Best way to prep new parts for paint?

[Keystone_Hate]

I have new brake drums and spindles and they are covered in the packaging oil to prevent corrosion. The metal itself is coarse because it's cast. So i'm not sure on the best way to clean these before painting. I don't wanna use a rag and degreaser cause the coarse metal is gonna hang on to all the lint. Can I just hose em real good with brake cleaner? Or possibly use a brush and hot water and plain hand soap? I'm worried about flash rust if I try the soap and water.

[mongocanfly]

brake cleaner works well....be sure you use a high temp paint..

[Keystone_Hate]

Just blast the crap out of em with brake cleaner? I have had pretty good luck with VHT caliper paint.

[ho70]

blast away

[TCCGRIZ]

I'm with them. I buy brake cleaner by the case.
Just don't weld anything that you've cleaned with brake cleaner ,very bad for you

[Steeveedee]

Purple Power. It'll clean all the oil off and leave a clean surface, ready for paint. Note that it has lye in it, so rinse the parts well. I'd personally not use much else.

[Keystone_Hate]

Originally Posted by TCCGRIZ

I'm with them. I buy brake cleaner by the case.
Just don't weld anything that you've cleaned with brake cleaner ,very bad for you

I have heard that can kill you practically over night.

[Rod Run]

I've always cleaned with brake cleaner, then a light sanding with 220 paper (to help give the primer something to bite into), followed by a a scuffing with scotch Brite pad, to get the crevices that the paper missed (doubt it's necessary), then I go with a lacquer thinner wiped down, before a few light coats of regular etch primer, followed by a ceramic paint.

I have plenty that I have done this with, but my best example is of calipers that I did over 10 years ago and even did hot laps on Watkins Glen International, with multiple hot/hard breaking episodes and they still look like day one.

My daily driver, which doesn't see the heavy heat cycles as my GTO, but does see New England winter's for the last 9 years, still looks like day one also.

I did my C10 calipers the same way and a 69 Camaro project that way too, but those two haven't seen the road yet

[jamesi20]

I use mineral spirits it cleans good and leaves no residue that may affect the paint and doesn't smell up the whole shop.Use a good stiff parts washer brush and it works great

[Wizo]

Ok fellas: this is what i learned in aviation school and this has always worked for me when i restored papas old lorry. clean your parts as if your going to eat your supper of it.(Thats really clean.) final wash should be with M.E.K Methyl Ethyl Ketone. Be careful, that stuff is damm dangerous and hard for most of us to get.
For the rest of the rest of gear heads, wash the h*ll out of the part with gasoline or diesel and get it clean and down to bare metal.Final wash with as hot as you can stand hot water and scrub with dawn dish soap.Yup,same stuff they clean oil polluted birds with. Rinse with hot as you can stand water. When dry spray with room temperature primer right away. you have to get the part down to clean,bare, uncontaminated steel.Best of luck. Show us some pix of pretty when your done.

[special-K]

New parts are clean, you just need to prep to eliminate residues. Anything that leaves virtually no oil residue. I use Brakeleen to spray, mineral spirits (have a pump sprayer) spray or wipe, or lacquer thinner. I guess any paint thinner would work. All these things dehydrate and lave the surface from oily residue

[un4gvn!]

Wax and grease remover. Just wipe it on. Use clean lint free rag and wipe dry. No smell, or fumes, or death over night. My God, don't discourage the poor guy.

[Aberdare]

All the above methods will work... as for me, I have a high pressure parts washer in the shop... just load it up like you're helping out in the kitchen - putting dishes in the dishwaher... turn it on and walk away.

Pretty much any degreaser will do the job, and rinsing after cleaning is as equally important.

[lowbucktrucks]

on parts where you are using hi temp paint do you need a high temp primer or does any primer work?? ( I do always try to use same brand primer as paint)

[Rod Run]

Originally Posted by lowbucktrucks

on parts where you are using hi temp paint do you need a high temp primer or does any primer work?? ( I do always try to use same brand primer as paint)

You could use the high temp primer, but as I stated earlier, I use regular etching primer and never have problems and the finish stays on for years and years, even with me driving in the harsh & salty New England winters

[Keystone_Hate]

I hosed em down good with Brakleen and they came out nice and clean. I let em air dry for a while then smelled them. They smelled like metal, not oil or anything else. Have em in the oven baking the high temp paint now. With the fan on and the window open. Haha

Thanks for all the advice fellas. I know this is a simple task for most but I figured I’d utilize the forum for its best purpose. Knowledge!!

[hjewell2]

Originally Posted by Wizo

Ok fellas: this is what i learned in aviation school and this has always worked for me when i restored papas old lorry. clean your parts as if your going to eat your supper of it.(Thats really clean.) final wash should be with M.E.K Methyl Ethyl Ketone. Be careful, that stuff is damm dangerous and hard for most of us to get.
For the rest of the rest of gear heads, wash the h*ll out of the part with gasoline or diesel and get it clean and down to bare metal.Final wash with as hot as you can stand hot water and scrub with dawn dish soap.Yup,same stuff they clean oil polluted birds with. Rinse with hot as you can stand water. When dry spray with room temperature primer right away. you have to get the part down to clean,bare, uncontaminated steel.Best of luck. Show us some pix of pretty when your done.

yes indeed