Good rail cleaner

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BSNW

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Hey all.
I have been bad and let my 1010 rain get very.......very dirty. I went to a spray car wash with a scotch pad and aluminum wheel cleaner in hand..........it did absolutely NOTHING. I need to know what to get to make this rail shine again. Please let me know what to purchase.....I am now thinking of something like a part cleaner/solvent that won't pit the aluminum. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Andrew K
TRA L2
 
Thanks for the reply. I wanted to use vinager...and have in the past. But it is acidic and can pit aluminum badly. If all else fails I will use it again. Thank you very much for the link to the thread.
Andrew
 
I too use a pvc trough and vinegar. For cleaning the slots I cast a tool using CerroSafe metal ( a low temp melting metal used for chamber casting for gunsmiths), to make the tool I use a smoth section of slot plug it with two gun cleaning patches pour in the molten metal along with a brass screw about an inch long as a handle, when the metal cools it shrinks a known amount and slides freely in the slot. Sliding it back and forth in the slot cleans it up like new, if I can I will post a picture this evening.
 
Our pads sit in the field from Oct. to Apr. We clean the rails with WD-40 and a Scotchbrite green scrubbing pad every fall before putting them back in the field. They get a cleaning with WD-40 and the green meanie during the season if someone gets up enough gumption or want to use a pad they think is too dirty.

They are NOT shiny, but they are 10 years old and still work quite well.

If you want shiny, I'm not sure I can help with that.
 
I use Eagle One A2Z All Wheel and Tire Cleaner to clean motor cases. I imagine it would work on rails as well.
 
Our local GSE expert recommends some wipes called “Hercules for Hands” for all sorts of tasks including cleaning rails. I have had good success on my personal rail with just house brand cleaning wipes from a local grocery chain. Wipes and some tools to help get them in the groove do a pretty good job. But I can’t say I’ve let my rail get really bad - yet.
 
Thanks for the reply. I wanted to use vinager...and have in the past. But it is acidic and can pit aluminum badly. If all else fails I will use it again. Thank you very much for the link to the thread.
Andrew

My rails 6 & 8 footers are 17 years old and in perfect shape yet. Always used vinegar, nothing else to clean. I always clean them within a day of last use. I let the vinegar soak for about an hour, scrub a bit with Scotch Brite pad and then rinse well with water. Once dry spray with silicone. What can pit the aluminum badly is letting the propellant residue on the rail fore ever, don't worry about the vinegar!
 
Thanks for the reply. I wanted to use vinager...and have in the past. But it is acidic and can pit aluminum badly. If all else fails I will use it again. Thank you very much for the link to the thread.
Andrew

I’ve been using vinegar for years on my rails, but you need to clean them as soon as possible after use. The exhaust residue does the damage - NOT the vinegar! I also use scotch pads when required.
 
I've actually had pretty good luck with Simple Green.
With a good "scotch pad" and a healthy bit of elbow grease too, of course.


s6
 
Elbow Grease, Brakleen (chlorinated version), baking soda, steel wool, scotch brite. If a combination of those don't work, I take them to a soda blasting booth a friend has.

Edward
 
Elbow Grease, Brakleen (chlorinated version), baking soda, steel wool, scotch brite. If a combination of those don't work, I take them to a soda blasting booth a friend has.

Edward
Brākleen on motor casings ever? Been thinking about trying it, but some skittish folks have had me waiting for a case I don't care that much about to get very stubbornly dirty.
 
Brākleen on motor casings ever? Been thinking about trying it, but some skittish folks have had me waiting for a case I don't care that much about to get very stubbornly dirty.

All the time on motor cases. I buy that stuff by the case(s). It also is the best wasp/hornet killer I've ever found. Kills em dead, no residue except the sweet smell of victory.


Edward
 
All the time on motor cases. I buy that stuff by the case(s). It also is the best wasp/hornet killer I've ever found. Kills em dead, no residue except the sweet smell of victory.


Edward
That's about what I suspected, thanks for confirming.
 
Thank you everyone for your help and replies! I will use the vinager and a scotch pad. Thanks again!
Andrew
 
My go to for rails and cases both is "Scrubs in a Bucket" and a little elbow grease. And it's actually just a little elbow grease.

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