I noticed that the trailing arms from my 5 lug conversion has a few paint chips and scratches in them but there is no rust. So I am thinking that it may be made of aluminum or some material that doesn't rust. Anybody know what material the ITR trailing arms are made of and if it can rust?

 

Try sticking a magnet to it. If a magnet doesn't stick, it's not a ferrous metal, and it won't rust.

 

Any metal can oxidize, and most do.

Despite the fact that aluminum has NO iron in it, and a magnet won't stick to it, it oxidizes (rusts).

That white powder on your engine block (it's mild, I know, but have a look), that's aluminum oxides (rust).

Many, many metals oxidize very slowly compared to iron containing ones, but they almost all oxidize some (unless they're coated and kept away from oxygen).

Shawn



[Modified by shawnhayes, 7:47 AM 2/4/2003]

 

I tried it and the magnet does stick.

 

taa daaa, they're steel~! likely a very tough steel, that is why they did not rust as quickly as crap steel like you would see in exhaust piping.