Used coilovers question

[ILuvtheMountains]

What should I do? Bought some used coilovers and they have some small rust spots on both the springs and shocks. Should I pay or find some way to disassemble them and paint them or just put them on as-is? They have 30k on them and I have talked to guys who say they have used them for over 75k and still going strong. This makes me feel like I will have them for some time to come (perhaps I should protect the finish). On the other hand, none of those guys took theirs off after 30k just to repaint them, and I am not worried about appearance, they will just get chipped and start surface rusting once I start using them.

[xaza]

my brother gives me a hard time because I like to sand and paint everything I take off just to try and prevent rust. You would likely be fine just installing them but it also would not cost much to have them cleaned and powder coated which would also allow you to make them whatever color you want. You would save money by separating them yourself.

[Haku]

As long as the seals are fine and there are no pitting or grooves on the piston shaft, they will function just fine I would imagine. I guess you could either spend a bit of money and get new coil springs ($60-80 each) or have them sandblasted and repaint them if it really matters to you. Rust won't inherently degrade the performance or functionality unless it gets inside the shock.

If its just surface rust on the bare metal parts, then you can use a light acid (vinegar works sometimes, or diluted muriatic acid if you need it stronger) and it should clear it up. I've also heard good things about Naval Jelly for light rust removal. Once the rust is gone, then you can use a marine grease or similar to keep it rust free for longer. I would be reluctant to paint most of the bare metal parts since they often have adjusting threads and such on them that you may want to use at a later date.

Even though less harsh then somewhere that uses rock salt, winter conditions in Colorado certainly promote rust build up, even on stainless steel parts. Rust seems like something that you just have to deal with to some degree, but there are definitely ways to prevent it with periodic maintenance.

[ILuvtheMountains]

Would you get muriatic acid at a parts or hardware store?

[Tom]

Hardware store. Its used by masons to clean mortar off bricks.

[Chris]

And used in swimming pool maintenance which is where I found it at Home Depot.

[Haku]

Yeah....Ace or True Value definitely have it and Lowes or Home Depot probably do too. Phosphoric acid and others work too. You can also use Vinegar or Coke overnight if you don't want to try the more dangerous stuff.

Get a pair of good chemical goggles (like the ones you used in Science Class) and acid proof gloves while you are at it. The stuff you get in hardware stores is relatively dilute already, but still bad news to get on you (especially in the eyes). Not much faster a or cleaner a way to get rid of rust though.

If you decide you want to sandblast instead, I'll be at the Club Workshop some this week and you can come use theirs while I'm there. Might be $10 bucks, but I think most of my guest passes are still available. I'll be working on my own stuff, but sandblasting is a one person gig really.

[Haku]

Ok....rather then Muriatic, I'm reading that Phosphoric acid actually works better for this. Here are some "old hands" that seem to know what they are talking about...

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/muriatic-acid-rust-removal-133307.html

It seems that Muriatic Acid only gets rid of the rust but may leave it open to the rust build up starting immediately after. Phosphoric acid converts the rust into a protective layer so it self protects. Phosphoric Acid s the active ingredient in the Naval Jelly stuff, so it seems like its the way to go. It is also found in Hardware stores, so its an easy choice really.

p.s. No...Naval Jelly is not the gunk you find in your Belly Button after a week of camping :P

[ILuvtheMountains]

Ok....rather then Muriatic, I'm reading that Phosphoric acid actually works better for this. Here are some "old hands" that seem to know what they are talking about...

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/muriatic-acid-rust-removal-133307.html

It seems that Muriatic Acid only gets rid of the rust but may leave it open to the rust build up starting immediately after. Phosphoric acid converts the rust into a protective layer so it self protects. Phosphoric Acid s the active ingredient in the Naval Jelly stuff, so it seems like its the way to go. It is also found in Hardware stores, so its an easy choice really.

p.s. No...Naval Jelly is not the gunk you find in your Belly Button after a week of camping :P
Sounds easy enough! Thanksfor the info! I teach science so I'm not afraid of using a strong acid. Oh and that sucks about the naval jelly. :erm:

[Hypoid]

That is a pretty good discussion, Josh.

I have used caustic solutions for electrolysis. I have used "Jasco Metal Prep" to neutralize rust and prepare surfaces for painting. I am happy with the results of both processes.

FWIW, I bought the Jasco product at my local home despot. I followed the directions, the paint still sticks.