Help wanted with de-rusting chrome.

[superhawk996]

Any tips tricks appreciated.  It seems worse to the eye than in the photo.  I've started with oiled steel wool and it does ok, then I use a fingernail to pluck away the larger chunks, then steel wool again.  I use the fingernail on the heavy spots to avoid excess scrubbing for fear of damaging the chrome.  I considered Evaporust, but the label says "safe on most chrome" without further detail so I'm leery.  The rear wheel is probably going to be the biggest challenge, it's super crusty and the spokes will make it harder to scrub than other parts.

 

Any other methods I should try?

 

Some spots I've started on.  The wool works, hoping to find something faster/easier that's safe.  The cleaned spots show lots of swirly scratches, I don't know if those were hiding under the grime or created by the wool.  I plan to clean a spot gently to see.

 

[SwampNut]

I haven't used this on anything super rusty, but mild oxidation and other surface issues on all metals mostly disappear.  I polished the XR pipe with really great results, but of course, it was not bad at all to start with (and not chrome obviously).

 

[superhawk996]

My guess is that the crusty stuff will shred it, and that it's too mild to remove heavy rust, but I should try it just in case.  I should also see if it'll remove the swirls.

[SwampNut]

I don't have anything with that type of rust to test.  I tried it on mild steel stored outside, it didn't shred, but that's more like a film and your is more like individual spikes.  I tried it on a piece of aluminum that was cut on the wood bandsaw with big teeth, it's uncomfortable to run your finger on, but didn't shred the polishing material.  Some fluff came off but not much.

 

 

 

 

 

[blackhawkxx]

It's hard not to get the swirls.  I had something marked down on a computer sticky note that was said to work well and all my sticky notes disappeared one day.  ☹️

[superhawk996]

I have two cans, both are dried out.  I get to wade through the yard to get to the mineral spirits.

[blackhawkxx]

Have you tried aluminum foil and pop?

 

 

[T REXX14]

Yea, best thing is foil and coke or dr. pepper. I have heard vinegar also but have not tried it. Then some type of polish/ simichrome to finish. Steel wool will always end up scratching chrome. The RD's and other Jap bikes had cheap chrome bits and rust easy. My RD400 was pretty well taken care of and still had rust on it.

[Biometrix]

S.O.S pads will not scratch chrome but Brillo will. I've used S.O.S over the years on chrome and in one case where my wife's boot heel melted onto one of my cruiser exhausts it was the only thing that worked. Just stop rubbing with the S.O.S once all the soapy stuff is gone and you just have steel wool left. 

[IcePrick]

FWIW, some of the silver powder coat stuff out there looks at least like polished stainless, if not quite the luster of real chrome.  If you find that the pits are too deep and/or it just doesn't meet your standards after polishing furiously, maybe powder coat is an option.  Not sure about the exhaust, but there are other answers for that as well.

[superhawk996]

1 hour ago, T REXX14 said:

Yea, best thing is foil and coke or dr. pepper.

I tried aluminum foil and water, it seemed to work much faster than the steel wool but scratched the fuck out of the chrome.  I wish I'd used it on a hidden area.  I think it's the rust particles doing the scratching, not the material being used to scrub.  Neverdull seems to do nothing for the crusty rust, just removes the lighter stuff, but doesn't scratch at all.  It also seems to do nothing for removing the scratches made with the wool and foil.

[superhawk996]

8 minutes ago, IcePrick said:

FWIW, some of the silver powder coat stuff out there looks at least like polished stainless, if not quite the luster of real chrome.

I considered that, and have been somewhat longing to play with my PC system again.  There are also paints that people say do a good job of faking chrome.

[T REXX14]

2 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

I tried aluminum foil and water, it seemed to work much faster than the steel wool but scratched the fuck out of the chrome.  I wish I'd used it on a hidden area.  I think it's the rust particles doing the scratching, not the material being used to scrub.  Neverdull seems to do nothing for the crusty rust, just removes the lighter stuff, but doesn't scratch at all.  It also seems to do nothing for removing the scratches made with the wool and foil.

Yes, Most likely the rust doing it. The foil should not be harder than the chrome. What I have done in the past if it is bad is hit it with WD40 let it sit a few hrs or even overnight. seems to loosen it up. Then take a flat blade screwdriver or a scraper. The edge needs to be good and flat and scrape off the large pcs. of rust. I try not to let the tool go past the rust area and just work on that a little and pop it off. Otherwise you will scratch it with the tool. Then with the foil keep flushing it to get the large chucks of rust off so it will not damage the rest of the chrome. when there is less rust you can get more aggressive with the foil. Yes it is time consuming. By the way, COOL BIKE!

Edited February 7 by T REXX14

[superhawk996]

1 hour ago, T REXX14 said:

What I have done in the past if it is bad is hit it with WD40 let it sit a few hrs or even overnight. seems to loosen it up.

Hadn't thunk of that, great idea.  If it does loosen it maybe a plastic scraper will get the chunky stuff off.  I tried it dry and the plastic just wasn't quite hard enough to make it happen.

[superhawk996]

2 hours ago, T REXX14 said:

By the way, COOL BIKE!

Yea, I dig it.  Technically it's a pile of shit compared to any modern bike (brakes, suspension, tires, etc.) but it's fun.  I feel bad for those behind me, but also enjoy making smoke clouds when I whack the throttle.  And the only reason I have it is because California wouldn't let me street register my XR650R because it doesn't meet street bike emissions requirements.  But the old two smoker is fine because it's a street bike.

[T REXX14]

16 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

Yea, I dig it.  Technically it's a pile of shit compared to any modern bike (brakes, suspension, tires, etc.) but it's fun.  I feel bad for those behind me, but also enjoy making smoke clouds when I whack the throttle.  And the only reason I have it is because California wouldn't let me street register my XR650R because it doesn't meet street bike emissions requirements.  But the old two smoker is fine because it's a street bike.

 Here is my vintage street ride. Yes they are not up to todays standards for sure! Don't feel bad for everybody behind you, fuck that. I get so many thumbs up it's not funny. I thinking of putting some chambers on it but stuck on the stock look and really not wanting to mess with jetting. Fun to putt around on though. 2 smokes forever!

Edited February 7 by T REXX14

[T REXX14]

17 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

Hadn't thunk of that, great idea.  If it does loosen it maybe a plastic scraper will get the chunky stuff off.  I tried it dry and the plastic just wasn't quite hard enough to make it happen.

Try plastic, I used metal and was careful. I could get under it and kinda pop it off.

[TOXXIC]

+1 on Never Dull. It is tedious but years ago I brought back a Honda Trail 110 or CT110 with tons of rust scales on it. Get a fresh new can, and try using the bottom of a rounded Craftsman handled or similar screwdriver while pushing down on the wadding against the wheel lip. Worked like a charm. Then again I had two prepubescent boys to do the work while I drank beer and barked out orders like, “press harder”. My oldest son still has that bike. He pulled the motor, split the case and resealed the whole god damn thing…I created a monster.

 

 

 

On 2/6/2024 at 6:06 PM, superhawk996 said:

Hadn't thunk of that, great idea.  If it does loosen it maybe a plastic scraper will get the chunky stuff off.  I tried it dry and the plastic just wasn't quite hard enough to make it happen.

 

[superhawk996]

After some experimenting I settled on fine steel wool with oil or diesel for lube.  Then I scrape off the chunky stuff with either a fingernail, screwdriver, or razor blade.  Then steel wool again.

 

I only attacked the left side of the handlebar.  I wasn't trying to capture the turn signals so they're mostly blocked, but you might notice that one of them things aint like the other.  Kinda funny, a shiny left bar and shiny right signal.  So weird that the left bar clamp is fine and the right is all fuckered up, but the bar and bolts are about the same on both sides.  Monday chrome vs. Friday chrome?

 

I also found it strange that the rear wheel is way more rusted than the front, and the left side of the rear is worse than the right.  I woulda thunk that chain lube fling-off would have given some protection, but it appears to have eaten the chrome instead.  Or maybe dirt and stuff flinging off the chain damaged the chrome leading to faster rusting?