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Best way to clean griming suspension components
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3xpendable



Joined: 19 Dec 2010
Posts: 222
Location: USA

PostPosted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:31 am    Post subject: Best way to clean griming suspension components Reply with quote

Hi All,

I've currently strippd down the front suspension on my MGB inclusing the front crossmember. Some of the arms are faily new but ither bits such as the crossmember ends and the lever arm dampers have that oily crud on them from a mixture of oil, carbon and road dirt over the years. I cleaned two lower arms by getting the worst off in our cleaning tank at work then using a cup wire brush on the drill, then cleaning them in the tank again. However one of the dampers still has an oily film on it which seems to be very hard to get rid of and seeing as the same stuff is on the crossmember I don't want to paint them until i'm sure they are 100% clean.

So does anyone have any tips? Do I need to steam clean them? Wipe them off with thinners?

Many thanks
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D4B



Joined: 28 Dec 2010
Posts: 2083
Location: Hampshire UK

PostPosted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Welshie,

Engine degreaser should disolve the old oil ~ petrol does it even better but with a high risk of fuel vapour ignition!! My father always uses petrol cos he lives life on the edge (even at 74 yrs old)

Professional body repair people would use panel wipe and even tack rag prior to painting (I think panel wipe is a less toxic version of thinners)

Hope this helps
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whiteshadow



Joined: 24 Jan 2011
Posts: 78

PostPosted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:34 pm    Post subject: cleaning of oily crud Reply with quote

I've got the same issue with my car!

(1) Scrape the worst off
(2) Soak/Clean with white spirit. Not so bad as petrol and works well....I still try to do as much outside as poss to save my lungs.
(3) Clean any W/Spirit residue off with cellulose thinners or panel wipe (£12.50 for 5l at my local car shop)

I read about white spirit in a restoration book, and it works well even when filthy (+cheap).......I didn't like the idea of having to wash stuff off in water (RUST! + Pollution). I have graduated to using a £45 cleaning tank with w/spirit, as it has a good lid which keeps the fumes in and makes the workshop a bit safer than having open solvent hanging about.
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