Removing corrosion on wire wheels?

[Bpreynolds2]

Removed the tire from my Cali Stone project and found this, a lot of corrosion mainly on the inside of the wheel.  Any thoughts/ideas on getting this off and treating after?  I’ve even been googling to see if you can blast and/or powder coat them.  Or maybe just a wire wheel to remove the corrosion then treat? 

[dsrdave]

I’d wire brush it and coat with por 15. I use a tire mounting wax for mounting tires. Otherwise the moisture is trapped and causes corrosion

[John A]

I’ve been treating those with Ospho, a conversion coating from a hardware store, that turns the rust to a passive oxidation coating. I brush off the chunks and spray or brush it on. It needs the rust to work so I don’t have to do much rust removal. If it’s not painted and water gets on it tends to re activate and form a little white powder sometimes.  I don’t know about using POR15, that is good paint but on a wheel it could glue the tire to the rim permanently. Might work fine though for it sets up hard.

[Bpreynolds2]

I’ve been treating those with Ospho, a conversion coating from a hardware store, that turns the rust to a passive oxidation coating. I brush off the chunks and spray or brush it on. It needs the rust to work so I don’t have to do much rust removal. If it’s not painted and water gets on it tends to re activate and form a little white powder sometimes.  I don’t know about using POR15, that is good paint but on a wheel it could glue the tire to the rim permanently. Might work fine though for it sets up hard.

Hey John, maybe this stuff is also the ticket for flushing the corroded breather area interior of the frame?  I’m about to do that as well since there is a ton of orange gunk in my frame and such. 

[TN Mark]

0000 steel wool works great at removing the rust on chrome parts.

[John A]

I don’t think it would work on the frame breather because it would just sit on the oil film. If the frame is bare,You could really clean the  inside and then it would work.

[malik]

Chromed steel rims tend to rust inside. The best treatment I've comes across is always blasting & powdercoating the inside. It means removing the spokes, so might as well get new stainless spokes & brass (?) nipples.
I haven't gone that far yet - just wire brush, then rust converter, followed by an appropriate paint then a lacquer. You can use a new rim tape, or use self-amalgamating tape (from the chandlers) instead. Good for several years.

[Bpreynolds2]

0000 steel wool works great at removing the rust on chrome parts.

Hey Mark, I am hitting the outside with that and water as the pitting and corrosion on outside is nowhere near as this inside.  Before posting I did try water and 0000 wool to very little effect at all on the heavier corrosion inside. 

Much thanks to responses here.  For now, I think I’m going to wire brush it and then treat with Ospho as John suggests.  I did have plans to seal the rim and go tubeless but now not sure.  The sealant I had plans to use may not stick as well to this treatment but not sure.

[chuck peterson]

0000 steel wool works great at removing the rust on chrome parts.

It does but,……..
Steel scratches chrome, even 0000, just smaller harder to see scratches, dulling the finish.

Try a copper wool. At the hardware store you can find it in a box of “Chore Boy”. I’ve had incredible success on mid 70’s Italian moped chrome.





Combine it with some 3M Stainless Steel cleaner and polish. It’s like skin lotion for metal. Cleans dirt off, buffs to a polish for protection. Leaves a buffed non greasy clean bright metal behind. Quite striking

[sign216]

Instead of copper pads, get bronze wool.  Bronze is harder than copper, but softer than steel.  Remember your history; the ancients moved from copper to bronze weapons because bronze is harder and stronger.  Hence, the Bronze Age.

You can find bronze wool at hardware stores hear seaports (sorry, Mid-west guys).

[chuck peterson]

Aha! Even better..

[Bpreynolds2]

Duly noted!  I think I will try the 3M stuff and the bronze pad on the outside.  On the inside I’ve changed my mind a bit and have decided to hit it with the brush, clean it up, seal the wheel (go tubeless), take pictures and then inspect/compare again on my next set of wheels.