wheel cleaning

[cooter9]

while under the Packard cleaning grease and grime I noticed that inside the wheels are very caked and dirty. What is best safe way to clean that area? I am using oven cleaner for the chassis grime.

[Guest Randy Berger]

Good thoughts Brian, I don't like the oven cleaner at all. I would take those wheel to to the local self carwash, put some quarters in and blast away. That would get rid of most of the crud and you could finish up at home <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I even wash the engine compartment out every once in a while. Drives other patrons nuts when they see me blasting away under the hood <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[cooter9]

My fault guys, what I really meant is not the wheel itself but the inside where the brake hose attaches and that general area. It is really gunky and sludged up.

[Guest Albert]

I just did the front end in the Panama using a Carpet knife (curved blade) and screwdrivers to scrape of the worse of it, and will be sand blasting the rest of the rust off when i get some decent weather (no rain)so i can re paint the front end.

[cooter9]

here is a pic of what I am dealing with

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Man, You were Not Kidding! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> I would suggest a Chisel & Hammer. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I think they rent those large air Hammers, like used to dig up Streets. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You're going to have to dig and chip away at it, no cleaner will work until you get down closer to the metal. As suggested, I would use screwdrivers of several sizes and any other pointed utensils to brake it loose. It also depends on how hard it is? If very hard, then you may really have to use a chisel and hammer. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> It almost looks like tar. Could it be that someone went wild with Undercoating? If that's what it is, then I would leave it until you really have to remove it. So first you need to determine what it is and how hard it is?

[cooter9]

is there no cleaner that will soak over time and penetrate to the metal? I am afraid of damaging something poking around with metal screwdrivers and such.

[Guest Albert]

This is what they look like after you remove all the extra grease, a lot comes from the king pins when they are greased.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I am afraid of damaging something poking around with metal screwdrivers and such. </div></div>

Not much that can be damaged, Very durable parts. The small grease fittings on top and rubber bumpstops are probably the only parts that can be broken.

[FRANKL]

i have used Gumout engine cleaners on this type of hardened grease and found it works well. i also have a presure washer to use for cleaning like this after the gumout penetrates.

[Guest Albert]

Here is a way of cleaning everything (except the body), and it leaves it really clean, but it does make a beach... I did the whole frame in 2 hours.