what to clean oil seals with? Specifically the ones in the linkage

[andyman]

So I find myself needing to remove the belray waterproof grease and dirt mixture that's in my seals. What chemical can I do this with?

I've tried Dawn dish detergent hoping it would breakdown the grease and be safe for the seal... but no such luck.

Any hints?

 

[Drew Smith]

Solvent/Linkage

You can soak the parts in some mineral spirits and finish up with some brake cleaner/contact cleaner and a tooth brush or simular brush. the rubber seals should stand up to the solvents but If the seals seem to be damaged you will have to replace them.

 

[andyman]

awesome. I wouldn't have believed that if it came from anyone else.

You rock. thank you sir!
Andy

 

[HuskyDude]

Kerosene is what I use. It's petroleum based and will not harm rubber.

Before I'd use "brake cleaner/contact cleaner" which has the tendency of

robbing the nature oils found in rubber, I would test them on a old seal

first. Just my two cents.

 

[Slowpoke]

WD40- one of the best solvents out there for grease/oil.

 

[KDXfile]

WD40- one of the best solvents out there for grease/oil.

That's what I've used for many years. Works great.

 

[andyman]

Very interesting! So that would make cleaning out the bearings MUCH easier too! I'll keep that in mind.

 

[razornpc]

i use blue paper towels

 

[Flying Trash Can]

WD40- one of the best solvents out there for grease/oil.

+1 on the WD40.

I've come to believe that degreasing parts is the only thing this stuff is good for.

WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:

* 50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits -- primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)

* 25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)

* 15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)

* 10-%: Inert ingredients

The German version of the mandatory EU safety sheet lists the following safety-relevant ingredients:

* 60-80%: Heavy Naphtha (petroleum product), hydrogen treated
* 1-5%: Carbon dioxide

 

[fitness2go]

WD 40 works good for cleaning the bike and displacing water, but I had to use a brake cleaner to get my bearings tip top. I'll try kerosene next time.

 

[ray_ray]

+1 on the WD40.

I've come to believe that degreasing parts is the only thing this stuff is good for.

It works well on loosening rusty nuts \ bolts or anything stuck together that needs to be removed such as a axle bolt or swing arm bolt...This is what I think it was originally marketed for...Plus it will also remove any moisture from inside a distributor cap...The latter and all this other stuff are side effects on the ++ side
It was dirt cheap at one time but price has gone up through time... read where the guy who invented it died a couple years back..The 40th on the end of its name stands for his 40 attempt on the formula that they finally used...

 

[tempus fugit]

+1 on wd40 or kerosene and a toothbrush. I just go to the corner station and get some Diesel. Pretty much the same thing.

 

[ioneater]

WD-40 = Water Displacement #40

Was the inventors 40th attempt at it. According to Paul Harvey

Good Day!