Iron X turned my wheel weights bright green...

Just put a little piece of painters tape over the wheel weight and be more careful when spraying in that area. It shouls say on the bottle to keep off wheel weights because of this reason. Probably a little bit of a pain in the A#$ but much less time consuming than scrubbing the green off! Im not a pro though sure there easier solutions to the issue

I noticed a green color, didn't know why but figured it was something to do with the metal content and not being sealed.

No, it has never happen to me but i have heard of it happening quite a bit.

Sounds like a chemical reaction to the lead...or maybe their weights were coated with something. Didn't do it on factory GM weights. I used the iron x gel

DaveT435 said:

Sounds like a chemical reaction to the lead...or maybe their weights were coated with something. Didn't do it on factory GM weights. I used the iron x gel

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+1 Used IronX Paste on my dads C6 wheels with the weights not turning green.

used sonax on my wheels and dyed my wheel weights with a green tinge -> similar products

uncoated metals will get stained from this product. I'm always weary of using these iron remover product around aftermarket/factory big break units as a lot of the hardware on them is uncoated and can be stained.

Yup. Iron-X will turn lead wheel weights bright green. Although I have never had an issue getting the green color out afterwards. Usually just light agitation with an appropriate wheel cleaner makes short work of it. I have never noticed it to be a hassle, especially considering the time saving benefits of using Iron-X in the first place.

http:// http://www.autogeek.net/carpro-iron-x-cleaner.html
A few paragraphs down it cautions against spraying certain parts. Give it a tread and use caution around those parts.

It will dye the wheel weights a little green.

A little scrubbing with a metal type brush and it will come off.

Re: "Iron X turned my wheel weights bright green"...

^^^I see this posted quite a bit.^^^

I'll ask...
1.) Are all wheel-balancing-weights 'created equal'?
2.) What are the reactive ingredients/chemicals, if any, in IronX?

1.)...
-Historically...wheel-weights were made from lead alloys.
But 'lead', due to its toxicity/poisonous nature, has gradually been removed from products,
like paints...due, in part, by pressures exerted by environmental/safety&health groups.
Probably, IMO: A Good Thing.

Keeping in lock-step for this lead-removal, some wheel-weight manufactures have turned to other
materials/alloys. Zinc is one such material/metal/metal-alloy.

-Allow me to back-up momentarily...
Many metals/metal-alloys, such as aluminum, stainless steel, and, even lead and zinc...
will form a tough passivation-layer in order to halt/reduce attacks from
further chemicals-reactions to their underlying base.

For lead...lead oxide
For zinc...zinc oxide

-However, these passivation layers are not a "Silver Bullet"... certain chemicals/abrasive-actions can remove them.

Fortunately, if 'reactants' are removed in a timely fashion (before they completely destroy the base metals/alloys)
the passivation-layer will re-form when exposed to the atmosphere.

{Side Bar: Depending on its purity/alloy content...
When zinc burns, it emits a greenish/greenish-blueish "color".}

2.)...
IronX's ingredients include, (among others no doubt):
-Ammonium Sulfanylacetate (also called/known by many other names)---Acetic Acid
-Alkyl Ethoxy Sulphate---fancy name for Sodium Salts.


With the above #'s 1.) & 2.) in mind...I'll postulate that:

-If the wheel-weights are of zinc/zinc-alloys:

a. They will have a zinc-oxide, passivation-layer

b. Acids (including acetic acid) will 'remove'/burn-off this zinc-oxide passivation-layer through a
"heat-process" (exothermic)...and start 'burning' the underlying zinc/zinc-alloy

c. IronX contains acetic acid...Which is known to 'remove' zinc oxide by an exothermic-reaction

d. The appearance of zinc/zinc-alloys when heated/burned will be greenish.

e. The total washing/whisking-away of IronX by methods/means of items such as:
water-flushing/cleaners-surfactants/agitation...before the zinc'ed wheel-weight is
completely destroyed/"eaten"...will allow the grayish, zinc-oxide, passivation-layer
to re-form atop of what's left of said zinc'ed wheel weight.

f. All is well, then, in: Wheel-Weight Detailing-Land...(?)


As I mentioned...
-Just putting forth my theory/theories regarding "Green wheel-weights".
-I could be totally wrong, though.



Bob

ADDENDUM:
-Want to know my theory of why IronX is that greenish color while in its container/bottle...
Yet turns into colors ranging from: purple-ish; then red; and then, (even):
'blood-red'...when becoming "exposed"?!?!

-I thought not.

Exactly what i came here to say a little agitation removes it from the weights

CEE DOG said:

Exactly what i came here to say a little agitation removes it from the weights

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Hey Buddy...Thanks for stopping by!!

-Been awhile since I've seen you.
-Hope your Business is going full blast!

:cheers:

Bob

Hey bud!!! Great to see you we must have posted at the same time. I was referring to Nick. Wow! Awesome post and info from you as always!

CEE DOG said:

Hey bud!!! Great to see you we must have posted at the same time. I was referring to Nick. Wow! Awesome post and info from you as always!

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Thanks for the kind words Corey. I appreciate it!

I'll have to give you a ring, and bother you some , at your place of Business soon.



Bob

Please do Bob :cheers: I would love to chat with you anytime!

Post #13 for the win!

New challenge Bob, explain why brake calipers discolor when IronX is applied, given that it is pH neutral and the calipers are uncoated. One could assume it is the reaction of the acid against the raw material, but it's typically associated with a caustic chemical and not a pH neutral chemical.

rwright said:

Post #13 for the win!

New challenge Bob, explain why brake calipers discolor when IronX is applied, given that it is pH neutral and the calipers are uncoated. One could assume it is the reaction of the acid against the raw material, but it's typically associated with a caustic chemical and not a pH neutral chemical.

Click to expand...

Hi Richard... (Warning: "Here Goes"!! Im the MAN)

-I'll agree (as far as acid-base reactions are concerned) that it is a given
that IronX is a pH neutral solution.

-However, I'll ask...How/Why is this possible with some of its given ingredients/chemicals?

What are Acid-Base Reactions?

-Simply put...When an acid and a base are placed together, they react to neutralize
the acid and base properties...producing a salt.

-Without going into details about anions/cations and
(H+/-)/(OH+/-)...here's an example:

Put a strong acid and a strong base together, like: Hydrochloric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide;
they'll 'neutralize' each other; and a salt is produced.
NaCl...table salt. (Along with water as a by-product.)

Note: Salt/salts: generic term for the products from acid-base reactions.

Back to IronX...
-It is a given (based on its MSDS) that it contains: Ammonium Sulfanylacetate...
which I mentioned in an earlier post was Acetic Acid.

-I also mentioned that it also goes by many other names...
Ammonium Thioglycolate is one such other name.
So are Thioglycolic Acid, and Ammonium Thioglycolate solution.

-Now being the salt of a acid-base reaction...
ammonium thioglycolic acid is: in solution as an
equal-mixture of the salt itself; the acid---thioglycolic acid;
and the base---ammonia.

The question I have now is:
-Why wouldn't ammonia, and/or thioglycolic acid...Not 'discolor'
uncoated brake calipers?

-Again...not wanting to go too indepth on acids/bases and their:
Losing/gaining an H(+)cation/OH(-)anion...or vice versa.
(Going out of neutrality, or, perhaps, out of solution, as it were.)

Hope this helps some.



Bob

Footnote: I know I mentioned it earlier...
But my: IronX's>>>greenish>>>purpleish>>>reddish theory/theories...
May still be available (but for a limited time only)