Removing rust

[binmke]

Hi everyone,

I'm a first timer to the forums and new to riding.

I am now the proud owner of a 1981 XS650SH that runs fine but is in need of some TLC. PO had it sitting in a garage for years.

I have been able to get a lot of the oxidization off the aluminum case covers using some fine-grit wet/dry sandpaper and buffing with polishing compound. The rust spots on the chrome (fenders and header pipes) is a whole different ballgame.

If anyone has some recommendations on how to get the rust out of the chrome parts I would love to hear them.

I posted some pictures on Flickr if you want to have a look.

Thanks

[kgb]

i've cleaned gaz tanks and various other parts using an automotive rust remover (metal treatment). Used to be called metal-prep. anyhow your local body shop supply store carries this stuff. If the chrome is gone and rust only remains, odds are the cleaning will leave raw steel. for screw heads and the such that should not be a problem. As for flat surfaces, such as pipes, and engine covers, SOS pads and of course a good buffing wheel. As for buffing wheels, avoid those cotton cloth jobs. they frey all over your shop and really don't work as well as a felt buffing wheel. these are available through hardware stores or wood-working catalogs like van-d**es. this along with a mild wheel counpound will shine aluminium and chrome to the results you are looking for. Mind you this is long and stressful work. Your last option in the case of crown bolts is to buy new from Mikesxs in fla. or get equivalent stainless steel nuts from a supplier. hope the info helps. two years and running on my retauration project and no end in sight soon. I must really have nothing to do . Later JP

[Ripley]

Hi Binmke,

Congrats on scoring the '81 XS650SH! I got the very same bike in black just a month or so ago, and in very similar condition.

My approach was to use the least abrasive products and methods first, then move up if necessary to more abrasive methods. Using sandpaper, SOS pads, grinding wheels, etc. will certainly get the job done, but then you have to deal with the aftermath. By that I mean, these more abrasive methods can damage the finishes permanently.

Start by giving the bike a good washing. There are a zillion little surfaces hidden all over the bike, some are hard to get at. Just take your time and be patient. There is a lot of cleaning up you can do with just Windex and a rag.

Next, take a trip to Autozone, and pick up a product called "Eagle One Original Never Dull Wadding Polish." This product is a miracle worker. When you open the can, you will see a big wad of fibrous material, soaked in a solvent. You just tear off a piece and start scrubbing with it. This product alone took off ALL of the surface rust on every surface of the bike with no real abrasion.

After you get the rust off, follow up by polishing the chrome and polished aluminum surfaces with "Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish." This is a very gentle polishing compound that you can use to put the shine back on.

Finally, go back over everything with a good quality car wax to help keep the rust from coming back.

About the only things I could not clean up using these methods were the tops of the shocks (could not really get to them without taking them off), and the exhaust pipe flanges right at the engine (too hard to get anything useful into the little slotted surfaces). I spent about 20 hours going over the entire machine, and the results were pretty amazing.

I see from your pics that the head hardware is pretty bad off. Rather than polishing each little cap nut, you might take a look at the chrome hardware kits from Mike's XS site here:

www.mikesxs.net/mikesxs-accessories.php?category_id=8.3

The kits are only $39 and would save a lot of elbow grease.

Good luck!