35 radiator solder & brass

[Jakno]

Cleaning up the rust and 80 years of paint on the radiator for the 35 1/2t pickup before installing it back into the truck. While I was wire brushing the brass tops and solder joints the thought occurred to me should I be doing this ?. Can I wire brush thru the solder joints or damage the brass with a wire wheel ?.

Anyone been there done that ?. Thanks

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Jakno

Cleaning up the rust and 80 years of paint on the radiator for the 35 1/2t pickup before installing it back into the truck. While I was wire brushing the brass tops and solder joints the thought occurred to me should I be doing this ?. Can I wire brush thru the solder joints or damage the brass with a wire wheel ?.

Anyone been there done that ?. Thanks

I suppose if you got very aggressive you could go through the tanks. The tanks are actually quite thin. The solder joints? I'd say if you went through one of those, it was close to "going" on its own.

[ford38v8]

When I was a kid, all the guys did the Brasso radiator dress-up. Certainly cheaper than Chrome Acorn Nuts!

[paul2748]

If removing the paint is what you are doing, I would use lacquer thinner or some other solvent. Then scotch pads or sandpaper. I think a wire wheel is too aggressive.

[Jakno]

Thanks for your advice. That's funny, I actually got out an old bottle of Brasso and polished up some of the brass. I thought someone's going to think I'm nuts doing this. Anyone ever polished the brass and then clear coated it ?. The Drill Sargent would be proud

[ford38v8]

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Actually, I did just that about 20 years ago on my old radiator. Keeps it bright longer, but not really the same quality shine as brass can be with only Brasso and a green scrubber.

[JonC]

Alot of people have a misconception about solder, it is not a glue. A good solder joint relies on a chemical bond between the base metal and the allot in the solder. As Kube said unless you wire brush thru the metal you will not hurt the solder bond.

[Jakno]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Actually, I did just that about 20 years ago on my old radiator. Keeps it bright longer, but not really the same quality shine as brass can be with only Brasso and a green scrubber.

Alan, do you have a picture of your brass radiator you wouldn't mind posting.

[ford38v8]

No, sorry. That radiator is actually in my loft as a spare right now. If I took a picture of it, it would show damaged and spotty clear coat. Once you do the clear coat, you can't go back and polish damaged spots, it has to be all or nothing. And I hope you understand it's only the top tank that gets the Brasso anyway.

[G.M.]

Originally Posted by Jakno

Cleaning up the rust and 80 years of paint on the radiator for the 35 1/2t pickup before installing it back into the truck. While I was wire brushing the brass tops and solder joints the thought occurred to me should I be doing this ?. Can I wire brush thru the solder joints or damage the brass with a wire wheel ?.

Anyone been there done that ?. Thanks

Use a long stranded thin wire bush. You can almost polish the brass this way. G.M.