Sandblasting/Hub rust removal

[Louis]

Bought some used 60mm hubs to press new bearings into but i'm wanting to clean them up of all their rust whilst i'm at it.

I had thought sandblasting, but hoping to avoid removing the ABS sensors as they always break. Is this doable if i tape it all up beforehand?
A while back I used to use electrolysis to remove the rust off my classics parts, maybe this is something it'd be decent for? Just have to submerge the parts first and not sure how the ABS sensors would take to this.

What've you done that gets the best results?

 

[MarcB]

DO NOT sand blast as it will just rust again due to the sand itself

Vapour blasting with ceramic bead is what you want but you need to watch as a lot of people dont use the ceramic bead due to it being expensive so the do use the sand.
The ceramic bead is used with warm water to blast all the rust and rubbish off and this is the finish it leaves regardless of the water.

Here is a picture of my hubs before vapour blasting and then a picture after.
This is my inlets and rocker cover also. This was done almost exactly a year ago and it still looks the exact same with no marking on them.

 

[Mr R.]

Do not sand blast as it will just rust again due to the sand itself.

Vapour blasting with ceramic bead is what you want.
Here is a picture of my hubs before vapour blasting and then a picture after.

Here is my inlets and rocker cover also. This was done almost exactly a year ago and it still looks the exact same.

The difference is though mate that your bits are alloy and needed to be a nice finish.
If you blast steel hubs and paint them straight after then they will be fine. But if the are left then the damp will get to them and start them rusting again.

I've had cast iron calipers shot blasted with no issues and tbh the amount of rust on something like a hub or calipers properly needs shot blasting.

 

[MarcB]

Im having the steel parts of my hubs that connect them together and all you need to do is cover them heavily in WD40.

The steel sections that I am getting cleaned up are being sprayed so I wont have that issue but for cleaning stuff up I would swear by vapour blasting.

 

[Gus]

Louis , I've got a much better idea.

Buy bilthamber deox c crystals. Mix them in a bucket of warm water and leave the hubs in there for a few days giving them a quick wire brush every other day.

They will come up looking new. This is the better option as it won't affect tollerances etc.

Honestly Google it. Deox c is the s**t !

But like @Phase1sr says , once out get them protected with paint, plating or powdercoated straight away to avoid rust.

 

[Louis]

They look great Marc, but maybe slightly overkill just for the hubs? I'm intending on painting them anyways, so not looking for the best finish in the world.

Louis , I've got a much better idea.

Buy bilthamber deox c crystals. Mix them in a bucket of warm water and leave the hubs in there for a few days giving them a quick wire brush every other day.

They will come up looking new. This is the better option as it won't affect tollerances etc.

Honestly Google it. Deox c is the s**t !

But like @Phase1sr says , once out get them protected with paint, plating or powdercoated straight away to avoid rust.

I'll have to have a look at those! Never heard of the deox crystals. I am worried about the balljoint pinch on these used hubs after reading marks issues a while back, but im sure they'll be fine. But like you say, sandblasting will have an effect on the tolerances.

It's either that or a thorough going over with a wire brush on a drill/grinder. I'll just leave the old bearings in for now so i don't damage the internal wall.

 

[Louis]

@Gus Those deox crystals look amazing! I like the idea of just being able to submerge them in a bucket in my basement.
Will it be okay used with the ABS sensors?

 

[Gus]

@Gus Those deox crystals look amazing! I like the idea of just being able to submerge them in a bucket in my basement.
Will it be okay used with the ABS sensors?

I left the sensors on. Made it easy to lift them out of the bucket by using the sensor cable. The sensors are impossible to remove without breaking them anyway.

 

[Louis]

I left the sensors on. Made it easy to lift them out of the bucket by using the sensor cable. The sensors are impossible to remove without breaking them anyway.

And the sensors were still working okay afterwards? That's my issue, i'm not really wanting to fork out on 2 new abs sensors!

 

[Louis]

Deox C bought, cheers gus.

 

[Jekyll]

You can buy cheap ABS sensors off ebay that work perfectly fine.

Ive had mine on since january after i blasted my hubs and had no issues with lights or fitting. Saves trying to tape up the originals and makes sense to change them while the hubs are out for what little cost they are.

 

[Coops Mk1]

I just wire brushed my hubs and hammerite hammered black them