We are starting to see it more and more- folks surprised by rusty rails (no, not rusty nail, that's Scotch and Drambuie). Unless you live in the Southwest desert you are likely going to see some rust on your seat rails. There are a few reasons for this: maybe you live near the coast, maybe you live in a rain prone area, maybe you've spilled a few drinks...
maybe you sweat–like a LOT!
So what happens when you commit to your scheel-mann Vario investment to help mitigate your sore back issues on long drives, and you are knee-deep into the tear-down of your crappy OEM seats, and then you are confronted with rusty rails?
Well, its definitely not the end of the world. You could absolutely ignore it because only the seat feet will be seen at the end. You could simply spray the rust with some silicone oil to prevent any further rusting. You absolutely could take the time to slap a wire wheel to your cordless drill, put on some safety goggles, and spend a bit of time making the rails pretty again. Or you could simply purchase a gallon of industrial vinegar (acetic/ethanoic acid) for $10 from your neighborhood hardware store. Then find yourself an unused disposable aluminum turkey pan, fill it up with the vinegar, and place the rails into the vinegar upside down.
Keep the feet, sliders (bearings and grease), above the vinegar. Let sit and check on it every few hours. Most if not all of the rust will be gone or easy to wipe off. Once you remove the rails from the bath just make sure to full wipe down and don't let it drip into the slider mechanism. Good to go.
