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TR2/3/3A TR3 Rear Shocks

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Donald1107

Donald1107

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The rear shocks on my 59 TR3A are caked with hard grime. Water based degreasers don’t touch it. Chipping off chunks with a flat screwdriver removes some. Any suggestions on how to clean this hard oil/dirt cake off my shocks without removing them from the car? Would naphtha or gasoline melt this gunk?
 
Gas is dangerous. My favorite is kerosene and a gasket scraper. Once the big chunks are off, you can switch to a coarse steel bristle brush. It will be a slow process...but consider it took 60+ years to build up.
 
Thank you; I will try kerosene lamp oil as I don’t have or need any diesel, and they are basically the same thing. I am trying to figure out how I might soak the shock while in place. Maybe wrap it in plastic filled with kero. I’m not sure that just painting it with kero will dissolve whatever grease/gunk/dirt it is coated with (over scores of years). The gasket scraper is a good suggestion; I will buy one … long handle.
 

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You may want to try a can of Gunk.
BTW kero is basically jet fuel,diesel is the same as home heating oil.
Tom
 
Yes, you are right: Jet A. But diesel, HHO, and Jet Kero (lamp oil, which I have) all have flash above 100*F. Either will serve more safely than naphtha or gasoline.

I tried Simple Green and 3D Orange Degreaser; neither touched it. Maybe Gunk or solvalene would melt it away with some help from a gasket scraper.
 
Kerosene is a good bit lighter than Diesel. If you use Kerosene, it will dry off in a day. Diesel takes a week sometimes. I also found that the cheap, $1.50 rattle can paints will bond to even damp kerosene, while expensive rustoleum and such will not until th kerosene is fully dried out.
 
Well, I don’t have one. Maybe some day I’ll buy or rent one for this one tiny job (not that the whole underside couldn’t use a good power wash). I asked on this forum several months ago for advice on having the entire underside professionally cleaned. The advice was “don’t!” So I didn’t.
 
Also, anything with a seal often doesn't fare well to being pressure washed. It will force water into the unit. That's OK if you plan to rebuild it...but my impression is you just want to clean it and run it.
 
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