Does anyone have a good method for cleaning up and recycling old bolts? in the tear down a lot of bolts/nuts had surface rust or were really tough to break loose. i don't want to replace every single bolt but i don't want rusty old bolts on the new work i'm doing

 

my choice, wire wheel them.

 

try wire wheelin them just like you would any other rusty part. i think it brings out the shine and all that good stuff, slap some light oil on it(cant remember, but its like clear, metal protective oil, idk, lol) and put them back

thats what ive heard is done anyway...

 

Great! i'll try it

 

Bead blast if it's available

 

If anything I'd prime and spray the head of the bolts with some paint and then be careful putting them back on the vehicle in order not to scratch the paint off. This way they don't rust and look decent.

 

i usually just wire wheel them. then prime and paint

 

Wire wheel on a bench grinder...Pain in the butt though, takes awhile to do lots of bolts...

 

If they are just greasy/dirty, I soak them in greased lightning. I then take a fine wire wheel to them toclean up the metal then paint or powder coat if wanted.

If they are slightly rusted Ihaveuse acouple of options.

1) I soak them in phosphoric acid for several minutes to remove the rust. I then take a fine wire wheel to them to shine them up and paint or powder coat if wanted.

2) I media blast them in my blasting cabinet then paint or powder coat.

I prefer #2 but if the kids are sleeping and I don't feel like waiting I got with #1.

 

First I media plast or sand plast them, then I go place where they make zinc plating. Looks good as new, plating is corrose resistant and this is also cheap way.


All bolts, export brace, Monte Carlo bar and hood hinges are zinc plated.