Rust dissolver that won’t harm plastic

[67drake]

Picked up some old license plate jewels for dirt cheap. The nuts on the back are rusted. Been hitting them a few days in a row with liquid wrench, but still stuck. I know there are more aggressive things to use, but don’t want to wreck the plastic jewels. They are also pretty small, so I don’t want to crank on them too hard and snap the studs off.
Ideas!
Thanks!

 

[rlitman]

Evaporust comes in a plastic bottle.

 

[PCustoms]

Wire wheel the majority of the crusty off to see what you've got?

I don't think there's going to be much metal left.

I would try vinegar.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

2nd vinegar.

 

[pima67]

As severely rusted that those look to be, probably the wing nuts and threads are "rust welded" together

 

[Jeepster04]

Evaporust comes in a plastic bottle.

This made me lol. That stuff seems to work well.

Ive never heard of a license plate jewel. I have noticed a lady at work bedazzled her license plate... Looks, good....

 

[PoorUB]

I would just toss them and buy a new pair. You can buy them just about everywhere.

You can spend a couple bucks to clean them up and the metal will be severely pitted and still look terrible when you are done.

 

[67drake]

I would just toss them and buy a new pair. You can buy them just about everywhere.

You can spend a couple bucks to clean them up and the metal will be severely pitted and still look terrible when you are done.

Yeah, but I like old stuff!
Thanks guys. Never tried Evaporust. I’ve heard it mentioned before, so if it’s mild enough I’ll give that or vinegar a try

 

[yhprum]

Looks like you could split the wing nuts with a dremel cut off disc and pry them off, then try removing the rust.

 

[Racer_X]

Kroil

 

[Doozer75]

They look like stamped steel wing nuts, made by drawing from a flat piece of sheet steel.
If that is the case, just squeeze the round section of the wing nut in a vise and try to
make it fold in on itself. This will elongate the threaded hole and stretch the steel,
and release the tight fit of the thread interface with the stud. I assume you don't
care about the wing nuts.

-Doozer

 

[bwringer]

Coupla days in Evapo-Rust will remove the rust and leave the metal. Of which there is very little, so I have my doubts you'll end up with anything useful.

The reflective layer underneath the plastic "jewel" is also corroded.

Not sure what the point is here. You'll spend more on Evapo-Rust than on a new set.

 

[joe_padavano]

Evaporust comes in a plastic bottle.

The ALL do...

 

[rlitman]

...The reflective layer underneath the plastic "jewel" is also corroded...

Have you ever taken apart a plastic reflector? There's no reflective layer underneath anything. They work on the principle of total internal reflection in a prism. So long as the back-side of the plastic isn't scratched or all fingerprinted up, it will reflect just fine.

 

[Lorydr]

Vinegar was mentioned. Ketchup can work also.