Grease solvent?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,748
Likes: 16
From: Connecticut
The Gunk engine degreaser will work, but it's potent stuff and will burn your nostrils and irritate your skin after a while, so you don't want to make it a habit of using that stuff as a grease cleaner around the shop. Any carb cleaner should work OK, it's just that I think Berryman's works the best, solvent-wise. Brake cleaner is another very good cleaner/solvent, but again the fumes and chemicals can cause iritation if you use it for too long too often.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 3
From: So Cal
Wipe off as much grease as you can first and then almost any solvent will work. I personally like to use WD40 since it works, it doesn't irritate my nose or skin , it is pretty safe and almost everyone has a can.
Brake cleaner and engine degreasers also work fine but can irritate.
A bearing and it's race should be almost spotless except for grease even before you clean them. If they require a heavy duty solvent to clean them, something is wrong. That is why I like WD40 works good an doesn't hurt anything.
BTW, don't spin the rollers with compressed air to dry them. They can be damaged by spinning at high speed with no lube.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Brake cleaner and engine degreasers also work fine but can irritate.
A bearing and it's race should be almost spotless except for grease even before you clean them. If they require a heavy duty solvent to clean them, something is wrong. That is why I like WD40 works good an doesn't hurt anything.
BTW, don't spin the rollers with compressed air to dry them. They can be damaged by spinning at high speed with no lube.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,228
Likes: 5
From: Running Springs CA
I just use ordinary paint thinner (naptha based) as a general cleaner around the garage. Yes it is flammable, but not low flashpoint like gasoline or acetone. It is less likely to poison you than some of the more exotic cleaners, like brake or engine cleaners. Read the label warnings or MSDS. One of the "professional" products, whose initials are SK, can cause liver damage.
Jim
Jim
Trending Topics
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Brake clean.
But watch your eyes.
And wear chemical resistant gloves, the stuff will eat away at latex.
But watch your eyes.
And wear chemical resistant gloves, the stuff will eat away at latex.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
From: michigan
I use ether, or contact cleaner as a final cleaner, it leaves no oily residue
Timken bearings says oil resedue prevents proper adhesion of the grease, and bearings should be free of everthing but grease. I build high speed milling and drilling spindles for a living, they don't fail till the seals go bad, and moisture or dirt get in
Timken bearings says oil resedue prevents proper adhesion of the grease, and bearings should be free of everthing but grease. I build high speed milling and drilling spindles for a living, they don't fail till the seals go bad, and moisture or dirt get in
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Jersey Shore Area
I use gasoline or kerosene with a parts brush. Final cleaning is with brakleen and air. DO NOT SPIN THE BEARINGS dry!!!! You can damage the bearings. I prefer Kendall blue grease when I repack em (once a year folks). Don't forget to build up a dam or well behind the bearings in the hub, to assist the bearings in retaining what little grease they have. Just don't go crazy and fill up the hub with grease. I use a rubber spatula to get the grease in behind the races, for added lubrication.