carrying around a lot of dirt

[RedZ71]

my entire front end is crusted in grease and oil soaked dirt. a couple weekends ago, i scraped off quite a bit while i was replacing my front shocks and brake pads, but there is still lots to go. whats the best way to get rid of this crust? i went by the carwash and tried to powerwash it, but even with the wheels turned all the way to the lock i couldng get in there enough to get good enough angle on it.

any suggestions? if non, then i think im going to have to pick up a wirebrush and manually scrape it out.

and btw, where can i pick up one of those garage-floor drip pans? and speaking of drip pans, what fluid is redish in color? i have a puddle collecting that started while my front end was up on stands for 3 days. (eep!) its kinda back a bit, and i worry that its something from the tranny!

[67ChevyRedneck]

Red could be either tranny fluid or power steering fluid. Can you see where it's leaking from?

My uncle has an industrial pressure washer (he has a side busness) and he cleaned my front suspension for me. It was off the truck though. It took off all grease (and even a good bit of paint )

[cdowns]

alot of times the hard crusty stuff needs to be manually scrapped off. i use putty knifes and old butter knifes(salvation army) that i grind contours into to get into the nooks and crannies

[jimmydean]

Orange engine cleaner and a pressure washer.

[RACINJASON22]

If it back a bit like you stated and when the front was in the air I'll bet 100 to 1 odds it's the tranny tail shaft seal. Don't get worried it is an easy fix. Pull the drive shaft replace the seal reinstall shaft that easy. Don't foget to keep the tranny full untill then.

Drip-pan most any local auto parts store can get them if they are not instock. or wal-mart.

Orange engine cleaner and a pressure washer.

I agree with this one. RJ22

[PanelDeland]

the typical carwash has 1000-1500 psi.They don't want the cost of more or the liability of someone blasting their paint off.A commercial pressure washer has from that up to 3500 psi and lots more gallons per min.It will take off stuff that can only be removed by scraping.You also wont need a good angle to hit it well enough to clean it.Don't hit your paint with the pressure that high or you'll need to prime.
Spray the underside of the truck with degreaser and powerwash it off.You will easily be able to see where and what is leaking.

[WorkinLonghorn]

A commercial pressure washer has from that up to 3500 psi

Yeah,that's the ticket.In fact you can rent one at Home Depot that is 5000 lbs.I've used them for different jobs and they are amazing.They sell pavement washing solvent at the rental department.That might work,or this orange stuff these other guys mentioned. Just be careful where you aim that 5000 lb sucker.Avoid rubber boots on the ball joints etc.

[slomotion]

All due respect to the above posts, I don't know if I'd go the 5000lb route. I have a Craftsman 2300lb unit and I can etch concrete and black-top with the "Red" nozzle. There's four all together, white, yellow, black, and red, and you can seriously hurt someone/something with the black and red nozzles.

My $.02

[GREASEMONKEY72]

i just used a pressure washer but i dont know the psi of it but then mine was alot of sand and grease and whatnot

[WorkinLonghorn]

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All due respect to the above posts, I don't know if I'd go the 5000lb route. I have a Craftsman 2300lb unit and I can etch concrete and black-top with the "Red" nozzle. There's four all together, white, yellow, black, and red, and you can seriously hurt someone/something with the black and red nozzles.

Probably a better idea would be to soak it with solvent and let it sit for a while and then use a 1200 or whatever.

[special-K]

As stated by cdowns,that crusty stuff needs to be scraped.Then,start the solvents and pressure blasting.That crust just won`t budge w/o elbow grease.

[stllookn]

The "jet" injection systems used for giving shots in the military (and to farm lot animals...LOL) operate at only 1200-1500 psi. I designed a system for innoculating fish that worked at an even lower pressure. The jet pressure decays exponentially with distance from the nozzle so be careful....even the lowest pressure system against your skin will penetrate. Use heavy gloves and use a metallic shield on the hose if you have to hold it.

Having said that...more pressure and flow rate is a good thing when cleaning old junk.

[DUD2STUD]

I had the same problem and here is an easy fix you will need a good catch pan and the main ingredient a can of $2.99 oven degreaser/cleaner spray it on let it set for a couple of minutes and run your garden hose over it you may have to put your finger over the end to get enough pressure but it will take off almost every thing and what it doesn't get you can repeat step 2 to get that off. It removed 42 years of grime out of my engine compartment!!

[tracterman2]

He is right about the oven cleaner..it is VERY stout stuff...makes degreases look like dial soap...we use that to clean up old tractors to restore. You the these trucks are bad...some old John Deeres and Massy's will make our old trucks look like they just went down a dirt road or two. The oven cleaner works...just don't get it on paint or anything...we also use to remove that. If you had acess to a steam cleaner and had oven degreaser thats the way I would go...heat will soften the old grease and you won't have to use such high pressure. Just my .02 cents

[tracterman2]

oh and if you get oven cleaner...get some good rubber gloves, as the more you touch it the slicker your hands get...and its not getting slicker because its like oil...its starting to eat at your skin

[CrashEd]

Go to a truck stop and let them boys wash it if it isn't bolted down good its coming off.Go late at night a slip the wash guy a fue extra bucks LOL!!