Electrolysis Everyone should try this. DIY.

Will it be ok to do this using a good battery and a charger on high ?

 

Neil, I'm doing this now. My calipers aren't as bad as the one you started with. They're turning out OK but nothing like in your second "finished" pic. What else did you do apart from the dipping - anything?

 

just a quick wire brush over when they came out ,did you make sure the battery was always on charge? and get a good connection on the wires?
i kept topping up the solution now and again with vinegar ,which seemed to make thing wake up when it looked like it wasnt doing anything

any pics?

did you look at the ones in post 29

 

No pics I'm afraid. Yes saw your other pics and realised they were (and looked) wire brushed. I was just curious about the earlier ones as you hadn't mentioned any brushing there.

The connection is good (but could maybe be better) and a nice constant supply of power. I guess the parts just need longer. How long did you leave a front caliper for?

 

its a while ago now i cant remember,but i basicly left them in until they came out good,i did so many items,some took a short time ,some quite a long time,looked like this half way through

 

Cheers Neil. Just think I need to give it all some more time.

 

just had a look through the thread ,in post 35 is how long it took

 

Thought I'd read this thread end to end. How did I miss that? Anyway, 5.5 hours in total - I need to leave mine longer

 

Some nice work in this thread - props to all those who've contributed

I've recently hashed up a proper ghetto electrolysis setup; constructed from an old oil container, old brake discs, bits of stray wire, a spare battery and a 3A charger the old man had spare.

It takes a while but works well; currently having a crack at some calipers and carriers. One carrier is just about finished:













It took about three days to get the carrier to the state above; being pulled out occasionally and wire brushed which seemed to help. The rusty crap seems to flake off within the first few hours, leaving the black stuff (Iron 3 oxide?) clinging to the metal. This comes off with a good brushing and more treatment, although it takes a while.

Bits of light surface rust can be seen on the part above (in the places I couldn't get to with the wire brush), although I think this is due to residual solution left on it's surface after removal.

Good stuff, and quite (sadly) absorbing to watch

 

Having a go at this myself at the moment the power consumption is pretty low at 10W on a fully charged battery.

 

I showed a work colleague how to do this during the week and he was very happy with his results.

 

Giving this a try on a small scale as we speak, ice cream container, old battery charger, bicarbonate of soda (all i had) on an old flakey exhaust clamp but will see how it goes! The old battery charger seems to be great, i'm not using a battery with it and it's still bubbling away to itself and dereusting.

Also using a horse shoe cos i cant be hooped going up to the garage for an old brake disk, lol.

 

I tried this today and so far it looks to be doing the trick. Am very happy with the results.

 

Pretty pleased with my first piece shame about the tar like Hammerite Smooth thats going on it now.

 

Bump for this thread as i need to find it again.

 

This is my setup and it works great my brake calipers come out like new pics to follow.

Hubs are next love this

 

Glad this thread is useful to people, I have been derusting some wishbone with this today. Maybe we could make this a sticky.

 

Been a great help to me ..thanks for starting this smudge

 

These are my rear calipers thought they were beyond saving but i was wrong a quick wire brush and as good as new and even the rubber seals come out as new? No sticking they work fine and no damage to the bore and piston

so paint tomorrow and back on with the build.

 

This is great! Gonna hook up a setup and give it a go. As I own an old MK2 I have plenty of rusty parts lying about!!