midpack 1,011 #1 Posted November 23, 2020 I have a chrome hubcap that had quite a bit of light pitting. It had an overall "orange" sheen to it, even after I tried the polish cloth I use that works well usually. I recalled someone I work with telling me about using wet aluminum foil. I tore off a piece, crumbled it a bit, ran it under the faucet then started rubbing it on the hubcap. I have to say, it did an incredible job! Even my wife was impressed with how well it did 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 66,945 #2 Posted November 23, 2020 Awesome! Did you take before and after pics? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
midpack 1,011 #3 Posted November 23, 2020 No. Should have, but I wasn't sure what to expect. I have another that isn't as bad. I'll take pics of that one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 7,221 #4 Posted November 23, 2020 (edited) I polished mine with the Turtle Wax chrome polish it looked like the same polish that has been around since the 50's..I'm sure they had never been polished in the last 30 years. They were complete rusted on the back side I sanded and painted with Agriguard. In the Navy we used hot sauce to polish metal. Edited November 23, 2020 by Lee1977 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 18,177 #5 Posted November 23, 2020 Been using the foil trick for years. Does an awesome job on the little chrome handles for the 2 stroke tools I collect. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 18,177 #6 Posted November 23, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, pullstart said: Awesome! Did you take before and after pics? you can see the results in this thread on a little trimmer handle. https://myoldmachine.com/topic/6530-ohlsson-rice-paramount-hedge-trimmer/ Edited November 23, 2020 by wallfish 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R. L. Addison 299 #7 Posted November 23, 2020 I never tried it, but I was always told to use regular Coca-Cola. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tractorhead 9,212 #8 Posted November 23, 2020 57 minutes ago, R. L. Addison said: I never tried it, but I was always told to use regular Coca-Cola. I have heared about but never tried. think i will have to test this how it Works. normally use Nevr Dull for Chrome polish with best results. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 18,177 #9 Posted November 23, 2020 Coke doesn't do anything but make a sticky mess. Small areas you can just rub the foil dry but water works well to relieve some of the friction when doing large areas. Clean and dry it off and coat with some kind of oil to stop the rust pitting from showing up again 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WheelhorseBob 1,550 #10 Posted November 24, 2020 It works but understand that the areas that were rusted have no chrome left. It will remove corrosion but the base metal will always want to rerust. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 60,192 #11 Posted November 24, 2020 On 11/22/2020 at 8:43 PM, Lee1977 said: were complete rusted on the back side The hubcaps on my 310-8 were that way too. I sanded the to get the big stuff off and then put on a couple coats of paste wax. Pulled them off a couple days ago and the rust hasn't come back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 3,306 #12 Posted November 25, 2020 On 11/23/2020 at 2:42 AM, R. L. Addison said: I never tried it, but I was always told to use regular Coca-Cola. On 11/23/2020 at 3:41 AM, Tractorhead said: I have heared about but never tried. think i will have to test this how it Works. normally use Nevr Dull for Chrome polish with best results. On 11/23/2020 at 5:26 PM, wallfish said: Coke doesn't do anything but make a sticky mess. Small areas you can just rub the foil dry but water works well to relieve some of the friction when doing large areas. Clean and dry it off and coat with some kind of oil to stop the rust pitting from showing up again Coke used to work. Not so much anymore. The reason is that Coke (and Pepsi, and lots of other dark colas) used to have lots of phosphoric acid in them. The phosphoric acid would react with the iron oxide, displace the oxygen molecule, and leave you with iron phosphate, a blackish substance wherever the corrosion was. But it doesn't work so well these days because the amount of phosphoric acid in the soda has been reduced drastically, because as it turns out drinking that stuff is really bad for your bones. Not phossy jaw bad, but still really bad. Citrus is also good. A lot of citrus fruits, like oranges, have a lot of tannic acid. It is less efficient, but performs a similar reaction. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charbs152 254 #13 Posted November 25, 2020 (edited) the foil trick works on rusty exhausts as well. i've done it on motorcycles. foil and some wd40/pb blaster/ marvel mystery oil Edited November 25, 2020 by Charbs152 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
