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Technical Rust Prevention?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Crazy Steve, May 24, 2022.

  1. This is a bit different. Suppose you have an assembly that's rusty, maybe even to the point of being frozen; in my case, I'm thinking about a door latch assembly. Disassembling these isn't always practical as many are riveted or spot-welded together, but I figure a dip in something like Evaporust should clean one up and free it's operation. But after you've done so, how do you keep future rust away? Paint isn't the answer as you won't get it everywhere if spraying and if you 'dip' it in paint its liable to gum up the works. So is there another type of dip coating and/or chemical process that could protect the now-clean metal? That can be done at home for a reasonable price? I know there's some processes used in gunsmithing for rust prevention (although I don't know what they're called), are these durable enough? And 'thin' enough to allow free movement on the finish treated part? Any other ideas?
     
  2. I would do the citric acid or vinegar rust removal process, neutralize with a baking soda and water bath, blow dry, then finish dry in your wife's oven. Then a good bath in oil, followed by wiping down to remove excess. Use Lubriplate or equiv. (or Gibbs) at time of installation. Good luck.
     
    GordonC likes this.
  3. I use chain lube. The aerosol stuff. Repeat as necessary.
     
  4. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 3,811

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    My first thought would be simple Gibbs oil spray or Rem oil is what we use on guns. Bluing is the process they use to keep them from rusting but it wont last forever. It works similar to Ospho type products turning rust to some sort of iron oxide I think.
     
    loudbang likes this.

  5. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

  6. clem
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 4,188

    clem
    Member

    Agree with above, (post 2), but I would soak it in Gibbs before the oil bath. The Gibbs tends to get ‘into’ the metal, whereas if you coat it with oil first, that would possibly/probably prevent the Gibbs from working as it should.
     
    '28phonebooth likes this.
  7. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 3,811

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    Totally forgot I just bought a can of this for an OT outboard motor. Screenshot_20220524-164056_Amazon Shopping.jpg
     
    '28phonebooth likes this.
  8. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,935

    squirrel
    Member

    Move to Arizona?

    But seriously...how did the part get so rusty in the first place? I'd try to prevent those conditions from happening again. If there's no way you can do that, then you probably won't be able to use the part for long without having to repeat the derusting procedure.
     
  9. NoelC
    Joined: Mar 21, 2018
    Posts: 668

    NoelC
    Member

    I was under the impression if it had rivits, spot welds, or folder tangs it was my goal to take it apart and look inside...that included the door latches. I just couldn't find the pictures. IMG_3947.JPG

    IMG_6049.JPG

    IMG_5825.JPG
     
    Tman likes this.
  10. proartguy
    Joined: Apr 13, 2009
    Posts: 658

    proartguy
    Member
    from Sparks, NV

    I strip parts like that of rust by soaking in phosphoric acid (Deoxy Does It brand) it usually takes 24 hours maybe more. After a final wash off I soak it one more time and let it air dry. All surfaces will have a iron phosphate coating which prevents rust. Works for me.
     
    Crazy Steve likes this.
  11. I use rust check on a lot of stuff , it sticks on stuff a long time , I have used it on clean cylinder bores , and has protected them for years .I would clean the part , heat it in the oven and give it a good spray .
     
    VANDENPLAS and AldeanFan like this.
  12. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,405

    alchemy
    Member

    After rust removal, I would spray paint as much as you can see. Any part you can't see is likely to be close enough to rubbing another part, and should probably have lithium grease squirted between them.
     
    VANDENPLAS and clem like this.
  13. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Pretty Simple, Steve lives about 20 miles if that miles SE of Olympia with the Cascades in a spot that can at times get a lot of rain. Beautiful area with lots of small farms with horses and various what east coasters call truck farms. Plenty of berries and veggies grown in that area. Screenshot (56).png
     
  14. Paulz
    Joined: Dec 30, 2018
    Posts: 126

    Paulz
    Member

    I cleaned mine up in Evaporust and blasted them with Fluid Film.
     
    Petejoe likes this.
  15. spudshaft
    Joined: Feb 28, 2003
    Posts: 622

    spudshaft
    Member

    I do too. Works great on squeaky door hinges.
     
  16. The parts I'm dealing with are some bear-claw door latches from a OT car. One reason I want to use them is they have a very cool chrome 'finisher' where the latch shows on the door, for a nice custom touch. But that's not the only reason. These are also low-profile, only sticking out of the door about 3/4" so should require considerably less door jamb mods to fit them. They have a larger 'foorprint' so the mounting holes are spread apart further, reducing the chance of cracking around the mounting bolts. But I mostly want to replace the OEM non-bearclaw latches for safety and wear reasons. Ford used those die-cast aluminum striker plates up until the early '60s, those aren't the best design. I see too many accidents involving our older cars where the doors fly open or cave into the passenger compartment when the latches fail, not a good thing.

    The reason they're rusty is the OEM manufacturer was shall we say less than diligent about rust prevention in areas that didn't show. They used raw uncoated steel for the latch parts inside the door and these are known for freezing up from rust. If I can prevent or reduce this without a ton of work that's what I'll do. It looks like the phosphoric acid treatment followed up with some quality lube would do it.
     
  17. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,935

    squirrel
    Member

    maybe you could find some used latches from a wrecking yard in AZ? they might not have any rust on them at all.... :)

    and if you keep the car mostly dry, they shouldn't have rust issues in your application.
     
  18. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,809

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    X2 on Fluid Film.. outstanding product.
     
    Petejoe likes this.
  19. Ok @Crazy Steve your rust problem has been addressed, now what those of us in the Pacific NorthWET need is moss prevention suggestions! You can always find the North side of a Washington car.... look for the moss and algae.
     
  20. I've got more than a few sets of these so I'll pick the least rusty examples. As to keeping them dry and I do try to avoid rain, this IS Washington :rolleyes: and as I intend this one to be my wet weather car, prevention is the name of the game... :D

    The wipers on my coupe are a bad joke. Barely useful in daylight, horrible at night.
     
  21. Yeah, it's amazing how quickly 'stuff' can start growing on a seldom-used vehicle, especially when you get pollen/dust accumulations like I get at my house.
     
    '28phonebooth likes this.
  22. BrerHair
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 5,006

    BrerHair
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This is my understanding of the "rust encapsulation" products/process. The iron gets bound up as iron phosphate, leaving no iron available to bind with oxygen to make iron oxide.
     
    Lone Star Mopar likes this.
  23. ekimneirbo
    Joined: Apr 29, 2017
    Posts: 4,216

    ekimneirbo

    Personally I think all the spray on liquids are pretty short tem "feel good" solutions. Never thought about it before, but wonder if some grease could be warmed enough to pour and then poured into something like a latch to cool. Then you have not only lubrication that reached into the crevices, but a build up (hopefully) around the moving parts. I think some of the greases melt at 350/400 degrees. Obviously gotta be careful if someone tries this, but seems like it would leave a latch with good protection from the elements............
     

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  24. There was actually an article in "MOPAR Performance" back in the '90s about restoring door latches. Granted that was for muscle car era MOPARs. But metal is metal.

    They used Eagle Mag Wheel cleaner for uncoated mag wheels. It was some sort of acid in an aerosol can. I tried it on some T latches that I had at the time. Soaked 'em really good let 'em set and hosed the hell out of them. Worked like a champ. Cleaned the corrosion and literally everything else out of the latches.

    I was not going to say anything until I could see if they still made it. I found it in O'Reilly's the other day.
     
  25. Dave G in Gansevoort
    Joined: Mar 28, 2019
    Posts: 2,598

    Dave G in Gansevoort
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    I wonder if an old 10-speed chain trick would work. Instead of oiling the chain, melt paraffin canning wax, which only needs boiling water temperatures, and immerse the chain in it. After 10 minutes give or take take it out and let cool on newspaper. It shifts stiffly for the first mile, but if done to a new chain, you'll never have to clean and lube the chain again. I have chains on my 2 bikes that are 25-30 years old and still clean and rust free.

    So extending the idea to car parts like above, after derusting, paint the outside and let cure for a couple of days. Boiling water temperatures shouldn't affect your paint if well prepped and cured. Immerse the parts in the melted paraffin, let cool, and plan on it being stiff the first time you operate it.

    It might work, like a not messy Cosmoline. And that stuff when applied properly keeps rust away for years.
     

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