CLR still working well on more parts...

[Brosky]

Since our good friend TR6Harris posted the tip about CLR, I've been spending time salvaging parts to refurbish. The heater valve kicked it off and then I decided to try it on a hood support rod for my TR8 that I got which was all pitted and rusty looking. That cleaned up really well after soaking for 30 hours in 50'50 mix. I did not take before pics, but it was not very pretty when I started. This has not been polished yet.

Then I dug out the backing plates that I had on my for sale list and took off 4 complete original Girling rear brake adjusters which are all apart and now soaking away. I took one out for a quick look and it's coming along nicely. I will strike the plates off of my for sale list and just sell these on eBay after I finish cleaning them up nicely. This mix is 50/50 and has been soaking for about six hours. We'll see what they look like tomorrow.

And I found two other plates that had original wheel cylinders attached and two original adjusters, but I can't find the Girling name on them yet. I'll degrease these then soak them down for a day or so.

EDIT: These did NOT come off my original car. Those parts are all packed away, for what I don't know, but they are. This was all eBay buying fits of days gone by.

 

[JPSmit]

very interesting - I missed the tip though - or is it just a 50/50 mix and time?

 

[Brosky]

50/50 mix and time. It helps to get the grease off first.

 

[hilsideser]

Looks like the wife is about to come up short of her CLR stash here...

 

[Brosky]

She probably will after you see these. I got really lazy the other night and just dropped those really dirty, rusty wheel cylinders and brake adjusters into a 60/40 mix and left it sit for 30 hours. It was really stinky when I uncapped the plastic tub, but this is how they came out after a hot water and toothbrush scrub rinse.

 

[AEW]

I'm impressed. I've tried soaking in; laundry soap, dish washer soap, paint thinner, and even one of those electric (400mA) current through washing soda tubs. The CLR looks better than my efforts. I looked up the product's contents and see Lactic Acid. Guess I was working on the wrong end of the pH scale

 

[KSIS]

Shameless plug..... This is a product my buddy sells out of our shop. The nice thing about it is, non toxic/ hazardous. cheaper than CLR.

https://www.rustdepot.com/

 

[Brosky]

Nice option. CLR is expensive, so any option that works as well is a good thing, IMHO.

 

[Rut]

What a great tip! I stopped by Home Depot yesterday and bought a gallon of water based degreaser and a gallon of CLR, about $23. I mixed the degreaser with water and let it soak for about 3 hours and it worked very well. My calipers are now soaking in CLR and I could see improvement after about 4 hours. I noticed that there was a ZEP product next to the CLR for about $9 a gallon. The formulation was close, but more hydrochloric acid...do you think it would be safe?
Thanks, Rut

 

[Brosky]

I'd try to avoid the high hydro percentage if possible. These aren't engine blocks or cast iron.