Where to hot tank a crossmember in San Diego? (Even LA if I have to)

[botsdots]

Not sure where else to put this, but it's probably only a suspension problem, so here it is...

I've driven my crossmember to no less than 5 places and called another 5. No one in San Diego County can Hot Tank this thing.

I'm looking for a place that can hot tank it, but I'm striking out. Here are the places I've tried:
Kenyon Machine
Wholesale Automotive Machine
Diesel System Services
Oceanside Truck Service
Action Cylinder Head Service
Rick's Machine Shop
Hi Performance Machining and Metals
Cylinder Head Services
Jacobs Engine Rebuilding
Motor Machine & Supply

So I'm putting my question out the best people for this stuff... where can I get my crossmember hot tanked? I'll even take places in LA as recommendations.

[chevyrestoguy]

I think why you could be getting turned down is because of the term you're using. In Southern California, the EPA has clamped down on any use of openly stored chemicals, like stripping vats and chrome tanks. Their fear is that the tanks could leak and the chemicals could get into the water table. The term, "hot tank" is now taboo because the old stripper tanks in your local machine shop are now gone.

The new method for stripping greasy parts is the bake-off oven. The parts get baked until the grease turns to powder, and then the parts are put into the jet washer where high temperature/high pressure water is sprayed and the parts turn on a spinning table. They come out really clean. Most machine shops have a bake-off oven, so try that method.

If you're only interested in dipping the part, the only place in So Cal that I know of is:
Strip Clean Co. 5105 W. First St., Santa Ana, CA 92703 Phone:714 775-7797

[botsdots]

Thanks for the info.

I did find one place in Anaheim that would do it, but they wanted $250. Seems a little much to me, but what do I know?

I suspected the EPA had something to do with it, but I've been generalizing about just getting it cleaned. I'm actually looking to get it powder coated, and I'm having trouble getting the coater to tell me more than "it needs to be clean." I understand they don't want their blast media getting all nasty, but throw me a bone.

There is a quarter self-serve car wash here that has an "engine degreaser" function on it. I was thinking about just taking it out there and seeing if that was sufficient for the coater.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by botsdots

Thanks for the info.

I did find one place in Anaheim that would do it, but they wanted $250. Seems a little much to me, but what do I know?

I suspected the EPA had something to do with it, but I've been generalizing about just getting it cleaned. I'm actually looking to get it powder coated, and I'm having trouble getting the coater to tell me more than "it needs to be clean." I understand they don't want their blast media getting all nasty, but throw me a bone.

There is a quarter self-serve car wash here that has an "engine degreaser" function on it. I was thinking about just taking it out there and seeing if that was sufficient for the coater.

We've done parts (frames, x-members, engine parts) here in TX that way. Degrease/power wash them as good as possible via car wash (after cleaning/scraping in the driveway). Then take it to the PC'er for them to blast.

[botsdots]

Here's "Plan B"

[SCOTI]

That would be our Plan-A

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Get a high pressure washer from Home Depot on rental, and a jug of purple power. I did my heavily caked on F100 project frame that way.

[botsdots]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

Get a high pressure washer from Home Depot on rental, and a jug of purple power. I did my heavily caked on F100 project frame that way.

Good call. I've got a buddy with a pressure washer who might be up for helping. Part of the issue here is that I live in a townhome, with an extremely "good" HOA. It's good when it comes to repairs and such, not good when you have a hobby like this.

I'm going to move what I've done to my build thread. Thanks for the help guys!