TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 18, 2018 Did a bit more work on the radio box today. Although structurally sound, there are quite a few places where the surface has been abraded by rubbing against objects unknown, and one spot where it seems to have been clouded by cyanoacrylate fumes or some other similar white substance. I went over these areas with 1000 grit used wet, and have managed to improve the appearance of the worst abrasions quite significantly. I will follow this with Greygate plastic polish. It won't be perfect, but it should end up looking a lot better! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 19, 2018 Taking the front end apart has been slow going due to the need for repeated applications of penetrating oil on some of the more stubborn fasteners, but it is apart at last! And with no damage to the parts or fasteners either! That is apart from the two screws which run inside the ball connectors at either end of one of the front shocks, as seen below: They have resisted every effort at extraction so far, and I don't want to resort to brute force as that risks damage to the shock parts themselves. Any ideas? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fuijo 880 Posted November 19, 2018 What penetrating fluid are you using? PlusGas is significantly better than WD40. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 19, 2018 The steel parts should respond well to my various anti-rust preparations and the alloy tubes should look fine with a bit of polish, but I'm wondering what to do about the cast metal parts. They have been thoroughly cleaned with plenty of hot soapy water and a stiff brush, but the surface finish is far from pristine. In other restorations I have seen people get excellent results from those gadgets which stir the parts for hours on end in a pot of mildly abrasive granules. However I do not have access to such a gadget. Are there any other ways of achieving a nice surface on these parts without specialised equipment? Or should this simply be classed as patina and ignored for the purposes of this restoration? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 19, 2018 9 minutes ago, Fuijo said: What penetrating fluid are you using? PlusGas is significantly better than WD40. So far I have tried WD-40, GT85, TF2 and good old 3-in-1 as well as a tin of stuff I found in the shed simply labelled "penetrating oil". I have also tried mild heat and gentle persuasion. I haven't come across PlusGas for sale locally, but I will keep an eye out for it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fuijo 880 Posted November 19, 2018 Another thought is that perhaps it could be that red threadlock that comes with the Scorcher kit. I've struggled a couple of times to remove the screws from the shock end collars because a little threadlock has got on that part of the threads. The fastener just spins when you turn it but is very reluctant to come out. I just used brute force to push them out in the end, because I'm not sure what I could have used to soften the threadlock. I didn't have to contend with corrosion as well though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 19, 2018 That is quite possible - it does appear that there is more at play here than just corrosion. I will keep trying alternating hot and cold to weaken its hold, and possibly fashion some sort of jig that will let me push the bolts out without transferring stress to the shocks, as I don't want to press the balls themselves out of the shock ends. One has already worked itself loose on the other front shock, and I had to press it back into place along with its retainer. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy pants 4485 Posted November 19, 2018 Top work TJF, the S.S is going to be amazing when she comes home! I’ve already made shelf space for her to go on display 😁 With the tarnishing I would suggest you do as much as you want to and at whatever level makes you happy. And thank you for what you have done so far. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy pants 4485 Posted November 19, 2018 9 hours ago, TurnipJF said: The steel parts should respond well to my various anti-rust preparations and the alloy tubes should look fine with a bit of polish, but I'm wondering what to do about the cast metal parts. They have been thoroughly cleaned with plenty of hot soapy water and a stiff brush, but the surface finish is far from pristine. In other restorations I have seen people get excellent results from those gadgets which stir the parts for hours on end in a pot of mildly abrasive granules. However I do not have access to such a gadget. Are there any other ways of achieving a nice surface on these parts without specialised equipment? Or should this simply be classed as patina and ignored for the purposes of this restoration? I’m pretty sure there is a spare one of these you could swap with in the parts I sent to you. I could be wrong though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy pants 4485 Posted November 19, 2018 7 hours ago, Fuijo said: Another thought is that perhaps it could be that red threadlock that comes with the Scorcher kit. I've struggled a couple of times to remove the screws from the shock end collars because a little threadlock has got on that part of the threads. The fastener just spins when you turn it but is very reluctant to come out. I just used brute force to push them out in the end, because I'm not sure what I could have used to soften the threadlock. I didn't have to contend with corrosion as well though. Good tips Fuijo, thank you 👍 I only use the blue thread lock, so it will be a combo of salt water, sand, big jumps and heavy landings that have bound these parts together when it was last used in July on the beach 🙈 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy pants 4485 Posted November 19, 2018 The vintage body post arrived today TJF so I’ll post out the parts to you this week. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 19, 2018 8 minutes ago, Grumpy pants said: I’m pretty sure there is a spare one of these you could swap with in the parts I sent to you. I could be wrong though! There is a spare front axle with the parts you sent over. I will pick the best two and use them for the rebuild. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 20, 2018 That's great - I'll let you know when they arrive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfdogstinkus 1893 Posted November 20, 2018 Autosol is great on alu, not sure about srb. You tried toothpaste?. The dishwasher? Put them inside monster truck tyre, add sand, water and spin at 6,000 rpm. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfdogstinkus 1893 Posted November 20, 2018 On 11/19/2018 at 12:49 PM, TurnipJF said: Taking the front end apart has been slow going due to the need for repeated applications of penetrating oil on some of the more stubborn fasteners, but it is apart at last! And with no damage to the parts or fasteners either! That is apart from the two screws which run inside the ball connectors at either end of one of the front shocks, as seen below: They have resisted every effort at extraction so far, and I don't want to resort to brute force as that risks damage to the shock parts themselves. Any ideas? Screw a nut on so you don't damage the thread, then whack it with a hammer. It may need supporting with a socket at other side depending if you are extracting the screw or the ball. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 20, 2018 If the heating and cooling approaches don't work, it will have to be brute force. Although I'm thinking it may be safer to squeeze it out using a vice rather than whacking it with a hammer. Less chance of collateral damage that way. The nut to protect the threads is an excellent suggestion though - thanks for that! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
max69vk 708 Posted November 20, 2018 To sort out the tarnishing on pot metal parts I use a powder product called ‘Bar keepers friend’, it’s meant to be used to clean porcelain and metal fittings (funnily enough). Mix the powder with a little water to make a paste, apply to the metal parts & leave for 5-10 minutes, the use a brass suede brush (meant for shoes) to lightly scrub. I’ve done about 8 SRB’s this way and they’ve all turned out great. 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Falcon#5 594 Posted November 22, 2018 On 11/19/2018 at 8:49 PM, TurnipJF said: Taking the front end apart has been slow going due to the need for repeated applications of penetrating oil on some of the more stubborn fasteners, but it is apart at last! And with no damage to the parts or fasteners either! That is apart from the two screws which run inside the ball connectors at either end of one of the front shocks, as seen below: They have resisted every effort at extraction so far, and I don't want to resort to brute force as that risks damage to the shock parts themselves. Any ideas? Have you tried soaking them for a period, or only spraying? I'd recommend soaking it in a container of diesel for a week and see what happens. If your happy to sacrifice the bolt, I'd be cutting/grinding off the head and supporting the ball with a socket or something. Might be better than supporting the shock end to knock it out. Soak, heat, whack, repeat, might be the only option here. *Disclaimer* - I haven't performed this kind of work on SRB shocks, so bear no responsibility for damage, loss or personal anguish. On 11/19/2018 at 8:55 PM, TurnipJF said: The steel parts should respond well to my various anti-rust preparations and the alloy tubes should look fine with a bit of polish, but I'm wondering what to do about the cast metal parts. They have been thoroughly cleaned with plenty of hot soapy water and a stiff brush, but the surface finish is far from pristine. In other restorations I have seen people get excellent results from those gadgets which stir the parts for hours on end in a pot of mildly abrasive granules. However I do not have access to such a gadget. Are there any other ways of achieving a nice surface on these parts without specialised equipment? Or should this simply be classed as patina and ignored for the purposes of this restoration? That may come off with a soda blaster, but depends if you have access to one or the cost is worthwhile. Autosol and polishing cloth on a Dremel should work, but would be time consuming I imagine 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 22, 2018 I spent some time this morning with toothpaste, an old(ish) toothbrush and one of the shock towers: Can you tell which one now smells minty fresh? I have also noticed that they're not entirely symmetrical. Is that simply how they are made, or are they from different versions of the SRB chassis? For example could it be that one is an original and the other a re-release? And does it matter? 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 22, 2018 1 hour ago, Falcon#5 said: Have you tried soaking them for a period, or only spraying? I'd recommend soaking it in a container of diesel for a week and see what happens. If your happy to sacrifice the bolt, I'd be cutting/grinding off the head and supporting the ball with a socket or something. Might be better than supporting the shock end to knock it out. Soak, heat, whack, repeat, might be the only option here. *Disclaimer* - I haven't performed this kind of work on SRB shocks, so bear no responsibility for damage, loss or personal anguish. That may come off with a soda blaster, but depends if you have access to one or the cost is worthwhile. Autosol and polishing cloth on a Dremel should work, but would be time consuming I imagine The stubborn bolts have been soaking completely immersed in various fluids for over a week now. I will be supporting the ball itself if I am going to resort to brute force, as the ball is retained in the shock end with a pair of slim brass rings that are pressed in place, and I don't want to disturb these. I don't have access to a soda blaster unfortunately, and I would rather not resort to anything which can't get into the nooks and and crannies, otherwise a shiny surface everywhere accessible will simply make the inaccessible parts stand out all the more. I reckon I will persevere with the toothbrush and toothpaste approach for now. It won't be quick, but the results should look reasonably good, and I don't see any risk to the parts themselves. I am glad @Grumpy pants isn't in a hurry to get his model back as this is going to take a while! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy pants 4485 Posted November 22, 2018 58 minutes ago, TurnipJF said: I spent some time this morning with toothpaste, an old(ish) toothbrush and one of the shock towers: Can you tell which one now smells minty fresh? I have also noticed that they're not entirely symmetrical. Is that simply how they are made, or are they from different versions of the SRB chassis? For example could it be that one is an original and the other a re-release? And does it matter? Hi TJF, My daughter broke an upright clattering into a kerb, so one will be ReRe and the other is probably a MK2 upright. No rush at all as and when she comes home is good with me. Simon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy pants 4485 Posted November 22, 2018 I think the spare upright will be a MK2 as well, so there should be a matching pair...with ReRe part being the odd one out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 22, 2018 Good to know. When reassembly time comes, I will put everything back together as symmetrically as possible using the parts available. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy pants 4485 Posted November 26, 2018 On 11/13/2018 at 11:19 AM, TurnipJF said: The penetrating oil has done it's job, allowing me to separate the chassis into front, middle and rear sections without having to resort to drilling out any fasteners. I can see why a replacement chassis was supplied - the original is very warped! The radio gear has been removed from the radio box, which is soaking in a sink full of soapy water in preparation for a thorough cleaning. Morning TJF, Is the old chassis salvageable or scrap? All the best Simon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TurnipJF 9192 Posted November 26, 2018 37 minutes ago, Grumpy pants said: Morning TJF, Is the old chassis salvageable or scrap? All the best Simon It is quite warped, so I wouldn't use it on a runner. I might be able to bend it back to the point that it could serve as a shelfer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites