how to prevent bare metal tanks from rusting????

C

cultclassic

New Member
Im going to strip my tank and take it back to bare metal and leave it that way......

my question is what do i treat the tank with to stop surface rust???
it seems alot of articles on this subject say something different and now im confused :/

Any help would be much appreciated .

Thanks
 
Well nothing will keep it from rust besides clearing or painting it. You can coat it with gun oil or light oil to prevent it from rusting but that doesn't last long and will need replication. Not to mention if you get caught in the rain it will probably come off and you will get rust spots. Also, oil rubbing off on your clothes. If you want a metal look, invest in a alloy tank or build a tank out of aluminum or stainless. I'm sure I'm leaving out a couple temporary things.. Other than that there's not much you can do, it's mild steel it will rust unprotected.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 
ronnie said:
Well nothing will keep it from rust besides clearing or painting it. You can coat it with gun oil or light oil to prevent it from rusting but that doesn't last long and will need replication. Not to mention if you get caught in the rain it will probably come off and you will get rust spots. Also, oil rubbing off on your clothes. If you want a metal look, invest in a alloy tank or build a tank out of aluminum or stainless. I'm sure I'm leaving out a couple temporary things.. Other than that there's not much you can do, it's mild steel it will rust unprotected.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

so there is no sort of clear primer ( that probably sounds wrong) that drys and protects from the we weather??
 
I use a floor wax called "mop n glo" on my bare mild steel pipes... I don't ride in the rain much but it holds up for a season without re-applying it.
Far from a permanent covering but it gives me the look I'm after.
 
Re: Re: how to prevent bare metal tanks from rusting????

cultclassic said:
so there is no sort of clear primer ( that probably sounds wrong) that drys and protects from the we weather??
Click to expand...
Never heard of a clear primer. But unless you paint it with clear paint, auto or marine clear preferably 2part, it's going to rust.

Walms, we have used mop n glow on boat hulls that want to get by for another season before having to actually repaint. It works for a but but after the sun gets to it it discolor and comes off in sheets and flakes. So you definitely have to reapply. But cool to hear you used it on your bike, which doesn't get as much sun, water as boats do..

Oh almost forgot, you can get the parts clear powder coated.. More expensive but holds up great.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 
Spray some Mr. Gibbs on it once every few weeks.

Based on what others told me, powdercoat holds up best because it isn't as porou. Regular clear will let oxygen through.
 
Use a zinc-based sacrificial anode and ensure the tank is grounded to the frame. Because zinc is a more chemically active metal than iron, the chemical reaction that causes rust to form on the steel will first attack the zinc (through the transfer of electrons through the metal in your frame).
 
Sonreir said:
Use a zinc-based sacrificial anode
Click to expand...

Just go to Radio Shack and ask for this:

temple1.jpg
 
Sonreir said:
Use a zinc-based sacrificial anode and ensure the tank is grounded to the frame. Because zinc is a more chemically active metal than iron, the chemical reaction that causes rust to form on the steel will first attack the zinc (through the transfer of electrons through the metal in your frame).
Click to expand...

SCIENCE, BITCHES!!!
 
Yinz,

What is a zinc-based sacrificial anode?
How does it relate to the process of rust prevention?


1981 CB750K (getting there now)
 
I don't think anodes are going to help with this application. Anodes work for electrolysis, such applications for say marine vessels. Anodes keep the electrolysis from eating at the underwater hardware(props, shafts, struts, etc.). Yes they are sacrificial, but the reaction steel has with oxygen to cause iron oxide(rust) is not the same type of reaction. It would be like hooking up a piece of Cesium to a piece of Sodium to keep the sodium form oxidating. It's just not going to work, the sodium will oxidize. I'm not saying your theory is wrong but the application is. The tank isn't rusting from rouge electical current going through it from the battery or the air, though the actual process of rusting causes a technical electrochemical current its trivial. Its from the actual oxygen in the air. The only thing you can do to prevent rust is to seal it.
 
Yeah I'm not a believer in that stuff...
Theory is great but road salt is real!
I bought 2 new vehicles in 2007 and had dealer installed electronic rust modules installed against my better judgment...
Both cars are rotten now.... Dumb move on my part!!! My 82 mustang is still rust free because it gets rust checked.
 
Don't get me wrong, you NEED anodes...for boat applications. That or your prop, shaft, and strut will look like swiss cheese after a while then it will just not exist but in powder form and no one has time for that.
 
It's pretty much standard equipment on boat lower drives for sure... I'm just grumpy because those automotive units are a scam.
 
Damn it sonreir I know how to Google!

:)

I wanted it condensed in motorcycle application relevance only.

So, is there a defined answer for OP?

1981 CB750K (getting there now)
 
kraptastic k said:
So, is there a defined answer for OP?
Click to expand...
Yes, the only way you can keep steel from rusting is by sealing it. And you have to make sure you prep the steel correctly before hand. Seal it by powdercoat, 2 part paint, or some other form of 2-part sealer those are pretty much the only things you can do to keep it from turning to rust. Other things are temporary or wont work.
 
I wiped down a bare-metal tank with Boeshield about once a month for over a year, and not a hint of rust to be found. It doesn't get all over you like wd40 would.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DTT Light or Dark

  • DTT Light
    • www.jadusmotorcycleparts.com
    www.lostapostle.ca/
    www.sparckmoto.com

    Spread the Love

    Back
    Top Bottom