cleaning solvents

[threatminor]

I am re servicing my front axle this week finally, and for me this is the biggest project I've tried to tackle. I have a 94 fzj80

The one thing I still am not sure of is what to use in cleaning the axle shaft, inside of knuckles, etc. before putting everything back together. I'm also worried about not cleaning the stuff good enough, or cleaning too vigorously. I know there will be some sorta film on the parts, and I'm not sure if it's bad to clean that off or not. I've seen various posts on the subject, but am still not sure.

Does any more experienced guys have any definitive answers of:

1. What products are safe to use?

2. To what extent it is safe to clean the parts? (ie. a quick rub down with rags, soaking them for days in solvent until they are spotless, etc. )

Thanks so much.

 

[LX_TREME]

12 bottles of brake cleaner, 12 rolls blue paper towels -6 of them on each side

 

[Scamper]

Assuming you don't have a parts cleaner, you'll be left with:

Gasoline
Kerosene
Mineral Spirits
Brake Cleaner
Acetone
Ethyl Acetate
U235 + H3

I'd try to refrain from the last... You don't have to get too anal; just get it clean.

 

[-Spike-]

There's some purple swill that cuts grease better than any petroleum-base solvent. Used to be known as Castrol Super Clean, but I've heard that Castrol no longer owns it. I use Zep Industrial Purple Cleaner & Degreaser from Home Depot- same stuff. It is corrosive, and will eat most rubber, plastics, and metals eventually. Not to mention skin. Will eat through gloves. Will also remove every last bit of grease and slime from a 255,000 mile poorly-maintained axle inside and out. Just put it in a garden sprayer, apply liberally, let soak for awhile, rinse and repeat until clean. Of course, it will eat the garden sprayer innards eventually as well. A 'chemical resistant' garden sprayer will typically last me about 3 months before the seals start puking. Don't leave the vessel pressurized- that gets messy. And don't bother trying to put a spigot on a 5 gallon jug of the stuff either- PVC, brass, rubber, steel- it eats through them all eventually. In fact, now there's a recall on the stuff- http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml06/06237.html - apparently it eats through the bucket it comes in- eventually. Damn good stuff though.

-Spike