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Posted by: RobW Sep 15 2010, 11:13 AM

What is the best way to clean / restore old dirty bolts that CAN be reused?

Or is just easier to buy new?

Posted by: McMark Sep 15 2010, 11:15 AM

Easier to buy new. You can wire wheel them, but corroded fasteners have lost their zinc coating, so they won't stay clean for long.

Posted by: Tom_T Sep 15 2010, 11:31 AM

Rob - if by "CAN be reused" you mean not corroded - then WD40, parts cleaner, soda blast, etc. can work - but you may want to then strip the cleaning agent with acetone/etc. & send them out for replating to gold Cad or Zinc per original finish on them. Sept. 2010 "Auto Restorer" has a good article on bolt types & strengths & markings thereon FWIW. Otherwise if corroded then, I agree with Mark if they're available today - but make sure you're matching the correct type/size/finish & strength as used with OE.

Mark Heard has told me that you can add them to a PMB caliper rebuild order & Eric Shea will send them out with the appropriate type batch replate when he does his caliper resto's - otherwise a local plater can do them - but check price vs. new as they may be the same or close enough to not warrant the time & effort - even if it's for Dad's 914!

Posted by: RobW Sep 15 2010, 11:39 AM

Cool.

Its mainly for the brake dust shield bolts and the rear shock bolts. It'd be a shame to use old bolts when I'm reassemblin' the bling...

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Posted by: Eric_Shea Sep 15 2010, 11:44 AM

It's always cheaper to buy new when you can. Dust shield bolts should be purchased... I have rear shock bolts in stock if you want them.

Look here:

www.mcmaster.com

We zinc plate (yellow and black) all of the fasteners that we cannot purchase new which is, all M7, M8 Ribe and M9 stuff. If you have a batch you want plated send them on, especially if your local plater has a minimum (most seem to).

The Porsche Classic Parts Catalog is invaluable in getting proper sizing and thread pitch:

http://www.porsche.com/usa/accessoriesandservices/classic/genuineparts/originalpartscatalogue/

Posted by: underthetire Sep 15 2010, 12:32 PM

Lennie was trying to do his. I'm wondering for batch clean up with screws and nuts, if one of those spark plug media blaster units would work if slightly modified.

http://www.harborfreight.com/pneumatic-spark-plug-cleaner-32860.html

Posted by: Drums66 Sep 15 2010, 03:23 PM

get out the wire wheel & brush!.......work it!

Posted by: qa1142 Sep 15 2010, 07:09 PM

Another Brad Mayeur trick

Get yourself a rock tumbler, great for small parts

Throw your parts in let it run with tumbling compound in it

Come back in a day or two

Done - no work at all

Posted by: 914Sixer Sep 15 2010, 07:34 PM

I clean all my bolts first, then wire wheel them. Then they go off to the platter but I make sure I have 50 lbs or more because of the cost. Here is a shot of what comes back. These shiny bolts took many hours to clean and polish up with the coarse and then the fine wire wheel. The large bolts are really cost effective this way as most of them are $2.00 and up.


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