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Care and Painting of Front Hubs

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by culls, May 8, 2013.

  1. May 8, 2013
    culls

    culls Member

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    So I've got my front hubs off the spindles at long last. As we've all seen, they're really flipping rusty, and I want to de-rust them and get them painted so they won't be getting all rusted up again.

    A friend suggested oven cleaner, since I haven't been able to find an affordable media blaster. Will this work very well? If not then I'm not going to be too worried because mom needs oven cleaner every now and then.

    What kind of paint should I use, and what surfaces should I try to keep paint off of? For example, I know I need to keep it off the stud threads, but should I also grease the interior to keep paint off it as well?
     
  2. May 8, 2013
    Danefraz

    Danefraz Well-Known Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Chico CA
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    I used muratic acid 34% from the hardware store. Less than 20 bucks a gallon. This stuff is hot, smokes in the open air, seems to smoke more if humid. Use it outside. Protective gear applies! Read labels so you don't get burned. Will naturally loose potency by reacting with air...

    I tried oven cleaner. It gets airborn, aerosolized. Gets spray on you, it's like sunburn, irritating. Need to use vinegar to neutralize it. Didn't like it at all, results or the chemical peel.

    I used muratic acid, yogurt containers and hot food delivery trays (microwave safe) to remove rust from assorted parts and nuts/ bolts. Be careful when putting parts into, or pouring over parts.

    5 to 15 minutes and you have clean metal. Shake gently / vibrate to move parts occasionally...

    If you desire to dispose of it, 1 cup and two gallons of water in a sprinkle can, and a floor brush... You have shiny, mildly etched concrete after... Great prep to epoxy your garage floor... Burns itself out quickly.

    A lot of water and down the drain also neutralizes it, cleans your pipes, eats the tur, i mean waste and runs out in sewer. No idea on septic system interaction.

    D
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2013
  3. May 8, 2013
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    Oven cleaner will remove old paint, won't do much for rust.

    A "siphon" type sandblaster is not much money ($20), will work from a bucket of grit. If you have air. Or hire a shop to do it.

    Some rags stuffed into the hub will keep the paint out, but if you use grit you will need to seal the hubs totally, and/or completely clean them after.

    Rustoleum or equivalent would be my choice for paint.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2013
  4. May 8, 2013
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Toilet bowl cleaner will remove the rust in a hurry. Do NOT put aluminum or other soft metals in it, and paint them soon because they will flash rust in no time.
     
  5. May 8, 2013
    WorkInProgress

    WorkInProgress Member

    Kennewick, Wa
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    if you use rustoleum in my opinion its a great paint but if you apply it even a tiny bit thick, it will take 2-3 days to dry. so make sure you do very light coats and I do each coat about 30-45 minutes apart. and once its fully cured it seems to be a great paint
     
  6. May 9, 2013
    culls

    culls Member

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    We don't have air in the barn (and usually not electricity), and I haven't been able to find a shop that'll do it affordably. Guess I'll be trying either the muriatic acid or toilet bowl cleaner?
     
  7. May 9, 2013
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    CLR or its generic equivalent will remove rust. Again, it will etch aluminum parts, so long exposure is a bad idea.

    I like Aluthane - http://www.epoxyproducts.com/aluthane.html - gone through a couple of quarts. Follow the advice about resealing. Bill Hirsch Miracle paint is another similar product - http://www.hirschauto.com/products.asp?dept=3

    For hubs, I would leave the aluminum parts alone and spray paint the iron parts with barbeque black (I usually buy True Value spray paints, but Rustoleum is similar).

    Ok, this is about the hubs, not the locking hubs. Black 2K epoxy primer is likely the most effective choice, if you get all the rust off. The machined surfaces need to be protected, but a tin coat of paint won't hurt the function of the wheel mounting surfaces or wheel studs. If you spray, you can protect the wheel studs with a thin coating of grease. The studs aren't supposed to be greased normally, but it should be sufficient to wipe them off before assembly. If you don't want to use the 2K product, I still recommend the spray can of barbeque black. Rusting cast iron isn't much of a problem - the factory leaves bare cast iron exposed in many places on your Jeep.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2013
  8. May 9, 2013
    culls

    culls Member

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    Ok, which surfaces are the "machined surfaces"?

    [​IMG]

    And here's the pic I should've provided at the opening of the thread, just so we could all be on the same page.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2013
  9. May 9, 2013
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    The wheel mounting surface is machined. I would clean it and paint it though. The places where the bearing races are installed are machined. I would stuff a rag in the center and protect the races that way. The surface where the locking hub is mounted is machined. But it's rusty enough that a thin coat of paint won't hurt it.

    JMO - I would take a wire brush to the rust to remove the loose surface rust. Then I would use Eastwood Rust Encapsulator and just paint them. Or Aluthane... but Rust Encapsulator can be had in black, as can the Hirsh paint. RE is quite thick and gloppy, so I would be careful not to have much build-up on the mounting surfaces. http://www.amazon.com/Eastwood-Rust-Encapsulator-Paint-Black/dp/B001E1LFEE

    I also have some of this - works pretty well. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HBNX38/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=automotive I'd top coat with barbeque black.
     
  10. May 9, 2013
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    I would be going Patrick's route using bowl cleaner-I use "The Works" brand. It should clean those up nicely but best to use in a heavy plastic pan, definately not aluminum.

    I would also be using a galvanizing type primer and just Rustoleum gloss black. Realize that the first time you mount the wheels, some of that paint is going to be missing no matter what you put on them and the regular paint will stick fine on the rest if preped well. If you were using them with a full float on the rear, epoxy would be better because those tend to get a lot more gravel chips.
     
  11. May 9, 2013
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    Make sure whatever chemical you use to remove rust you neutralize it. I've ruined a couple cast parts because I did not.
     
  12. May 9, 2013
    oddfirejeeper

    oddfirejeeper Active Member

    Hamilton, MI
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    the works works awesome. also use it to clean the bottoms of boats and takes rust off metal but like everyone else said make sure you neutralize with water.
     
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