Im trying to inspect a bushing but

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Theres too much dirt and grime around it and ive tried cleaning it but i cant get it to come off. Any ideas what to use? I just want to get it clean enough so i can see the condition of the actual bushing.
 
Brake cleaner is usually very safe for rubber and plastic. I wouldn't risk carb cleaner.

Believe it or not, oven cleaner (cold acting, not the kind where you spray the oven then turn it on) works well on thickly accumulated grime.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Brake cleaner is usually very safe for rubber and plastic. I wouldn't risk carb cleaner.

Believe it or not, oven cleaner (cold acting, not the kind where you spray the oven then turn it on) works well on thickly accumulated grime.



Oh I heard brake cleaner is bad for rubber no? If not ill try it out. Do i let it sit and can scrub with a toothbrush?
 
I think you're OK with brake cleaner on rubber...or else brake lines, caliper seals, and cylinder seals would all fail from the exposure...and I would use it to try and clean up the bushing in question...
 
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Oh I heard brake cleaner is bad for rubber no? If not ill try it out. Do i let it sit and can scrub with a toothbrush?

Brake cleaner will evaporate too quickly to cause damage. If the grime is really that thick, spray and scrub at the same time. You won't damage anything anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Brake cleaner is usually very safe for rubber and plastic. I wouldn't risk carb cleaner.

Believe it or not, oven cleaner (cold acting, not the kind where you spray the oven then turn it on) works well on thickly accumulated grime.



Oh I heard brake cleaner is bad for rubber no? If not ill try it out. Do i let it sit and can scrub with a toothbrush?


CRC Brakleen brand in the RED can is very safe on rubber and plastics, as are other brands that contain only tetrachloroethylene. Its basically pure dry-cleaning fluid, which is safe on synthetic clothing, after all. It evaporates fast, so spray and brush more or less at the same time. Its also handy for grafitti removal since it will take off cheap spray paint or paint marker without removing underlying well-cured paint. And its great for cleaning electric motors and components (CRC sells "Lectra Motive" electric parts cleaner too, which is chemically the same as "Brakleen" but costs a little more... don't be fooled!) :-) Its a great solvent, its non-flammable and not highly toxic. But don't breathe it too much, its got long-term effects from repeated exposure and if you expose it to extremely high temperatures (actually apply flame to it), it will decompose into some real nasty stuff. NEVER spray it down the carb/throttle body of a running engine the way you can use carb or throttle body cleaner, because highly toxic gasses will come out the tailpipe! Its good to clean stuff in prep for soldering to make sure the solder adheres well, but you have to be SURE its all evaporated before applying flame.
 
^ thats what I have on me now is the CRC. Would you recommend hosing it down after i use the cleaner? Its raining now so probably wont do it right now.

Im anxious i hope it works! I tried simple green last week and didnt do a thing. And ended up rinsing it off.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
But don't breathe it too much, its got long-term effects from repeated exposure and if you expose it to extremely high temperatures (actually apply flame to it), it will decompose into some real nasty stuff. NEVER spray it down the carb/throttle body of a running engine the way you can use carb or throttle body cleaner, because highly toxic gasses will come out the tailpipe! Its good to clean stuff in prep for soldering to make sure the solder adheres well, but you have to be SURE its all evaporated before applying flame.


This story has been passed around the interweb a lot regarding the SEVERE dangers of brake cleaner around heat/welding:

http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm
 
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
^ thats what I have on me now is the CRC. Would you recommend hosing it down after i use the cleaner?

No. Whatever might remain after evaporation (essentially nothing) will wash off the first time you drive through a puddle.
 
Tegger i tried brake cleaner and holy man the dirt on this isnt budging at all. I tried to apply several squirts and scrub hard and no go
frown.gif
 
If it's dirt, like real honest-to-goodness dirt dirt of the sort that tomatoes grow in I'd suggest using a lot of lukewarm water and just a little bit of soap. Dawn dish washing liquid is not soap. Castrol Super Clean is not soap. Ivory soap is soap.

Edit:

A little more elbow grease can make it cleaner faster.
 
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Originally Posted By: yonyon
If it's dirt, like real honest-to-goodness dirt dirt of the sort that tomatoes grow in I'd suggest using a lot of lukewarm water and just a little bit of soap. Dawn dish washing liquid is not soap. Castrol Super Clean is not soap. Ivory soap is soap.

Edit:

A little more elbow grease can make it cleaner faster.


I took some pics and i honestly dont even know if it is dirt. Its not dark soil brown colour, its like a tan colour. Look under your hood or deep down in your engine bay. See the tan colour stuff that gets on your pipes? Thats it.
 
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
mineral spirits and a stiff brush works wonders
Whats mineral spirits? Where can i get it?

Will copper wire brush be too harsh for it?
 
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
mineral spirits and a stiff brush works wonders
Whats mineral spirits? Where can i get it?

Will copper wire brush be too harsh for it?


Paint thinner...hardware store...and I wouldn't use a copper/brass brush on the bushings - too stiff. Use a stiff bristle (like nylon) brush, a kitchen scrub brush for example...and wear something to protect your eyes when you use chemicals...
 
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
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Can you provide some guidance as to where is the bushing in question?

Frankly, what I see in the picture looks not worth cleaning off. Cars get dirty on the bottom, especially in the North East. Carmakers allow for that in their designs.
 
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
sca...amp;res=landing

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Can you provide some guidance as to where is the bushing in question?

Frankly, what I see in the picture looks not worth cleaning off. Cars get dirty on the bottom, especially in the North East. Carmakers allow for that in their designs.



Click on the 2nd image, its the biggest bushing in the middle of the pic, with the hole in the centre.

Reason i have to clean it is to inspect the bushing cause i wanna see if its toast.
 
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