Cleaning Greasy parts is never fun but it can be made easier by the way you tackle it. Nothing is more satisfying than taking grimy, greasy parts and turning them into nice, painted and detailed parts! We show our top 3 favorite ways to clean parts and why below.
- Parts Washer Cabinet– Nothing beats a parts washer. With this you have a bath of grease cutting solvent in the cabinet that is circulated over the part by a submersible pump. This allows you to rotate and brush the part easily and you don’t need to waste cleaners or solvents each time you wash it off. These parts washers do cost a little more than our other methods but you can match the size to the footprint of your shop and your budget. Parts washers are most commonly used for small to medium sized parts but aren’t always the best for large parts or items that need a lot of scraping off of thick crusty grease and dirt.
- Tear Down Tables- A tear down table is the best for large parts or items that are REALLY crusty and greasy. These tables are angled in the center or towards the corner to drain residual cleaner and oils into a pan. The nice thing is that you can keep the big chunks of oil, grease, and crude contained to the top and it won’t clog up your parts washer. For large parts like front and rear axles, differentials, etc. there’s no better way to clean up parts. You can even get a small tear down table that will fit in a small corner of your shop if you’re on a budget.
- Bucket Top Washer- Ok so it’s basically a parts washer but it’s the cheapest and simplest way to get to cleaning dirty parts. The bucket top parts washer just requires you to take the washer and set it on any 5 gallon bucket filled with solvent and you’re off and running. The best part is that it can be broken down to take up almost no space and used only when you need it. This method is best for weekend warriors or occasional restoration enthusiasts. This also works really well for small parts that might get lost or shuffled around in a large parts washer. The investment is so small even the most budget-minded enthusiast can afford it!