Hot Rods Alternative method to sandblasting

I just got my 5th wheel/rim and it has some surface and kinda flaky rust on it. Is there another way like a pressure washer or some kind on Chemical that will remove rust?
Thanks, any help is appreciated.
Edited 3/4/2022 as I have made my mind up to stick with sandblasting as one member ("Beanscoot") has the Best info about future rust coming back as with water/liquid and any type of Solutions will seep into the folds of two put together metals like my two piece wheels/rims are. Beanscoot you deserve a Cigar, thanks.
MJ

 

Make your own rust remover with water and mol***es
Use electrolysis
Use Evaporust
Or use elbow grease which is free

 

Citric acid

 

A fair sized tumbler.

 

See a thread call " Rust Removal " posted by @1949daveplymouth on Nov. 22, 2021. There are several methods but the one that works best by far is citric acid. It's inexpensive, works extremely well, is environmentally friendly and is neutralized by baking soda.

 

I use citric acid. I think it’s the best route overall.

 

I really dislike rust.

 

Go to Amazon and buy some powdered citric acid and mix it with water. More is better.....to a point. Sit it in a bucket or plastic tote for about two weeks........if it isn't good enough, sit it back in for another week.
They also make adapters to hook sand blast to a pressure washer that does a pretty good job in the videos, but I haven't tried one.

 

You can find citric acid in most grocery stores in the canning supplies section. Cheap and effective. Also great for cleaning coffee makers.

 

Wire/abrasive wheel on a drill or die grinder. I've stripped entire frames by hand with them. Get to it!

 

The problem with chemical strippers is that they will seep into the gap between the two surfaces and be impossible to completely remove. This will cause a slow, but inevitable corrosion from inside.

If it's a single piece with no folds or overlap (which it is not in a steel wheel), no problem.

 

I'd sandblast them. Wait. What was the ***le?

 

Cheap white vinegar from the dollar store.

 

We have one at work that we call an aquablaster. Not sure if it's a trade name, but it does a great job on the parts we need to clean. Pretty sure it uses gl*** beads, leaves a nice satin finish, although the parts need to be rinsed/flushed to clean the silt residue off.

 

Citric acid,,,,,24 hours between the pics.

 

Another vote for citric acid.
You MIGHT find it in small containers at the grocery store in the baking aisle, but availability is pretty seasonal. Best to order a larger amount online. Once you see how well this works, you'll be using it on other things, too. You need a container, of course. I think a trashcan would accommodate two of your wheels. Fill it with water and mix in the acid... never in reverse. Place your wheels in the solution and leave it for as long as you need to. Be amazed that it removes every molecule of rust. Neutralize the acid with a solution of water and baking soda. If you totally immerse and soak your parts as they were in the acid solution, the acid WILL be neutralized in every nook and cranny. This process of rust removal leaves a thin dark coating that's removed fairly easily. The acid solution can be reused for a time. When you're ready to get rid of the old solution, mix in some baking soda and pour it on your lawn. The gr*** will like it.

 

will citric acid remove any paint or just the rust and corrosion?

 

if you have a good machine shop in your area i would ask them if they have a shot blaster/peen. i did some model a wire wheels for a guy and didnt want to try to blast them. they came back from the machine shop very clean with no more prep needed. i epoxy primed and then painted them. that was a few years ago and they still look good.

 

Agree 100%. I did a couple wheels in vinegar. Never again on anything with a blind seam. Impossible to neutralize the acid that gets in there.

 

I would think if you remove a part from the citric acid and then submerge it in water and baking soda, it should seep into the same cracks that the acid got into. They acid dip complete car bodies and then submerge them to neutralize the acid. Probably helps to agitate the solution some while its soaking.
Look again at the wheels in the OPs pictures. Rusted badly, and its a pretty sure bet that there is rust between the mating surfaces as well.
If there are areas that liquid can seep into but sand can't get to the surface, you would still develop rust. If you get the rust out and then paint the wheel, it should seal air out and prevent the formulation of rust for awhile. Honestly the only way to be sure would be to dis***emble the wheels, clean them, and re***emble them......but eventually they will rust again. I have a section of a door panel hanging in a tub right now............

 

sandblasting gives a surface that will be best for paint. any chemicals we can buy and use at home will leave residue or perhaps not remove all the rust causing possible paint issue down the road.

I like to do things only once, I'm weird like that.

 

I've had the best luck with rust like that using good old mol***es and water. You may have to scrub it after it has soaked for a day or so then put it back in for a little longer, but it does a pretty good job of getting down to clean original metal. There's no neutralizing, it's environmentally friendly and lasts a long time if you keep it covered. It does smell like mol***es cookies or oatmeal cookies though. Rinse with water and a Scotchbrite pad or lacquer thinner and a pad if you're afraid of instant rust.
Not sure why you don't want to sandblast or bead blast them though, that's probably the very best way.

 

I always hear guys talking about this, but my question is how much do you have to have to soak a 15” wheel and where do you buy these m***ive quan***ies from?

 

Mol***es, citric acid and oxalic acid work well...and cheap. Feed stores have mol***es in quan***y and citric and oxalic acid is easy to get from the interwebs. Mol***es is slow to remove rust, but works without damaging anything. I've found citric acid can etch smooth surfaces if mixed too strong or left in too long. The other day I needed to remove rust from a couple bumper over riders, but was out of mol***es and didn't have enough citric acid. I have some powdered oxalic acid I use for a different hobby, so decided to try it. After a day in the juice, they came out really nice, without hurting the chrome. First time I'd tried it on steel parts.

 

Yup, gets my vote and I've used them all.

 

For me “reverse electrolysis” is my favourite bar one! Second choice is Evaporust. I tried citric acid but want impressed....

 

In another Forum I did find that same method with a sandblaster kit adapted to a pressure washer, and yes I have one coming from Amazon and if it doesn't work its returnable for Free.

 

I just did a bunch of stuff with my electrolysis bath- Bicarb soda, water and a battery charger ( I have it hooked up to a solar panel), no acid to neutralise and you can pour the rusty water onto the garden.

 

I 2nd this!

No offense to JHansen, but if that is as good as citric acid can get it, than you are wasting your time! There is still plenty of rust left there.

The "Aquablast" I believe is the same as The Dustless Blast System which works good because of the gl*** beads used with the high pressure water.

I use the **** out of my blast cabinet...It is actually addictive!

If the OP lived closer, he would be more than welcome to use my cabinet for the 10 minutes it would take to do it right!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/