Cleaning rust question

[k5 krawler 50]

I just got a steering box to throw on the blazer, and its pretty rusty. I was going to throw it in the solvent tank, but do you think that will mess up the inside of the box, and will it help get the rust off? What are some other ideas on cleaning the rust off? Thanks for the help.
Cory

 

[Emmettology 101]

I just got a steering box to throw on the blazer, and its pretty rusty. I was going to throw it in the solvent tank, but do you think that will mess up the inside of the box, and will it help get the rust off? What are some other ideas on cleaning the rust off? Thanks for the help.
Cory

I'd use a drill or 4.5" angle grinder and a wire wheel...

 

[k5 krawler 50]

Thanks for the quick reply,I was thinking about using the wire wheel, i was just looking for some other options as for cleaning it by a liquid, and if solvent was going to mess up the box in any way. Any more ideas would help, thanks.
cory

 

[tx_sub]

i'm not familiar with the innards of a steering box, but if there are any rubber seals, the solvent could eat those. my .02 if you happened to overlook that.

 

[k5 krawler 50]

thats a good point really didnt think of that. Has any body ever cleaned their steering box with solvent, or cleaned any thing that carries fluid? thanks
cory

 

[Emmettology 101]

Squirting it with some would probably be fine.. But I would'nt submerse it in solvent..

 

[diesel4me]

I wouldnt submerge it either...

I think it would ruin the seals in the box if you dunk it in a cleaning tank--some of that cleaning stuff is pretty caustic...you could tape up the shafts and smear some grease around them,and have it sandblasted at a machine shop,as long as they are careful not to direct the sand at the critical areas of the pitman arm and steering colum shaft,and you clean it off carefully with brake cleaner and compressed air,you should have no trouble--I've done several of them,and nothing beats a sandblaster for getting all the rust out,even in pitted areas--leaves it ready for a nice paint job--just use care when blasting it....

 

[ryoken]

we used to do the same in our blast cabinet... duct tape works well for sealing off areas...