dale farley
04-13-2013, 11:10 AM
This tip will probably not prevent you from getting to your destination if you don't do it. But one day when you are wanting to check something on the bus, but just can't think of anything else you need to do, you might want to take a look.
One day when washing the bus, I decided that I would remove the chrome trim (Picture 3) around the headlights so I could clean and wax the metal. What I found was about 10 dirt dobber (dauber for the fancy guys) nests. I should have taken pictures before I started the clean up, but I didn't think about it until I got into the process. Removing the trim also allows for easy adjustment of the headlights.
I found corrosion (Picture 2) in a couple places on the back side of the trim. The nests probably caused/added to this problem by holding moisture in those areas. I brushed the corrosion away with a wire wheel and finished it with a brass brush. The trim is chrome plated ,and the corrosion was the typical white film that appears under chrome. Didn't want to have the items rechromed since the outsides (and most of the inside) are perfect. I just want to stop things before they get any worse.
At the current rate of deteoriation, I figure this could get serious in another 10 years. After some pondering and discussion, I cleaned, treated the area with Ospho and Alodine and topped with two coats of Rust Bullet paint. (Picture 1) In retrospect, I did this so Gil wouldn't have to do it.
One day when washing the bus, I decided that I would remove the chrome trim (Picture 3) around the headlights so I could clean and wax the metal. What I found was about 10 dirt dobber (dauber for the fancy guys) nests. I should have taken pictures before I started the clean up, but I didn't think about it until I got into the process. Removing the trim also allows for easy adjustment of the headlights.
I found corrosion (Picture 2) in a couple places on the back side of the trim. The nests probably caused/added to this problem by holding moisture in those areas. I brushed the corrosion away with a wire wheel and finished it with a brass brush. The trim is chrome plated ,and the corrosion was the typical white film that appears under chrome. Didn't want to have the items rechromed since the outsides (and most of the inside) are perfect. I just want to stop things before they get any worse.
At the current rate of deteoriation, I figure this could get serious in another 10 years. After some pondering and discussion, I cleaned, treated the area with Ospho and Alodine and topped with two coats of Rust Bullet paint. (Picture 1) In retrospect, I did this so Gil wouldn't have to do it.