Rusty bolts...

[G-Cracker]

I'm beginning to see some rust pop up here and there on the small hex bolts on my bike, with the worst being the large ones that hold the rear shock arm to the frame. So after getting pounded by rain on my ride home, I'd like to stop the rust. I wipe the bike down thouroughly so I know there won't be any new rust beginning, but I want to get ride of the small amount of rust there already is.

So I'm thinking that I will remove the bolts, steel-wool them till sparkly-clean.... but then what should I protect them with? Nail polish? Clearcoat paint? Grease? Metal polish? I want to keep them from rusting again, but I also don't want to use a covering that goes on too thick and make the hex-hole smaller. What do you all do for your steel parts?

thanks! :monkey:

[oldfart]

Usually a wipe down does wonders. Mine all have a thin coat of grease because during all the routine maintenance with gresy fingers and tools they can't help get coated. I'm guessing that you don't keep your bike in a heated dry place? When it gets colder outside you need that to properly dry the bike. Then agin where you live might just be really humid and things won't dry well and a little rust is inevitable.

[G-Cracker]

Hey OF....

I do keep my bike inside.. heated and dry, but yes here in KC it is quite humid. What I also did not mention is I bought this bike used and the rust that is there was there when I got it. I keep it pretty clean and dry... but now that I know I want to keep it, I want to start really cleaning any/all rust and protecting it so it doesn't get any worse than it is.

The bike came from Seattle, so it was nice and wet there, too. Everything else on the bike is rust-free... just some steel bolts here and there. After I clean the bolts up, I'll put a thin coat of grease to protect... thanks for your help!

[johnbryanpeters]

I think you are describing the hexagonal socket in the head of an Allen bolt. They all seem to start to rust after a while. I put a drop of oil in them every once in a while. You can slow rust down, but you can't stop it.

J

[Kornphlake]

go to your local hardware store and get some Naval Jelly. It is some nasty stuff that turns rust into butter and wipes right off. Supposedly it will leave a layer of oxide on steel similar to annodization on aluminum that will keep it from rusting. I actually haven't tried using it on my bolts and such where rust could reappear but I used it in the trunk of my car that had a bad seal and filled up with rain water and sat for several months before I realized it. After 10 minutes I had gotten rid of about 5 months worth of rust.

[G-Cracker]

Originally posted by johnbryanpeters
I think you are describing the hexagonal socket in the head of an Allen bolt....

Yep... those are exactly what I'm talking about. Thanks for all the info, everyone.

[oldfart]

oxide on steel is called rust.