Degreasing axle housings

Ron C.
I might try Simple Green as I already have some. It would probably be wise to scrape the inside of the housings first to remove much of the caked on grease to make the process go faster, like some mentioned earlier. I think I can use an all thread rod with a round sheetmetal disk attached to the end of it. Hope it works. I have never tried Simple Green on a "heavy duty" grease removing job like an axle housing.
Rusty Nelson
 
It's the Simple Green Pro HD (purple color). You will need to follow up with a scrub brush and some hot dish detergent soap.
 
But, any time you can incorporate Fire, a Turkey Cooker, and Model A parts, it should be Regular Maintence! :D This could be the new Driveway Activity on Thanksgiving in the shop when you are hanging out with the "Menfolk"
 
kenparker said:
We had a club event seveal years ago. Set a 20 galon garbage can on top of a propane fired "fish cooker". Set three bricks inside on the bottom of the garbage can, then about 5 gallons of water and a box of TSP. Set the axel housing in on top of the three bricks and lit the cooker. Took about 5 minutes for the water to start boiling and the axel housing acted like a percolater. 10 minutes later the fire was turned off and the housing was removed from the cooker and she was squeeky clean on the inside - and outside. The second housing put in and fire lit again. We did several tht day. Fun project but very dangerous IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL. But crossing the street is dangerous if you are not careful.
Click to expand...

Wow....all that's missing is some adult beverages and some boiled crawfish :D sounds like a good time
 
I usually try and clean them out as best as possible in my parts tank... soak the crud out and use a large brush and rag turning as you go in and out. Of course all races and seals removed.

I then take them to the local spray off car wash with a couple of cans of your favorite degreaser like gunk or one of the industrials (I like the spray streams), and soak the insides for 5-10 minutes, then use the high pressure wand on the inside with "Soap" and it will get them pretty squeaky clean. You may need to repeat a couple of times.. no big deal.
Same with torque tube. It really works well and is very economical. For $10-$15 your done. You can also take care of all the loose paint and crap on the outside... and prepare for blasting. I Cap off all ends tightly for blasting, following spray clean with a no film brake clean like wearever... then uncap and blow, and spray clean the inside. It helps to remove any traces of oil and blast dust that might be left. Dry and blow clean .

Of course out of respect for the next guy, please wipe off the spray wand before you leave!

Best of luck,
Larry Shepard
 
When I did mine I just stood the housing on end while holding it in a plastic oil pan which kept the degreaser (mineral spirits in my case) from running out too fast after I poured it in. I used a dusting wand brush with a long adjustable handle I purchased from Lowes which worked as a perfect scrub brush. It was sized perfectly because it would fit inside with some effort and tightly scrub the whole length of the tube. Once the brush was inside I'd pour about a gallon of solvent inside over the brush and move it up and down until finally all the solvent ran out the end that was standing in the bottom of the oil pan. Then I'd empty the oil pan into a bucket and repeat the process. It was a little messy and took some time but I eventually got the axle housings surgically clean inside. :cool: I also followed up the brush scrubbing with a broom stick and shop rags.
 
FWIW: Just one (1) experience, about (5) years ago, I did my axle housings with:

1. A Wal-Mart cylinder shaped toilet brush with a rounded end & with the plastic handle bolted to a wood stick extension; hence, brush plus wood handle was full length of axle housing plus about 6".

2. Poured (1) part POR 15 Marine Clean mixed with (5) parts "hot" tap water into a square (6") deep Wal-Mart plastic dish washing pan.

3. Vertically set one end of the axle housing standing in the pan's MC solution & worked the brush up & down while flipping axle housing (180) degrees now & then.

4. Changed MC solution a few times during this cleaning process until the inside of the axle housing was totally grease free & looked like a clean shotgun barrel bore.

5. Cleaned outside of axle housing with MC solution, subsequently treated with POR 15 "Prep & Ready", followed by (2) coats of "POR 15", & sprayed with two (2) coats of "POR 15 rattle can Chassis Paint."

6. After looking recently at another chassis I painted as such about 17 years ago, & after following "explicit POR instructions" with POR 15 Products, (even in this extremely high humidity area), my entire undercarriage, under sides of fenders, engine, transmission, & differential will not need repainting for over 100 years in my sincere opinion.

7. Each to his own on Model A maintenance; however, while still working with little spare time, nothing is more frustrating to me than degreasing, cleaning, & preparing rusted vintage vehicle metal surfaces again & re-painting same that I already painted years ago.
 
The method I used for cleaning out my torque tube was to make a seal out of a piece of floor covering and plywood, bolt it to the end with a flange on it. Stand it on end and pour a gallon of acetone in it and let it "soak" overnight. Pour out the sludge. Then I made a scrub brush by taking a toilet brush and attaching a long handle made out of a piece of PVC pipe and scrubbed the inside with laundry soap and water, rinse with clear water. Clean as a whistle.
 
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