Cleaning rusty brake drums with vinegar

[Ty'1987]

So Im trying out a vinegar soak on my brake drums. I used a small hammer and a wire brush for scraping corrosion and getting close to bare metal. Then I put them in a tub and filled it with several gallons of distilled white vinegar. As of now it's been about 3 hours; I'll pull them at 5 and see how they are. Then I'll check them in the morning.

When they're done I'll rinse with the hose and maybe scrub with aluminum foil if i need to. Then dust with baking soda (to stop acidic vinegar), wash, and rinse.

I have heard this will pit the inside of the drums, but I need to have the drums turned before reshoeing anyway (again, so I've heard)

Also I bought a can of BBQ spray paint to put on them, I heard it works well. I don't think I'm supposed to paint the inside so I won't.



Has anyone done this before? How did it turn out?

 

[89Suburban]

I never heard of any of these tricks. Am curious though.

 

[Ty'1987]

With 20 hours in vinegar, I pulled both out drums, and wire brushed again. (I used a hand brush, no need for power.) No signs of pitting, corrosion, or any "greasy graphite" feel to the inside of the the drums.

Came out clean enough to paint. Could've left them in another night, they probably would be perfect; them many dimples outside of the drum still had crud in them but I was impatient. I just painted over them.

They were resurfaced just fine. And they smoke at first use; that's the paint.

I actually bought out the town supply of white vinegar: 9 gallons @ 23$ and in the little tub I had bought, I didn't have enought to fully submerge both. I just soaked lots of paper towels in the vinegar and put them over the exposed parts. This actually worked well, and I will try just a gallon next time probably .5" in the bottom of the bin and I'll cover more with less paper towels.

 

[Ty'1987]

Also they rusted while drying after the baking soda and water. I hear phosphoric acid works to stop that. Or you could probably put them in your preheated oven to dry. (just thinking in type, I didn't try that.)

I just sprayed over it

 

[white lightnen]

OSPHO, or simply, phosphoric acid, would reduce soaking time, much more acidic, but creates rotten egg smell. i use it on rusty gas tanks. readily available at hardware stores. etches galv nicely for painting also.
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for reference, car bodies are dipped in hydrochloric acid solution for paint and rust removal, with no issue of major pitting. vinegar or phosphoric would probably require weeks of contact before pitting occurs.
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never used naval jelly but it is produced, so it must have some rust removal application. mostly for rusty bolt or pitting on body panels I would assume