Best way to treat surface rust on steelies?

[R826583]

I took the hubcaps off my wheels the other day to find there is rust on the steelies (well rather it looks to be on the metal that is on the axle - I don’t know what the name of this is though ) I am not sure how long it has been there. It looks to me to be surface rust. How would I best go about treating this? I can’t take the wheels off because I only have basic tools at home. For now, I have been applying some lithium grease to the steelies in an effort to keep water and other junk away from the rust.

Is this ever going to become an issue if the rust is not ‘properly’ removed, say with a wire brush or something more harsh than what I can do?

[spartacus68]

I see you’re based in Australia, that said. I wouldn’t worry about it. Try living in the northern hemisphere!

It’s surface rust. Those axle hub caps are good, wire brush the axle hub, liberally spray with lithium white grease or Lanogard and whack the cap back on.

[R826583]

Haha yes I can’t imagine the rust that would form in cold places that salt their roads!

That’s good to hear that it only looks like surface rust. I’ll get some of those plastic axel hub covers and apply a good covering of lithium grease. I don’t have a lot of tools so I don’t think I’ll be able to wire brush my axle hubs, even though I would like to, but hopefully they will be fine. Thanks for the suggestions.