White vinegar rust removal

Has anyone else tried soaking rusty calipers in white vinegar for a couple of days to remove rust? It seems to be pretty popular on restoration forums. Just wondered if anyone on here has tried it. I'm about 12 hours into my first caliper and it seems to be working well.

hi,,its brill but i use malt vinegar £2.65 a gallon from costco and its4.25 % acid takes it right back to the original finnish before it was plated ,,wash off as soon as u have used it and wash then with brake cleaner or thinners and paint ,because it will start to rust while u are looking at it .lol i had mine soaking for a couple of days with a wire brush every now and again.regards gatso

cheap asda coke

Yeah it's great, seems the cheaper the product the better it works!

Does coke / vinegar damage the seals or do you strip them first

vinegar is ok on the seals

My dad told me about vinegar and how well it works as a rust remover
He uses it for old motorbike fuel tanks
I'd never heard of it before then

I've just tried vinegar on the clamps for the heater pipe and I am well impressed. £0.44 for a litre is much cheaper than any of the other magic juices.

LordOWar said:

I've just tried vinegar on the clamps for the heater pipe and I am well impressed. £0.44 for a litre is much cheaper than any of the other magic juices.

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was it white vinegar or yellow vinegar?

Morrisons savers brown 22p for 580ml , seems to be working on the 3 parts I have tried, the regulator clip on the back of the dash and the 2 hose clamps. The vinegar gets a lovely froth on it as it is doing it's thing, I need to go and find some more stuff to do now. LOL house smells like a chippy though but that's better than the usual stuff.

ID give Chips definite PRIORITY over a brake caliper

chris7 said:

ID give Chips definite PRIORITY over a brake caliper

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True but you never see a rusty chip.

it's just acetic acid

Yep works a treat

GATSO said:

vinegar is ok on the seals

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I know this is an old thread, but will white malt vinegar work?

mick 1986 said:

I know this is an old thread, but will white malt vinegar work?

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yellow vinegar has a higher acid and will work better, plus it is cheaper.

mick 1986 said:

I know this is an old thread, but will white malt vinegar work?

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Yup, just remember to neutralise it with a solution of sodium bicarbonate when it's done its work.

Thor1950 said:

yellow vinegar has a higher acid and will work better, plus it is cheaper.

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I have already bought the white malt vinegar, that’s why I asked. I just didn’t want to soak the bits for a few days to find nothing has happened.

DevonGuy said:

Yup, just remember to neutralise it with a solution of sodium bicarbonate when it's done its work.

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Thanks very much. I will soak the bits I need tomorrow.

Thought I’d try this and have a play on the old calliper I took off.

....... will post piccies in a few days.