Best way to clean diffs? - Chitown R/C - Chicago's Largest RC Car and Truck Community

bigjs · (#1 (**permalink**))

Time for me to do some rebuild until LH opens, what's the best way to clean the diffs? I want to put some new fluids in.

snakebite46 · (#2 (**permalink**))

I get as much as I can out, then use some nitro blast to the residual out.

MX_KEVIN · (#3 (**permalink**))

I drop em in a little mineral spirits for a while then blow em out with compressed air. Nice to get them really clean to see the wear or broken teeth.

bigjs · (#4 (**permalink**))

can I use brake cleaner instead of nitro blast?

MX_KEVIN · (#5 (**permalink**))

I have never bought nitro blast, but do use brk. cleaner sometimes when cleaning at work. Wont harm anything.

snakebite46 · (#6 (**permalink**))

You'll be fine with brake cleaner. I use it too at times.

mikeh · (#7 (**permalink**))

I use a cup of gasoline, but I think mineral spirits is cheaper.

HAGASAN · (#8 (**permalink**))

Make sure you take the diff totally apart and remove the o-rings. Some chemicals can "freak-out" the rubber and some plastics. Take it all apart and wipe everything clean or just let it run off all the parts by letting it sit there for a few minutes first. Nitro cleaner works good, but it tends to evaporate rather quickly, I use rubbing alcohol to clean my diffs and everything else. It cost 99cents at walgreens and it cleans off what ever i need to clean. It works great for tires also. Let the parts sit in some rubbing alcohol for 15 mins or so while swishing the parts around every little while. It works great. I then rinse with water, dry, and reinstall. Just dont forget about the O-rings. DO NOT CLEAN your motor internals with any o-rings still attached, alcohol will mess up the o-rings fast. Also WD-40 will mess up anything that is rubber, so be careful. If you need to clean your car, just use water and/simple green mix. Too much SG is bad for the plastics. so dilute it good.

Sorry for the big paragraph.......im bored. :o

bandit · (#9 (**permalink**))

I use denatured acholcol, it works great, plus it evaporates quickily so no lingering smell. I use it on almost all the parts, it cuts thought grease and grime like butter. But before I put the diff bakc together I make sure all the parts are dry. And regrease all the vital parts.

HAGASAN · (#10 (**permalink**))

Sorry, but what language are you typing? English only please.

HAGASAN · (#11 (**permalink**))

Careful with that denatured Alcohol, its a highly toxic carcinogene(sp) and your skin just loves to soak it up and place it in your vital organs. wear some gloves with that stuff.

rocco79 · (#12 (**permalink**))

No $hit!?!?!?!!!???!??! Great! Ive got like a gallon and a half of that crap. The other half a gallon is probaly absorbed in me! Man everything is a cancer causing! This blows!.. Im sure all those nights at the old LH raceway breathing nitro for hours didnt help ethier!!!

I give up im gonna start smoking and burning my food on the grill on purpose.. BRING IT CANCER!

bigjs · (#13 (**permalink**))

Thanks guys for the info. Thanks JT for the step by step, that will help a lot, considering I've never done it before.

Joe

Czech-it-Out Graphics · (#14 (**permalink**))

Joe a carcinogen is a cancer causing agent, I don't think you can get cancer from denatured alcohol lol

HAGASAN · (#15 (**permalink**))

I got your ass beat this time Mikey, smart-azz punk, During my years as an Ironworker I had to take a Haz-Mat training and certification course. It is a cancer causing agent just like the fuel, nitro blast and every damn thing under the kitchen sink thats used for high chemical cleaning. I dont think I would use the word "carcinogen" if I didnt know what it means, Punk-azz!
denatured alcohol is different from rubbing alcohol. Min spirits is highly toxic also and a carcinogen just as well. Punk.