WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[mat in tn]

It doesn't affect aluminum, in my experience.

But it turns iron oxide (red) to clear iron oxylate...

I remember selling oxalic acid when I worked at ace hardware in the 80s. it was sold as wood bleach for removing stains on decks.

[Nothing Special]

It doesn't affect aluminum, in my experience.

But it turns iron oxide (red) to clear iron oxylate...

Does the clear iron oxylate come off easily? I'm trying to get the wheel back to the polished aluminum, just lightening the rust won't do that, I need to get it off without damaging the clear coat.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Does the clear iron oxylate come off easily? I'm trying to get the wheel back to the polished aluminum, just lightening the rust won't do that, I need to get it off without damaging the clear coat.

If the rust has stained the wheel's clearcoat the only thing that's going to get completely rid of it is stripping the clear coat off and having the wheel polished.

But I can guarantee that iron does not change back to oxide (rust) once treated.

[Nickelplate]

another thing that can make a steering wheel feel "touchy" is if someone over tightened the steering gear. often an adjustment gets adjusted unnecessarily. too tight and the wedge-shaped output shaft pushes the drum against the off side of the housing bore creating drag. this causes the wheel to feel less responsive to turns or return.

Interesting. As far as I know, no one has touched the adjustment on the steering box. I can check it, though, thanks!

[ArdWrknTrk]

I remember selling oxalic acid when I worked at ace hardware in the 80s. it was sold as wood bleach for removing stains on decks.

If you have a cedar deck or oak/other acidic trees overhead the tannic acid (tanning leather) will cause iron tannate to form.

This is black. In fact fur trappers used to boil their traps in oak bark, changing them black and keeping them from rusting.

But nails in a cedar deck, or even leaves sitting on the deck will cause ions to leach into the surrounding wood fibers.

[mat in tn]

I remember selling oxalic acid when I worked at ace hardware in the 80s. it was sold as wood bleach for removing stains on decks.

If you have a cedar deck or oak/other acidic trees overhead the tannic acid (tanning leather) will cause iron tannate to form.

This is black. In fact fur trappers used to boil their traps in oak bark, changing them black and keeping them from rusting.

But nails in a cedar deck, or even leaves sitting on the deck will cause ions to leach into the surrounding wood fibers.

I remember my dad treating his traps like that. he was a hobby woodsman back then. back in the early 1980s he moved to Maine to go off grid. nothing but woods. he started from nothing but a new stihl, a rusted out landcruiser and my stepmother with the same idea.

[Nothing Special]

If the rust has stained the wheel's clearcoat the only thing that's going to get completely rid of it is stripping the clear coat off and having the wheel polished.

But I can guarantee that iron does not change back to oxide (rust) once treated.

I don't need to convert the rust into something else, I need to remove it. The toothpaste method seems to be doing that pretty well, and as far as I can tell is leaving the surface good as new. It's a lot of work, but it's cheaper than having to get the wheel repolished and recoated. I might eventually give up, but for now I'll keep trying what seems to be working.

(next post on the Dodge)

[mat in tn]

I don't need to convert the rust into something else, I need to remove it. The toothpaste method seems to be doing that pretty well, and as far as I can tell is leaving the surface good as new. It's a lot of work, but it's cheaper than having to get the wheel repolished and recoated. I might eventually give up, but for now I'll keep trying what seems to be working.

(next post on the Dodge)

wax on. wax off. repeat as necessary

[ArdWrknTrk]

I don't need to convert the rust into something else, I need to remove it. The toothpaste method seems to be doing that pretty well, and as far as I can tell is leaving the surface good as new. It's a lot of work, but it's cheaper than having to get the wheel repolished and recoated. I might eventually give up, but for now I'll keep trying what seems to be working.

(next post on the Dodge)

You need to make it disappear.

Nothing short of sanding it off is going to get rid of iron ions.

But iron oxylate is transparent.....

[FordFETruck]

You need to make it disappear.

Nothing short of sanding it off is going to get rid of iron ions.

But iron oxylate is transparent.....

Did quite a bit today. Replaced that rear fuel tank vent valve, the vent hose, the vent hoses at the T/Y connection along the passenger side frame rail. Mounted my new LT265/75/R16 spare tire and had to modify the carrier slightly. The big plastic wing nut that holds the tire to the carrier bar the threads weren't quite long enough with the wider tire for some reason so I found a long bolt the same thread pitch and made it work. I somewhat have to use a wrench now to get the wing nut loose since its not a square carriage bolt, but I actually found it easier than reaching up top and loosening it by hand and I carry lots of tools so not a big deal. Also put new rear shocks on as well.

Also, PSA to anyone who ever worked at Draw Tite, make a trailer hitch that the bolting flange doesn't stick over past the frame rail lip to the inside of the frame for no reason, so you don't have to drop the trailer hitch to take the gas tank out. That's the third time I've had that heavy chunk of steel on and off over the years.