# Help Clean up steel wool on Chassis



## cwbam (Feb 8, 2010)

I got a few chassis that got caught in a steel wool storm or a metal filing
manufacturing plant.
I took axles and other easily removed parts & tried my car parts electronic cleaner (distributor caps , safe on plastic) spray can. Not much luck.

looking for ideas
try a stronger magnet to get pieces (like a NEO magnets)?

What have you done?


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## 1967stang (Jan 15, 2013)

I am no expert on these, but I think I would try using compressed air?? Kevin


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

try reusable modeling clay


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## rholmesr (Oct 8, 2010)

scotch tape might help. Particles ought to stick to the tape and remove from the parts. this is what I use to clean magnetic particles from motor and traction magnets.

I wouldn't put neo magnets near the regular magnets as if you force the neo magnet where it ought not go, it could basically kill the car's magnets.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Hose it with WD 40 and blow it down with compressed air.


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## Jisp (Oct 19, 2008)

A ball of Blu Tack/poster putty is my secret weapon for removing even the most stubborn uninvited guest in a chassis. Squish it into the affected area, pull it out, push the portion of dirty putty into the middle of the ball and repeat as required. You can't go wrong.

Cheers,
Michael. :thumbsup:


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## LDThomas (Nov 30, 1999)

I have had best results with modelling clay or poster putty, as already mentioned.

Second best was agressive tape, like duct tape. Again, already mentiioned.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

You don't mention what type of chassis has this problem, but I can tell you how to clean up a pancake chassis as I used steel wool as a kid to clean my track (really bad move).

If you remove the magnets from a pancake chassis, there is nothing left to attract the steel wool. Take the magnets and clean them off real good; just wiping them down will eventually remove all the filings. Maybe follow with compressed air.

Take the bare chassis and all other parts and just blow them out with compressed air (probably want to do this outside). With no other magnets to hold the steel shavings, it should all blow loose. Maybe follow up with a toothbrush and Simple Green (or other light cleaner). Pretty simple.

Inline chassis on the other hand are far harder for me to assemble/disassemble but the process would be the same. Get the magnets away from the chassis and you should be able to get everything out of the chassis fairly easily.

If for either chassis the shavings themselves have become magnetic, I would suggest using a strong magnet on the chassis once the chassis magnets have been removed. Then clean as above.

Joe


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