Anyone have good luck using electrolysis to remove rust from wheels?

[MA1920]

After getting the tires off the rims, I was somewhat surprised that the rust wasn't worse than it is. There was one small hole that need a patch welded. Where the pitting was severe, some welding and grinding helped out. I'd like to remove the remaining paint and rust then repaint. Would using electrolysis be better, faster, and or easier than sandblasting? I'd appreciate your results. Thank you.

 

[goeduck]

You sure would need a big tank to do electrolysis unless you do it at the bottom in a tank multiple times and rotate the wheel around. I would sandblast if I had the equipment. No surprise that the drum did not have much rust, the rust forms with oxygen and the oxygen depletes inside the wheel. At the stem leak there is plenty of oxygen to create the rust.

 

[joecdeere]

I’ve done many rims with electrolysis, works great, as said you do need a large tank, I use the kiddie wading pools I get at Wal-Mart
real cheap at the end of summer for larger pieces. For really wide rims you might have to flip them over to get it all done

 

[DJ54]

I haven't done rims,but have done a lot of salvaged metal tubing, plow moldboards, and garden tractor planter attachments. My tank is an old 110 gallon rubber water trough I don't use anymore. Works great for larger items.

Here are some spokes out of some conduit reels I did several years back, in a before & after picture. Buffed it off with a 4" knotted cup brush on my angle grinder.

I'm seeing a few guys using Ospho https://www.acehardware.com/departm...leaning-and-disinfectants/rust-removers/13868 with good results. Anyone here that has tried it..?? Thought I might try a gallon, and see if the process is any quicker, or for pieces that may be too big for my tank.

 

[s219]

Ospho looks like "rust converter". I have had good luck with it over the years but only use it on stuff with light surface rust. Doesn't clean off the rust, it converts it to a blackish iron phosphate coating that takes paint well.

I have never tried electrolysis, but muriatic acid works well to eat the rust off steel. I have soaked parts in an acid/water solution with good luck. Only done it in small quantities. I would be nervous to do it on something large like a wheel, since that would be a pretty big volume of acid/water to dispose of afterwards.

 

[Baby Grand]

I've used Ospho with good results, but as S219 said, it really needs to be painted afterwards. The iron phosphate coating is pourrus, so it will start to rust again if not sealed with a good coat of paint. My wife collects cast iron cookware, finding "rusty gold" at tag sales for great prices, then either does electrolysis with washing soda and a battery charger (outgasses hydrogen, so do it in a well vented space), soaks it in a tank of lye, or uses Evaporust, which is her latest go-to method. Regardless how you get the rust off, you should really paint the metal, or you'll be doing it all over again. As soon as you strip the rust and dry it off, it will likely start to "flash rust".
That's why I'd suggest wire brushing to get all the loose rust off, treat with Ospho, then paint. Or take them to a wheel shop and let them strip & paint, which may actually be less expensive if you're not planning on doing other parts.

 

[MossRoad]

I haven't done rims. I did build a pool out of 2X12's and thick black plastic sheeting large enough to hold the metal front step iron railings. The pool was probably 6-7' square and about a foot deep. I used my DC arc welder as a power source.

The keys are to put the piece up off the bottom, and have plenty of sacrificial anodes spaced around the outside at somewhat even intervals. The electrolysis is kinda directional since it's DC. So if you put an anode only on one side, the side of the work piece towards the anode will only get effected. To anodes on opposite sides are the bare minimum.

Would your rims fit into a plastic 55 gallon drum with the top cut off? I think the standard diameter is 23". I have several of those plastic drums that we cut in half to use as beer coolers for family parties, and as tadpole rearing tanks in spring.

 

[WranglerX]

Electrolysis works.... Have not done any wheels but have salvaged several pulleys for antique engine and stampmill restorations and other metal items... Main thing is have good low voltage power supply ( I used old school 12V battery charger- new style electronic ones will probably not work), get polarity correct and enough sacrificial anodes to do the job.... IMMEDIATELY after removing item from tank wash and dry thoroughly, and prep surfaces and paint. because rust will begin to form almost immediately after doing process....

Dale

 

[MA1920]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. We can learn so much by listening to the experience of others. I have an old 100 gallon plastic stock tank which should be big enough for 1 wheel at a time. A few questions on the electrolysis process:
1) is anything added to the water to aid in the process?
2) what is a good anode?
3) how do I determine the number of anodes?
4) I assume the anodes can't touch the piece being "de-rusted"?

Bob

 

[goeduck]

This is a good video that describes the process. You need washing soda (not baking soda)

Rust Removal by Electrolysis: Use in the Restoration of Machinery - YouTube