The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts I just can't stop taking things off!

Today I removed the front axle. Just had to move the jack stands back onto the frame, heat up a couple of stubborn U-bolt nuts, and voila. I decided since I was doing the brakes and king pins why not paint the axle. I just about have all the rust and goo off with a putty knife and wire wheel. I'll wipe it down with de-wax and de-greaser. I have to clean up all the steering arms, drag link, tie rod and connecting rod. Not to mention all the drums and backing plates. I have some Zero Rust to put paint on everything. Not sure if I want to spray or brush. I sure am having fun this summer working on the beast.

I know the feeling Paul. Glad you're having fun. I usually brush on my paint, but that's just a personal preference.

Keep up the good work... and don't forget to post some pictures for us.

Paul.

Paul.....It's not a strip show......Keep your clothes on....
I don't want to see anything bare.... or Bear.....

I don't want to get my clothes dirty!
Actually Gloria hates the smell of grease and solvent, so I have to pile my duds in the back room. I don't know where Buddy Bear is these days. He must be dining on Salmon berries. I have been using the molasses rust removal and if he gets a sniff he might want some. I think the molasses works better than the soda and battery charge. I saw you had the dumper running. I just have to clean up my front axle parts, paint them with Zero Rust, wait for my new parts from Jim Carter, install, and then I can move my truck.

Where did you find King pins????

A place called Ken's Vintage Auto Parts at(604)792-7277 located at 45896 Alexander Avenue, Chilliwack. I got the name from Trevor.They were NOS. I left my spindles with them to install and ream the bushings.

Here are some pics of the cleaned and painted parts. I wire brushed the parts to bare metal. I then used the pre-paint degrease and wax wash, then two coats of Zero Rust. I applied it with a brush and it went on fine. There is a clear coat that can be applied, but I am not sure if I am going to do that or not, I'll ask on the paint forum on the site.

http://community.webshots.com/album/564438270vSejAH

I mixed a big batch of molasses today. It has the backing plates in it. I placed bolts on the plates to separate them from each other.

http://community.webshots.com/album/564469105ZmhxxS

All those parts came off that lil' John Deere? Impressive

Nice job cleaning up the rust - how do like the molasses treatment for rust? I've never tried it...

I think it works great. I have used the soda bath and battery charger rust removal, but found the molasses was very thorough and no cleaning up the parts other than rinsing off the molasses. It sort of looks like it's been sand blasted it's so clean. The drawback is, it takes a long time, about two weeks. But now I will just move on to the wiring harness.
About that Deere, I was suppose to start on my shop this summer, but as it turns out I don't even have the drawings from the designer back yet, and then they have to go through the permit office. I'm using the tractor shed, the great outdoors, and a Costco portable shelter for my work space. At least the shelter is on an old concrete pad where an old rotten garage used to be.

Whats the molasses thing? Whas in it? How do you make it?

Molasses is in grocery stores. It is usually made from sugar cane. Most small towns had a molasses press 50 years ago. It does work. I'm not sure what chemical in it does the work.

Buy your molasses at the farm feed store. It is a lot cheaper. I think it has phosphoric acid in it. Just like naval jelly. But you can just compost the molasses when you are done with it. There is a whole tech tip link on this site. That's where I got the idea.

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/rust_molasses.htm

I like it for castings better than sheet metal. But it does work on both.

no phosphoric acid involved - the "active ingredient" is an organic compound called a chelating agent ... quite like the medical chelating treatment to remove heavy metals from your system, it binds the rust to itself and allows it to be flushed away

Bill

hhaahaha... Thanks. That phosphoric acid idea came from my science backgroud, dentist brother in law. Evidently there is some in molassess, I found that out searching the net. But I couldn't find any page that gave percentages or data.

We haul Purina or Land o Lakes feed to dealers around here and I don't think any of them have molasses any more. Liquid feed smells like molasses, but it has urea in it which actually causes rust.Only the very large feed mills buy molasses in bulk any more. We used to haul almost a load a day out of Cargill in Houston and feed mills would grind hay and put molasses on it, but those days are long gone.