How to can I prevent rust on Bolts & Nuts?

[FrankDaTank]

I'm in the middle of rebuilding the Front Suspension. I had most major components cleaned and blasted with glass bead. They cleaned up really nice. I already started the painting process as rust will quickly begin to set in on bare metal.

But now I have some parts that I should not paint like the Lug Studs. Or should I?
And the same goes for al the Nuts and Bolts that I am re-using , I dipped them in a rust removal solution and then wire brushed them and now they look nice an bare. I think Rust will set in pretty quickly if I don't treat these with something. I know for the heads I can paint them with some Rust Encapsulator but what about the shaft and treads.

What can you guys recommend…

[Thom71GT]

You're at the SAME stage I am in. I'll tell you what I am doing. I have had all the control arms black powder coated. I've also cleaned my wheel wells and then painted them with a gloss black anti rust paint with a good hardener added for durability.

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/showthr...hlight=guyopel

Since bolts and nuts are cheap, I go to an ACE Hardware that has a HUGE selection of bolts and I buy ALL NEW ones. The only ones I had to special order were the long ones that hold my upper control arms in. ($10.50 a piece!! ) Then before I put them in, I give them a generous schlopping of anti-seize grease. I think I'll be set.

HTH

[Thom71GT]

you are replacing the shocks, AdvanceAuto has the Monroe Matic Gas chraged shocks (model77) 32153 for 25 bucks each and they can be shipped in 5 days.

[FrankDaTank]

My main concern is the Lug Studs Blots. I don't what to replace these, and also like the 12-Point bolts that hold the rotors to the Hubs.

Anti-seize sounds like an idea. any Other Ideas or suggestions?

Shocks... I already bought the koni reds from the OGTS along with every poly thing possible.

[Thom71GT]

WOW!! You spent some buckage on those shocks. Those look pretty but Im saving my money for custom wheels. That's another story.

Since you had a lot of rust on the lugs and the other bolts, I'd bang em out and replace them. You already have the thing torn apart, whats 10 bucks to get new stronger bolts? Is there some underlying reason why you dont want to replace them?

[FrankDaTank]

Originally Posted by Thom71GT ... Is there some underlying reason why you dont want to replace them?

Honestly, I don't think they need to be replaced they are in great condition, especially once they were cleaned up. I just don't whant them to start rusting up again.

[Thom71GT]

Throw a little oil on them then. I really dont think you have much to worry about. I've had my car for 34 years and it sat close to 14 of those years in a greenhouse uncovered. My lugnuts never rusted.

[BDD]

Sandblasting greatly increases the surface area of fresh steel that is exposed to oxygen and therefore oxidation. The opposite would be true for a polished steel plate with a mirror like finish. The sandblasted surface is at least hundreds, maybe thousands, of times more rust prone. Those little O2 molecules would tend to be attracted to a microscopically rough surface like that.

I would think that priming and painting right after sandblasting would be the thing to do...before oxidation can begin to take place. An epoxy paint might be good. Something that's durable and waterproof. It would also fill the many microscopic pits created by the sandblasting.

[weatherman]

I painted the ones on my old truck and they havent rusted. They are chrome Lugnuts and I painted the lugs with rustoleum chrome. Havent had a problem yet. Then I also put oil inside the nut to keep them lubed. Also kept an eye on them everyday for a month because they tend to come loose. They are fine now.

[Killer Texas GT]

Originally Posted by FrankDaTank My main concern is the Lug Studs Blots. I don't what to replace these, and also like the 12-Point bolts that hold the rotors to the Hubs. Anti-seize sounds like an idea. any Other Ideas or suggestions? Shocks... I already bought the koni reds from the OGTS along with every poly thing possible.

go with that,anti sieze,(I don't reccomend oil or grease as the bolts tend to work loose) on your studs and 12 points as for the others, since you are so close to the border, try to find a plating shop and either have your nuts and bolts zinc plated of cadium plated. They won't be 100% original but will last another 30+ years. The Plating shop should be able to do plating process like the original bolts which most are black in color, the cadium and zinc plated bolts where usally the long bolts, and small bolts and screws say under 10 mm head size.
rk

[WOOFS-OPEL]

I put oil on the bolt threads and run the nut through a couple of times to work the oil in. Wipe the extra oil off and then put on anti sieze - works for me.