphate plating. My plater doesn't do it and I'm not sure anyone locally does (in small hobby sized batches). I can get the blackening kits commonly available thru Eastwood and others but it's not the same effect as true black phosphate plating. That's why I asked about the little black crystals. ASL out of Nevada had the real deal in a kit some years back but they are no longer operating.

[Barbara S.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

I'll check this weekend. I still have some replated black phosphate bolts to reinstall and they are just in a zip lock bag. They look awesome though. I'll get back with you.

Tony

[Patrick H.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

Clare,

Check with Jeff Salz. He and I have discussed a plating Tech Session for the Chapter, but that will likely have to wait until next winter's "off" season. Jeff does home plating, and may be able to help.

I'm sure his contact info is in one of Tom's e-mail updates.

Patrick

[Frank C.]

Re: Best way to clean up rusty bolts?

HI ALL....FWIW Thru my employment I was able to (BORROW) some "Zircon" sand from the beaches of Australia which was used in the manufacture of Zirconium metal. I've used this in my sand blaster for many years and has given some very nice results. Altho it is very HEAVY about (120# per cu.ft.) it is also very fine about the size of popcorn salt. You can't believe how a carb. part comes out, Not the etching of the sand or even glass beading. Also because of its' size it gets into the tiniest pit.