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which cleaner best for degreasing suspension

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Old Aug 22, 2004 | 11:18 PM
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Default which cleaner best for degreasing suspension

need to clean oily rear spring, some frame areas etc. what is best to do this....suspension parts are all off car. I thought maybe kerosene in big barrel or ???? thanks for imputs.
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Old Aug 22, 2004 | 11:23 PM
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Castrol "Super Clean" works well but will take off paint if left on long enough. I did the whole underside of my car years ago with SC and the epoxy paint applied with no problems after thorough rinsing with water. You should use gloves, it is a strong alkaly content.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 07:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Solid LT1
Castrol "Super Clean" works well but will take off paint if left on long enough. I did the whole underside of my car years ago with SC and the epoxy paint applied with no problems after thorough rinsing with water. You should use gloves, it is a strong alkaly content.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 07:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Solid LT1
Castrol "Super Clean" works well but will take off paint if left on long enough. I did the whole underside of my car years ago with SC and the epoxy paint applied with no problems after thorough rinsing with water. You should use gloves, it is a strong alkaly content.
me too
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 08:04 AM
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If the items are portable, take them down to the car wash and use the Wash/Soap setting. I cleaned up my 66 chassis/suspension that way. I had quite a few stares when I jacked up the left side of the car with my floor jack and proceeded to wash YEARS and YEARS of gunk, grime, and grease off of the engine, transmisison, and frame. Best $4 I ever spent on my Corvette.
Gary
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 09:31 AM
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I love the Castrol SC .... even have it diluted in spray bottles
for household use. However, kerosene does a great job on
greasy oily messes. Lately - I have used both: kerosene first
to melt off all the heavy grime - then scrub brush with SC to
degrease the piece.

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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 10:09 AM
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Castrol Super Clean is the best, that stuff is amazing. I needed to get a gallon of it last week and they were out of it, so the guy at the place told me to try Purple Power. He said it worked just as well and it is less expensive, so I said what the hell, I'll give it try. Results- Not even close, Super Clean blows this other stuff away hands down. You do need to wear gloves and use it in a well ventilated area though. Also if your spraying it outdoors, make sure you stay upwind of it. At full strength it will definiately burn your skin, and god only knows what would happen if it ever got in your eyes so be cautious with it.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 01:17 PM
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Default Brake Cleaner

I love brake cleaner but Iz thinks it give me damage brain
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 02:33 PM
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Now I see a thread like this. I used this Castrol cleaner Saturday to clean up an engine for my old beater truck and did not wear gloves. That stuff is very hard on the hands. I will not do that again without wearing rubber gloves. On the plus side it did a very good job on the engine cleanup.
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by 70454
I love brake cleaner but Iz thinks it give me damage brain
mee 2. Itz goood ta klean stuff butt smeelz purdy badd. I gots dain bamage, whut happen ta U???
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 07:05 PM
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You can buy stuff called Gunk Super Concentrate (SC) at NAPA that you mix 9:1 with kerosene or mineral spirits to make a great degreaser. After brushing it on the parts, you hose them off with water and they're like new. Joe
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by 70454
I love brake cleaner but Iz thinks it give me damage brain
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 09:49 PM
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Try Magnum from www.firstchoicechemicals.com. Not as caustic as many of the others but cleans like crazy!!!
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 10:04 PM
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Originally Posted by LT1driver
need to clean oily rear spring, some frame areas etc. what is best to do this....suspension parts are all off car. I thought maybe kerosene in big barrel or ???? thanks for imputs.

O'Rieleys Purple Power "straight"
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 11:07 PM
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I love brake cleaner but Iz thinks it give me damage brain


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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 11:45 PM
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I've already cleaned and painted everything from the front of the car to the transmission crossmember. This includes the front suspension and frame. Everything was coated with a thick layer of grease and dirt/sand and in areas near where the exhaust had been the grease had turned to a wax/varnish like material. The first thing I use to start cleaning is a hand held power drill that has a rotary wire brush. This is really effective and fast. In what few areas that are not oil covered, I use the rotary brush to remove rust. Occassionally, after wire brushing the grease off I've used "Gunk" followed by a water spray. I didn't know about the Castrol stuff so thanks for the tip. Anyhow, after the brushing, etc. I go over everything with paper towels and lacquer thinner to get rid of any remaining oil. I probably swabbed down the front frame a half dozen times with paper towels and lacquer thinner. The bar metal frame actually looked good. Then I primered and painted the frame and just about everything else. (Some parts have been powder painted.) Just this evening I finished removed all of the rear suspension and will start cleaning it too. For close areas I also have a Dremel with a small wire brush. I use the wire brushes to clean off bolt threads also.

The wire brushes get a little dull eventually and don't cut as good. I've bought several now. Also after running the brush in one direction for a while it begins to dull, so reversing direction restores it. Sometimes I hold a part with one hand and brush with the other. If the brush/electric drill gets loose it's also very effective in brushing off skin.
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Old Aug 24, 2004 | 01:39 AM
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sounds good, thanks guys.
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