Cleaning wishbones.

[TVRmuppet]

The next job is to clean the rust off the wishbones. This will be by electrolysis. A bowl of washing soda with a battery charger wired to the wishbone and an anode in the solution. This will clean off everything. I will then use an ultrasonic thickness meter to check the material left before painting. T'will post results.

[seasider]

[poorpeet]

Er, I think I understand but could you explain it in a bit more detail.
Will this get just the rust off? Whats to stop it stripping the good metal as well?
If it works why is this the first I've heard of it?
Sorry if I'm being thick but physics classes were a long, long time ago!

[TVRmuppet]

Fe+ ions go to cathode i.e. wishbone and O- ions go to anode. Tried and tested in kit car schene. All rust goes, every bit.

[victormeldrew]

Every bit? Not sure if you are planning to paint with POR15, if you are then will you have a suitable surface for it to adhere?

[Cider Andy]

You have an iron cathode (the wishbone) in solution of sodium carbonate (the washing soda). Where are the iron ions coming from that are going to be deposited on the cathode? Surely what you'll really get at the cathode is hydrogen? Or are you using an iron anode?

[GreenV8S]

I assume the goal is to convert rust back to iron. Given the mechanical properties of rust, I doubt that there is any benefit to the strength of the wishbone, so you are probably no better off than using any old acidic rust converter - but no worse off, either.

[bunglist]

If you have to take them off your car to do this why dont you just buy some new ones they are not that expensive. About £150 top and bottom per side, I think!!!!!

[TVRmuppet]

Thats £300 oh what it is to be rich :P

[bunglist]

TVRmuppet said:

Thats £300 oh what it is to be rich :P

Christ, thats peanuts, well I thought it was cheap

[Red V8]

bunglist said:

If you have to take them off your car to do this why dont you just buy some new ones they are not that expensive. About £150 top and bottom per side, I think!!!!!

Sounds good to me... or whatever happened to a good old wire brush and an electric drill... or a pop down to the local shot blasting firm??