Hello all. A friend of mine just gave me a 72 Schwinn Suburban - and mechanically it is perfect (minus needing new brake pads) and has a great feeling, smooth ride. The only problem with it is I need a tetanus booster just looking at it. The frame is fine, but the components are brown and gnarly.
The upside is I could ride this around and probably never have to lock it up with how it looks. But I want to take a stab at making it look nice again. What is your preferred method of removing rust?

White vinegar and an aluminum foil rub-down should get get of any superficial rust. Follow up with some wax to slow rust build -up.

There are all sorts of different rust removal techniques. Which to use depends on what part(s) we're talking about.

Can it be submerged? If it's a small part like bolts or nuts, dunk it in Evapo-Rust overnight. If it's a big part like a frame, dunk it in an oxalic acid ("wood bleach") solution overnight. Pull it out in the morning, rinse, and dry. Easy and effective, but you may not want to go this route unless you can completely disassemble. Parts with internal (lubricated) mechanisms, like freewheels for example, aren't good candidates for submersion.

If it can't be submerged and you're just looking to treat surface rust, you can go at it with vinegar like John said. Or Evapo-Rust, or naval jelly, or a few other different items.

Once you've got the frame rust-free, you can optionally treat the inside with a rust preventative. J.P. Weigle's Frame Saver, Boeshield T-9, and AmsOIL Heavy Duty Metal Protector are all popular choices.

#0000 steel wool works well on non-painted parts. It's fine enough that it removes rust without scratching the component. I use it on the chrome of my motorcycle all the time; to get rid of stuck-on grit and dirt. Same idea. I've also known guys to use it on rust with great success.

Big stuff can be done in Evapo-rust, too. You'll need a plastic trash bag of sufficient size. Put a bunch of sand, or something similar into the bag, lay it flat and then press the item into the surface of the bag, displacing the sand, and making a part shaped depression into which you put the part and Evapo-rust to cover it.

Evapo-Rust can be used over and over, and it's not nasty.

Evapo-Rust is good stuff. I just use oxalic acid for large items because it's cheaper.

everything gets removed, and the individual components are submerged in a big coffee can of mineral spirits for thirty minutes. they're removed from that and scrubbed under a dripping faucet. parts still rusty are submerged in naval jelly for ten minutes. some of the stuff like the rear derailleur is always fully overhauled, down to the tiniest nut. if the brakes (like the springs) are still rusty, they're completely disassembled and dunked in naval jelly as well.

don't forget to spray all the spoke nipples wih a light aerosol oil, then tune them all down and then back up like a guitar.

Thanks all! Now, what kind of person would I be to not include some pictures...

That is pretty nasty - too bad.

Another EVAPORUST vote.

- Just remove and soak the components in some water and simple green HD cleaner for a few hours. Rinse the components and give a quick scrub with a soft bristle brush. This will remove the dirt and most of the grease.
- Submerge the components in EVAPORUST for 2-12 hours depending on how rusted it is. Check after 4 hours if they are very rusty. You can rub with a towel and remove most of the rust and see how much is left. That removal will help the process go faster with what rust remains too.
- rinse the components under running water and towel dry.

This process is not labor intensive and it produces great results. I have always been hesitant to take steel wool to painted frames and components due to the scraping.

As for the frame- I use a different process than others in this thread. Soak 20 paper towels in EVAPORUST and wrap them tightly around the frame and fork. Cover everything in plastic garbage bags and let sit for 12 hours. You can remove the frame and fork, rinse with water, and towel dry. If there is any rust remaining, just spot wrap those areas. I have never had paint or logos come off with this process. The paint isn't scratched like it is with steel wool.
tips-
- cut different sizes of paper towel to make a snug fit around where tubes meet.
- make sure to wrap tightly. space between the towel and frame does no good.

Given extent of rust, a lot of the chrome will be missing once you remove the rust. Whatever method you use, it does not replace missing chrome and does not fill in pitting.

Assume rust treatment has been discussed many times before, google will get you more ideas than you can imagine.

Wheels and handlebars look like goners to me.

I've had plenty of old Schwinns, and have dealt with a lot of rust. I treat rusty parts every day.

As far as reusing stuff, I tend to reuse the same OA bath for 3 to 4 months.

The frame itself really isn't in bad condition. I took some steel wool to the handlebars and stem this morning just to see what I am working with - the stem cleaned up nice enough, and some of the rust on the handlebar came off. I won't be heartbroken or anything if it never looks new and shiny again. The bike was free, mechanically it works quite well, and I could probably leave it outside cafe and not worry about anyone wanting to take it. But I have never attempted to clean up anything this rusty before.

I really am amazed at how smooth everything works given the level of neglect

I'll have to give evaporust a try. Looks cheap enough. Other thoughts I had were getting an attachment for a dremel.

re plate and repaint are the best ways.. but that is expensive..

Oh I don't doubt...but this bike is not worth that money. I don't mind some sweat equity, but the only money I plan on spending for this bike is for new brake pads. I don't need my otherwise loving wife to think this is an expensive habit or anything

wheels with aluminum rims will be an improvement in stopping with those new pads in the brakes .

easy to justify to the SO as you will be less likely to die from brakes not working.

I've found super fine 0000 steel wool dipped in any kind of oil works well on chrome. The oil keeps the steel wool from being too aggressive and the oil helps float the rust away and treats the metal at the same time.

@fietsbob - Oh, she might prefer it the other way around....if I go, then the garage gets cleaned out!! hahaha. Just kidding, but I do have some alloy 27" rims hanging in the garage. I was going to donate them to the local co-op but they might find a home on this bike (I looked them up, I think the set is like maybe $30). Then again, if this bike doesn't come to work with me, I have a feeling it will be my pool cruiser - I live towards the back of my neighborhood and the pool is in the front - a little far to want to walk, but absolutely silly to drive. Also, my parents are moving down this way (near my pool, actually) so this could be a good bike to just take from here to there. I'd like to find my wife a similar bike to take from here to there. At 4'11, finding something that fits her on the used market isn't always easy.
[MENTION=366277]Slash5[/MENTION] - silly question, but what kind of oil?

You may be surprised at the wonders of oxalic acid. It's sold as wood bleach in crystal powder form, which you dilute in water (~1 tablespoon per gallon). You can usually find a cheap kiddie pool at Wallmart for under $10 for soaking. Toss in the steel parts, too, but not the aluminum parts. There are lots of threads on Oxalic Acid (search: "oxalic acid site:bikeforums.net")

I picked up a '68 Schwinn Speedster in similar condition and it cleaned up nicely. Those bars may not be a total loss.

BEFORE:





AFTER:

Wow, that cleaned up amazingly!

I have not used oxalic acid or anything else since I found out about a water-based product called EvapoRust. It's said to be nontoxic and you can reuse it for a long time as a parts soak. it's just plain the best.

I've used Evapo-Rust as well. It works, too, but it more expensive and somewhat less effective than oxalic acid, in my experience. Recently, I did an overhaul on one of my keeper frames and was concerned about rust inside the tubes. Sometimes oxalic acid can leave a residue on the paint, especially if the top/clear-coat is not real smooth. In this case, I didn't want to take any chances with the oxalic acid leaving a residue on the paint, so I got some rubber plugs and filled the frame with Evapo-Rust. Worked well, and I'd use it again in certain cases. For small parts and for frames that need a deep soaking in & out, I still prefer oxalic acid.