surface rust

got some on my new carrier (D30) havent installed it yet, whats the best way to clean it off? do i need to? is it ruined?

i'd take the carrier to a local machine shop and tell them you need to have the carrier glass bead blasted. its just like sand blasting but a lot less damaging to the good metal. i had this same problem with my detroit lockers when i got them. i let them sit on the bench in my very humid garage for 2 weeks, out of the packaging. i was pissed. after glass beaing,
all was good.

If you let a Jeep sit for along time without any use, wouldn't the same thing happen to the carrier once installed?

I'm sure it just disintegrates once you start driving again.

I would never sand blast or bead blast anything that goes in an engine, tranny, or front/rear end. It always seems no matter how hard you try to get all of the grit off after blasting that you will miss a small bit of it that is now inside doing it's work. Spray some PB blaster, or AeroKroil on it, and wipe it down. Let is sit for a few days soaking, and wipe it down again.

mccastlej said:

I would never sand blast or bead blast anything that goes in an engine, tranny, or front/rear end. It always seems no matter how hard you try to get all of the grit off after blasting that you will miss a small bit of it that is now inside doing it's work. Spray some PB blaster, or AeroKroil on it, and wipe it down. Let is sit for a few days soaking, and wipe it down again.

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good advice. a good penetrating lube will like PB Blaster will break down most of the surface rust (thats how it works to free up frozen bolts) without adding additional contaminates.

also, once installed i would periodicaly check your diff fluid for signs of contaminates. just unscrew the fill plug and check with your finger. or you could pull the cover, catch the oil and if its still good put it back in with a bit of pice of mind that all is ok.

the gear oil will keep further rust from developing.

hth
stewie

If you need some mechanical action to help remove the rust, after soaking in the various oils, I would start with a clean rag and graduate to a scotch brite pad at the most aggressive. Only a rag on any actual metal to metal contact surfaces like the face of gear teeth.

I don't see how a tiny bit of surface rust on the carrier would likely cause any problem, like suggested, try to remove as much as possible without doing any damage, install it and just do the first couple of oil changes early, most likely the axle fluid will break up and remove the rust with use.

Now rust on the bearings, gear teeth faces, I could see that being a problem, but doing anything other than letting oil dissolve it and rubbing with a clean rag, would likely do more damage than the light rust.