safari roof vents

All 4 of my vents are rusted and seized. After using penetrating oil for 3 days and a hammer and punch they still did not move.

Attachment 13704

So I removed all 4. Only 4 screws out of 10 were holding each in place. All came out except 2 on one vent so I cut the heads off with a dremel tool.

Attachment 13705

Bought some acid to clean them up.

Attachment 13706

After only a couple hours looking better.

Attachment 13707 Attachment 13708

Still seized however. So will soak some more and hope for the best. As a last resort I will remove the pins holding the latch parts together and replace with machine screws. The spring inside may need replacing anyhow. We shall see.

No luck in loosening the seized parts. I had to remove 2 pins for each vent as I expected. The seized part.

Attachment 13711

After more acid and cleaning.

Attachment 13713

Surprising the coil spring inside was good for all 4. Reassembled with screws.

Attachment 13714

All back together and primed waiting for final black coat.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by wrongway

All 4 of my vents are rusted and seized. After using penetrating oil for 3 days and a hammer and punch they still did not move.

Attachment 13704

So I removed all 4. Only 4 screws out of 10 were holding each in place. All came out except 2 on one vent so I cut the heads off with a dremel tool.
Attachment 13705

Bought some acid to clean them up.

Attachment 13706

After only a couple hours looking better.

Attachment 13707 Attachment 13708

Still seized however. So will soak some more and hope for the best. As a last resort I will remove the pins holding the latch parts together and replace with machine screws. The spring inside may need replacing anyhow. We shall see.

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Holy rusted mess, batman.

@wrongway: That muriatic acid works well! What kind of special handling does it require? Rubber hazmat suit? Also, what do you do with it after the parts dip? Do you save it/re-use it? Or like, neutralize it and dump it? Do you have to take it to hazardous chemicals dump? Many questions.

I'd love a miracle rust remover for my own projects, but hate to create a toxic mess.

Yes it works extremely well. And its way cheaper than any advertised so called rust remover. The handling it requires is being careful lol. The fumes are the worst part as they are very strong. Kept my nose two feet away. I did not wear gloves but would not handle it without eye protection. I got a little on my arm and just wiped it off with a rag, no harm done, I think it takes a bit of time to start reacting.
You could reuse it I suppose. I just dipped the latches in a container of 100ml. Let it soak then take a pair of pliers to remove. Then I washed them off with the garden hose and dumped the 100ml into my recycling oil container to take to the depot in the future. The larger parts I used a brush to brush it on and then wash off in my driveway with water again. Im sure the water dilutes it enough that it wont be a problem as you use so little.
Before using the acid I was going to sand blast them. The acid is quicker and way easier and less messy to use.

Reinstalled

Attachment 13717