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Best chemical to remove dirt/grime from t-case/diffs/etc?

Jc.av8r

Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2014
Messages
399
Title speaks for itself. I'd like to spend some time underneath our Bronco to clean the grime up off of the transfer case, oil pan, and front/rear diff covers.

What's everyone's preferred chemicals and tools to do so with the least amount of elbow grease?
 

1969

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Messages
450
Simple green everything for a few days, then lay under there with the pressure washer.
 

Chief Master Sergeant

Contributor
Retired U.S. Air Force
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
5,172
I use non-chlorinated brake cleaner. Dries up most of the grease and allows you to wire wheel it away with ease. I also use picks to get the dried grease out of small areas.
 
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Jc.av8r

Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2014
Messages
399
I use non-chlorinated brake cleaner. Dries up most of the grease and allows you to wire wheel it away with ease. I also use picks to get the dried grease out of small areas.
Thanks--I like the idea to just use a wire wheel vs. hand held brushes.
 

Gsxr7000

Contributor
Newbie
Joined
Oct 11, 2021
Messages
72
Oven clean works well, especially if you pressure wash it after sitting.
 

FordBronc

Contributor
Bronco's, yea I have a couple.
Joined
Dec 26, 2010
Messages
1,413
Loc.
Polk County, Missouri

BanditBronco

Sr. Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2008
Messages
689
Just watched a Dirthead Shed youtube where Dave used aerosol glass cleaner and a brush to remove all the grime from his axle housing to prep it for paint. Honestly, I was impressed at the outcome. I definitely plan on adding the process to my Bronco deep clean regimen.
 

EPB72

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Messages
801
Loc.
Pleasant Hill, CA
So after you pressure wash and purple power////simple green the purple stuff seems a little better...

3m bristle disk on a 4.5 angle grinder makes quick work of grime and paint ..wear a face shield you will probably have some of the disk knubs fly off..

for the crevices and around the case casting areas a 1 inch weiler knotted wire brush on a die grinder works great.{the weiler one is rated for high RPM } again face and body protection..

Dawn dish soap to degrease before epoxy primer/paint
 

Timmy390

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,609
Loc.
Conway, AR
Careful what you use, Simple Green and Easy Off Oven cleaner are corrosive to Aluminum. Think over spray/splash on alum rims.

Purple Power in a 2 gal hand pump garden sprayer. https://www.clean-rite.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HU5N4O/?tag=cbama-20

Awesome Orange is pretty good too and cheap at the Dollar Store.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q53IQFM/?tag=cbama-20
Purple Power is not good for Aluminum either. It will dull it and leave a white film. That said, it's the best thing I've found to take off grease. Pressure washer after a good soak in PP

Tim
 

bronkenn

Contributor
Bronco Guy
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
2,662
Loc.
Southeast Ohio
I use POR's Marine Clean. Works really well and doesn't leave any residue You can dilute it 10 times as it is concentrated.
 

Steve83

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 16, 2003
Messages
8,981
Loc.
Memphis, TN, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Water, water, water. Pressure-washer makes it work quicker, but the water is doing all the work. Same for detergents & surfactants (like SG & PP), and any abrasion (wirewheel, brush, etc.) - they only help water remove the grime. Brake cleaner cuts through some greases & oils faster, in ways that water can't, but that's not always good (since it can stain or degrade paints & plastics), and it's ALWAYS expensive (compared to water). My preference is the pressure washer followed by dilute PP & Dawn, and then lots of rinsing before drying in the sun & breeze.
 

tirewater

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
1,040
Loc.
San Francisco Bay Area
Just watched a Dirthead Shed youtube where Dave used aerosol glass cleaner and a brush to remove all the grime from his axle housing to prep it for paint. Honestly, I was impressed at the outcome. I definitely plan on adding the process to my Bronco deep clean regimen.

Wow! I'll be completely off topic and say thanks for the info. I didn't know Dave had his own youtube channel.

On topic, if you plan to repaint - wire wheel is pretty satisfying.

If you want to keep the paint, pressure wash the big stuff off and then use a nylon brushes with water and a mild detergent that can break down grease and loosen dirt. For small parts, ultra-sonic cleaner, follwed by evaporust bath if needed.
 
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Jc.av8r

Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2014
Messages
399
Thanks all. I'll give it a go with the pressure washer first and maybe use a wire wheel for anything that doesn't come unstuck right away.
 

hsach

Contributor
Members Only
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Messages
336
Thanks all. I'll give it a go with the pressure washer first and maybe use a wire wheel for anything that doesn't come unstuck right away.
I will echo what EPB72 said about wire wheels. Weiler ones last longer and stay together much better.
 

Jdgephar

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
1,318
There's some purple Dawn heavy-duty degreaser at Lowes that I've been impressed with

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk
 

nvrstuk

Contributor
Just a Bronco driver for over 50 yrs!
Joined
Jul 31, 2001
Messages
8,614
BRAKLEEN is TOXIC...

"Tetrachloroethylene's long-term effects as a carcinogen and its link to Parkinson's disease..."

Look it up everybody.


MOTORTREND quote below:
"...While PERC is an extremely capable industrial cleaner, it’s very bad for you. So bad the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies it as “likely to be carcinogenic in humans by all routes of exposure.”

I have 3 friends now, 2/3 were auto techs and used Brakleen regularly and the 3 of them all suffer from Parkinsons now.



Welders- remember to NEVER use Chorinated Brakleen prior to welding.
This from Popular Science. "Chlorinated Brakleen is even more dangerous for welders. When heated to high temperatures, the cleaner can release toxic gases like hydrogen chloride and phosgene, according to a Popular Science article from 2009'
 

okorangebrnco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 25, 2004
Messages
1,650
You have to be careful with Purple Power/Super Clean and Simple Green. They do not party too well with aluminum. Depending on how bad and types of grease you are dealing with, a strong (non acid) wheel cleaner and or a citrus based degreaser works very well. As many other's have said a pressure washer is your friend.
 

duffymahoney

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Messages
2,556
Steam is your friend and about the best grease and grime remover on the planet, I spray with diluted simple green, then let it sit. After a few hours, I use my portable steam cleaner and the grime just melts off.
 
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