Surface Rust on Axle Shafts

IslanderOffRoad

NAXJA Forum User

NAXJA Member

Location

Houston, Tx

• Dec 25, 2008

• #1

I did a dumb thing.

I'm in the middle of getting a new dana 30 built, and when I stripped it down I left the shafts outside. It rained. Now I have little yellow surface rust spots on the shafts, including the seal areas.

What should I do to fix it? Sandpaper?

 

XJ Stryker

WHO DAT!

Location

Smiths Station, Al

• Dec 25, 2008

• #2

Emory cloth

 

IslanderOffRoad

NAXJA Forum User

NAXJA Member

Location

Houston, Tx

• Dec 25, 2008

• #3

XJ Stryker said:

Emory cloth

Click to expand...

Where do I get such a thing?

 

kingmeirl

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Cumming, GA

• Dec 25, 2008

• #4

any home depot or lowes or the such. It should be in the plumbing department for sanding copper pipe to solder (im a plumber and use the stuff daily). don't use the stuff that looks like sandpaper on a roll, get the stuff that has square holes and looks like more of a mesh. that stuff rocks and doesn't go bad as quickly as the other stuff..

 

B

Blaine B.

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Northwest Indiana

• Dec 25, 2008

• #5

I don't see why they wouldn't rust when installed either as the end of the tubes are left open and exposed to the elements. Unless you had tube seals installed, which I do. But even then water probably still makes its way in, but without the mud, sand, and other debris that can screw up the inner seals.

 

8Mud

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Central Germany

• Dec 25, 2008

• #6

A brass brush will probably take the surface rust off without messing with the steel any. Use a rust dissolving spray oil or penetrating oil as you brush. Or even old Dexron or Dexron Acetone mix as a penetrating oil.

 

stewie

NAXJA Forum User

Location

the Union of Socialist States, Amerika

• Dec 25, 2008

• #7

dont forget to coat the shafts with a light coat of oil (motor oil, diff fluid, atf, etc will all work) to prevent futher rust.

i have had some small amounts of surface rust on my front shafts after i did my gears. i just took a rag and whiped some gear oil on the shafts. there was no rust on the seal areas though. i have had no ill effects.