SteveF
Finally riding a big boys bike
Please do post pictures of yours! I love seeing other people's x53. The thing I've discovered about the fenders on them is the chrome on the fenders seems fragile. Even the lightest scrubbing will leave small scratches in the finish.
The citric acid does a great job at softening up the rust so that you barely have to do more than wipe them. Just be patient and let the parts sit in the solution and every hour or so give them a little wipe while the parts are submerged in the solution. An important part of the process is getting the parts as free of grease and dirt as possible before soaking.
Of course if there's chrome loss it won't fix that but it will really surprise you with the results. I bought the citric acid at hobby lobby in 1 lb. bags. A little more expensive that way but locally available so I went with it. A use an appropriate tub and fill it with warm water, add the citric acid, and stir it around so it dissolves before I add my parts.
The citric acid does a great job at softening up the rust so that you barely have to do more than wipe them. Just be patient and let the parts sit in the solution and every hour or so give them a little wipe while the parts are submerged in the solution. An important part of the process is getting the parts as free of grease and dirt as possible before soaking.
Of course if there's chrome loss it won't fix that but it will really surprise you with the results. I bought the citric acid at hobby lobby in 1 lb. bags. A little more expensive that way but locally available so I went with it. A use an appropriate tub and fill it with warm water, add the citric acid, and stir it around so it dissolves before I add my parts.