Rust spots on tower

(huh01) · (huh01) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 06-14-2011, 12:05 PM

Our tower sat outside alot of the winter while at the dealer and has started to show what appears to be some small rust spots. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to clean this?

Thanks

(txaggie929) · (txaggie929) **Join Date: May 2011** 06-14-2011, 12:13 PM

WD40 and some #0000 steel wool.....a little rubbing and it should come right off. I take it your tower is bare metal?

(txaggie929) · (txaggie929) **Join Date: May 2011** 06-14-2011, 12:16 PM

That being said though, I think I'm gonna check pricing on getting my tower powdercoated black to avoid having to worry about rust....and to make it prettier

(olmoomba) · (olmoomba) **Join Date: Apr 2010** 06-14-2011, 12:21 PM

paul nailed it - I am guessing you are seeing the issues on the stainless steel hardware? I thought most all towers were aluminum???

(twelve02) · (twelve02) **Join Date: Aug 2010** 06-14-2011, 1:26 PM

Most towers should be steel with a chrome plating. The rust is most likely from the welds or hardware. WD40 and steel wool is great, just be careful not to rub too hard so as to not dull the chrome plating.

(olmoomba) · (olmoomba) **Join Date: Apr 2010** 06-14-2011, 1:45 PM

Mine's brushed aluminum with polished billet aluminum shiny parts. No chrome. My monster tower was powder coated aluminum with polished billet joints.

(huh01) · (huh01) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 06-15-2011, 9:00 AM

I'm seeing the rust spots all over the tower not just on the hardware. I will carefully try the steel wool and WD40.

Thanks

(Riteride) · (Riteride) **Join Date: Sep 2010** 06-15-2011, 9:09 AM

If you have the $ get yourself a Stainless Steel tower... If its rusting on the outside I wonder what the inside looks like..

(huh01) · (huh01) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 06-15-2011, 9:15 AM

I'm going to assume the tower is steel with Chrome plating... it looks similar to what the chrome on my old truck looked like. That being said, the boat isn't even a year old so I'm less than impressed.

(loudontn) · (loudontn) **Join Date: Feb 2005** 06-15-2011, 11:27 AM

Most of the marine industries wakeboard towers are made of anodized aluminium, operative word being anodized. I'm not sure what manufacturer would build an aluminum tower without using anodized aluminium, it'd be sure to rust otherwise (assuming it's not powder coated).

(Jeff) · (Jeff) **Join Date: May 2010** 06-15-2011, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loudontn

I'm not sure what manufacturer would build an aluminum tower without using anodized aluminium, it'd be sure to rust otherwise (assuming it's not powder coated).

Most of the aftermarket towers I've seen from China aren't anodized. My Aerial isn't but anodizing is optional. It does get spots on it that I have to polish off periodically but no real measurable loss of material.

Some of the Chinese ones that I've seen are anodized but rather poorly with lots of small defects and a "milky" appearance.

I've never seen a mild steel tower with chrome plating. That just seems like a stupid way to make a tower for a marine application.

(Jeff) · (Jeff) **Join Date: May 2010** 06-15-2011, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huh01

I'm going to assume the tower is steel with Chrome plating.

You don't have to "assume" if you have access to a magnet. Try to stick it on there. If it sticks it's steel. If it tries to stick but not very well it's SS. If it doesn't stick at all then it's probably aluminum but could be SS.