Turn signal chrome corrosion cleaning tips?

[BarrettN]

I tripped across a set of euro turn signals that are pretty rough (but they weren't a fortune either) - any tips on the best way to treat the corrosion on the chrome parts?

I'm planning on evaporust for the steel bracket parts. 

I don't have any experience with messing with lenses, my initial thought is not to do anything to them unless someone here has suggestions. 

It looks like gaskets may still be available so I will replace the crusty gaskets assuming that's correct. 

 

All suggestions on how to clean them up best are welcome. 

[halboyles]

Belt sander progressing from fine to very, very fine grit will make the top flat surface look close to new.  Clear coat will help keep it that way.

[coloincaalpine RIP 2021]

 This is a condensed version of how it's done. 

This set in the pic,were corroded even more than yours. Restoring them is very time consuming and requires lots of masking and a bead blast cabinet but, they turn out very nicely as long as the lenses aren't cracked and broken.

The top,flat part that gets so corroded first gets bead blasted,then I lay a sheet of 220 wet or dry on a known FLAT surface and start sanding till they are flat. I then fill the corrosion holes with Permatex "LIquid Metal" comes in a tube. Then, sand again and repeat til the holes are filled and flat. I paint that flat part with several light coats of "chrome" paint.

On the inside metal parts, I first mask off the lens and paint the metal parts of the bulb holder with spray "Matte Nickel" available at Home Depot. After that is dry I go back in and paint the reflector part "chrome" with a small brush.

PM me if you want me to redo them for you.

Good Luck,

Dan in Colorado 

 

 

Edited July 5, 2020 by coloincaalpine

[zinz]

And don’t forget, Euro signals have to be wired a little differently.... cue the Technical Articles section

 

 

[Tassie]

My turn signals were in very similar condition.  As noted above, I put in the hard yards to sand them back and polish them up.

 

I would guess that mine were chromed stainless steel, as you could see various layers being removed by the sanding.

 

Progressing through grits and finishing with polishing compound and wax gave a very respectable finish.  Some of the dark mottling will show through the final finish.

 

The hardest part was the finesse required around the lens, careful use of a Dremel is the go.

[MitchaPaLoOza88]

Is it possible to un-rivet the lenses to separate? Or is that too high of risk for cracking?

[coloincaalpine RIP 2021]

Mitch,Not the lens but, you can remove the rivets and even install a U.S. bulb holder.  What I do is buy a piece of I think 3/1`6" or 1/8", copper tube, cut and flare the ends to hold the bulb holder in place.  Cut the tube,flare one end install it then, flare or peen the other end. You just have to make sure you buy the tube size to fit your screws.

-dq

Edited July 6, 2020 by coloincaalpine

[jimk]

I swapped the US bulb holder/bar to the euro lens and pop riveted it in the original locations in the euro lens.  Used the hollow center of the rivet for the screws. 

[golf73]

Might consider spraying the lenses a clear amber hobby paint on the outside (Tamiya clear orange model paint or amber "stained glass" Krylon) and maybe go over that with a UV resistant clearcoat over it to protect the finish and against rapid fading. Havent personally done this but could be an option for you to freshen them up. maybe practice first on a US bulbous version as nobody wants those anymore, until everyone has the Euro ones and the US ones are all gone. I'm thinking of trying this method on some extra faded side marker reflectors i have.