Rust inside chainstay

[DaveM]

When I tip my bike up I can here what I thought was dirt inside the chainstay, there are 2 tiny holes in the stays ( not from rust they were there when I got the bike) and when I tip the bike over and shake it tiny flake of rust fall out, is there anything I can do about it?

The bike is made from tange cr-mo

Thanks

 

[Tim Bennet.]

Regular 3 in 1 oil has quite good anti rust properties. You can squirt a whole lot in through the tiny holes, then block 'em up and rotate the bike around until you are sure every part has been coated, then let it dribble out.

Other coating liquids, like Waxoyl, are too thick for this, even if you heat them and the bike up. They are liable to just block the tube and not get to the corners. And IMHO, have no better rust deterring properties than 3:1 oil.

There are things called 'rust converters' based on phosphoric acid, but I don't like using these on places I can't see. Regular dosing with 3:1 seems to be cheap and effective.

None of this will reverse any damage that has been done. Succumbing to 'metal moth' is a one way street. We can only hope to slow it down.

 

[barq]

Linseed oil used to be a popular way of minimising rust on steel frames. It sloshes around quite easily, so if you have any lying around that's another thing to try.

Rust can appear quite alarming, but remember rust has a higher volume than the metal it came from, so it can look worse than it is.

 

[DaveM]

Ok thanks for the replies, I will use 3 in 1 oil as suggested but will this be alright as the stay already has rust inside of it, what I am worried about is, is the bike safe to ride or will the chainstay just collapse while I'm out riding

Just found this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Loctite-Rust-Remedy-Bottle-88781006/dp/B0001P0DLK, think I'll give this a try and then use 3 in 1 oil

 

[Tim Bennet.]

That's the Loctite version of a rust converter. I not sure I would bother with it. We use gallons of it at work and it's not the be all and end all. Where you have 'flaky' rust (as in bits have come off) it treats the scab but not the metal underneath.

Repeated applications of 3:1 (cheap and easy) will displace moisture, provide an oily coating and does contain rust inhibitors.

Without x-ray (or possibly ultrasound) there is no non destructive way of proving how strong your chain stays are. But it's unlikely the rust is uniform, so if you keep your eye on it, I would suspect that a hole in one point will appear in the stay before catastrophic failure occurs. I would be less worried about chain stays than say fork blades.

 

[DaveM]

Thanks for the reply Tim, just got back from a shop where they sell that Loctite stuff only to find I forgot my wallet, anyhow will take your advice and just put 3 in 1 oil in the stay, how it got rusty in the first place I have no idea I'm the most careful person I know when it comes to maintenance

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Edited out to hide the fact I've been a real Numpty.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

or am I barking up the wrong tree ??

or even the wrong forest.

(It's the tube from the bottom bracket to the rear dropouts).

 

[Elmer Fudd]

or even the wrong forest.

(It's the tube from the bottom bracket to the rear dropouts).

I give up !!

 

[Blue]

Thanks for the reply Tim, just got back from a shop where they sell that Loctite stuff only to find I forgot my wallet, anyhow will take your advice and just put 3 in 1 oil in the stay, how it got rusty in the first place I have no idea I'm the most careful person I know when it comes to maintenance

Those little holes are there to let gasses escape during the welding process when a bike is being made. Rust happens because water gets into the holes and down the seatpost area. I always tip excess water out of my frame when I have been out in the rain. A steel frame should have the inside of the tubes coated as soon as it's put into use - using the methods already mentioned.

 

[fossyant]

What sort of BB have you got - is it cartridge as the chainstay's are nearly always open at the BB end - if it's an old conventional BB then the 3 in 1 will damage the grease ! Just check before applying. WD40 is also quite good, or GT85 etc etc.

 

[DaveM]

Yeah Fossyant it's a cartridge type, anyhow just poured half a can into the holes and gave the bike a good shake so I'll keep an eye on it

 

[fossyant]

When I got my steelies, they have all been sprayed internally with WD / GT85 etc and it's stopped 100% of rust for 10 years plus..

You'll be fine with the cartridge bb - just let the excess run out of the holes.

 

[Abitrary]

When I tip my bike up I can here what I thought was dirt inside the chainstay, there are 2 tiny holes in the stays ( not from rust they were there when I got the bike) and when I tip the bike over and shake it tiny flake of rust fall out, is there anything I can do about it?

The bike is made from tange cr-mo

Thanks

Show off

 

[Smokin Joe]

My experience of rust from my days of trying to keep old bangers on the road is that once the rusting process has started it is only a matter of time, unless you can actually cut the corroded section out and weld a new bit in. Rust removers are a temporary cure which only seem to slow it down for a while, it alway's comes back. It is no good using oil to cover the rust because once it has taken hold the process will continue under whatever you coat it with.