Rusty Chains

Very true! it works well in it's original application, however! Freed more than a few froze over ignition/running parts in the past!

Won't work great for rust.

Might need to move to something stronger, or just get new chains.

 

I want to say i ended up using 6 gallons all said n done, i haven't been home since last sunday when i dumped the rest in so i cannot give an updated report. Additionally you can cut the product with water as recommended by the manufacturer. I cant say yet that id endorse this product as i have yet to see a finished product; also in further reading it says that the product should be rinsed off with water after the metal item is removed. IT says that the black coating that needs to be rinsed off is excess carbon from the steel....not sure how i feel about that other than paranoid that it may somehow weaken the steel to have less carbon...so ill be giving them all a healthy strength check before i use them for securement. Ill update at that point.

 

So after 2 weeks in the Evapo rust solution, I drained the liquid off: my chains are back to grey, I dunked them all in a few gallons of PB Blaster then hung them off my headache chain rack to dry a bit. Gonna load them up tomorow. I will give them a thorough test before I use them to verify that the solution didn't weaken them. They are G70, anyone have a good test I can put them through? I can think of a couple ways to test the strength but none that don't hurt someone else's property and also none that actually verify a specific Working Load Limit

 

If you did actually use a chemical that after only a week or two actually weakened the chain then your using something that can't be purchased by just anybody and the fumes alone would have killed you door knocker dead the instant you put you face within 10' of that bucket.

The black carbon left behind is only from the surface if there was in fact any at all. Chemical strong enough to get to the inside of the metal is so highly regulated that even finding it in the US would be paramount to winning the Mega Ball.

So in short, there's absolutely nothing available to regular consumers over the counter that can or will affect the strength of high-carbon steel chains in a short period of time. Now if you want to electro-polish them with chemicals come see me, I can make them look like chrome.....for about 10 seconds till the moisture in the atmosphere attacks the steel and instantly oxidizes it. But if you want to hang out and watch the process you have to supply your own positive pressure breather and chemical suit. Oh and even that process would take 100's of hours to even weaken the steel 1%.

Personally I use Carl's approach, use them enough and they will stay relatively clean. Dragging them on a sand road will polish them really quick but I don't suggest the Prime method of dragging them under your truck on the interstate, the sparks get you noticed real quick by the wrong people. As for WD-40, it's a solvent not a lubricant. If you want a good lubricant that will protect the metal look for HD Metal Protectant by Amsoil or MotorKote in a spray can.

 

Funny thing about dragging them under the trl...
The trl. I had when at Sammons had belly pans. The one was not fully square so to speak, so I had a mud flap laid in there to help cover the small opening it. So I'm hding north on I25 just before I get to Wy. nd it's night time. Yea I was driving at night. Mty. though.
Well blue lights come on, I'm like HUH?
Pull over and the cops says did you know you were dragging a chain? No I did'nt. Well it seems the mudflap was not fully in place and a chain worked down through the opening..

 

Well thank you sir. I'm far from a chemist, and certainly wasn't aware of what it would take to change how much carbon is in steel. The label just said all the black coating is carbon residue, I figured it was from the rust and not the actual steel...but I do have the paranoia sometimes lol a brief internet search said the lower carbon value in steel the weaker the tensile strength. That article was mentioning very small fractions of percentages...but did not say how the carbon content could be changed other than at its point of manufacture while still molten.

As a man that knows: it sounds silly to you. I'm in the dark and don't want to learn when something breaks those chains and rolls through my tractor :0 So I really appreciate the knowledge sir!

 

yup good info catalinaflyer, appreciate it