Hi,

After looking over my cars springs again which looked too rusty to bother saving and giving them a good scrape, they are actually perfectly fine so I was wanting to used vinegar to clean them before repainting and fitting back on the car. I'd not use electrolysis due to that hydrogen embrittlement thing but was not sure there would be similar effects from vinegar (I'm no chemist).

Any objections to my plan?

Thanks in advance.

Acid dips do increase the likelihood, but being frank, I'm not sure that a wipe down, rinse and dry has anything like an effect when compared to endless driving in a wet, corroded state. That said, it's not my field so I'd defer to someone who's field it is.

[Edited on 12/5/20 by coyoteboy]

I'm also not a chemist, but the vinegar is only ever going to go "skin deep" & should only significantly affect the rust & not the surviving steel, so I can't see a huge risk. I accept no responsibility if it goes tits up!

The risk is that you get very hungry and crave fish and chips!!

If using vinigar you must use newspaper with it or it won’t taste as good

cool, just off to Asda to buy a few litres, cheers

Baking them at low temp may drive whatever hydrogen was absorbed withoud changing steel properties..
Or so I´ve read...

Oh right, well I can easily give that a go cheers