cleaning rusty chains?

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Jul 1, 2005 | 02:52 PM

RICE H8R

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 890

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From: small town, north dakota

cleaning rusty chains?

We have a few chains laying around that are pretty nice, or were pretty nice anyway. They sat outside holding some things chained together, and started rusting. The rust now is everywhere...the whole chain is rust, though just surface I believe.

My question..what can be done to remove the rust from the chains? It'd be nice to have them back in a nice shape again.

Thanks alot guys! (and perhaps gals)

L8R,
Rice H8R

Jul 1, 2005 | 05:49 PM

sevenL4

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Joined: Mar 2004

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From: Klamath Falls

Put them in a cement mixer with some sand. Run it until they are clean

Jul 1, 2005 | 06:06 PM

kotzy

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Joined: Apr 2004

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Or find a gravel road and tow them a mile or so. Old U.S. Army trick.

Jul 1, 2005 | 06:30 PM

oldhalftons

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Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 3,439

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From: Spokane WA

you can put them in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. add a couple quarts of transmission fluid.

let is sit a while and turn the bucket over once in a while.

Jul 1, 2005 | 08:03 PM

fordguy101

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Joined: Sep 2004

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Or u could try some WD-40. I never have tried it but WD-40 is sposed 2 clean mostly anything that is rusty. fordguy101

Jul 1, 2005 | 09:40 PM

ALH

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the concrete mixer and sand is a great idea.

Jul 1, 2005 | 10:13 PM

gfe76

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muriatic acid will make them look new....just put chains in bucket and pour the acid in..

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Jul 2, 2005 | 01:55 PM

RICE H8R

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 890

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From: small town, north dakota

Quote:

Originally Posted by kotzy

Or find a gravel road and tow them a mile or so. Old U.S. Army trick.

That's what I thought we should do with them. It seems I drive gravel roads about 50% of the time anyway.

My dad said there was something you could place them in, but he thought it was antifreeze. I' guessin' he meant tranny fluid, but couldn't remember exactly.

Thanks for the input guys!

Jul 3, 2005 | 10:31 AM

#10

bigredtruckmi

Lead Driver

Joined: Jan 2005

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From: Huntington Indiana

how big and long are the chains?

Jul 6, 2005 | 03:00 AM

#11

tkondro

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Joined: Jun 2004

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From: Saskatoon

I agree the cement mixer and sand is a helluva idea

Jul 6, 2005 | 08:52 AM

#12

RICE H8R

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 890

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From: small town, north dakota

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigredtruckmi

how big and long are the chains?

I'm not really sure on the exact specs, but they are about 20ft. long and the links are probably 1" wide or so. There are 3 or 4 chains and they vary in size, though they are all fairly similar.

Jul 10, 2005 | 09:02 AM

#13

oldmaninva

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2005

Posts: 174

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From: Lynchburg Virginia.

Soak them in a bucket of Red Devil lye and water for 2 or three days then in a bucket of vinager. This will clean them up but dragging on a dirt road is the easy way.