Dirty Landing Gear/ Belly Cleaner

[CoachTom]

Time to tackle the dirty landing gear...  Anyone care to share with me the best way to clean?  Simple Green extreme? MEK? Toulol?

After the gear is cleaned, I plan to rattle can spray them white as they look horrible... so, looking to get the gear and the wheel wells as prepped as possible.

The one piece belly will get scrubbed, but what a mess above it! Too many years of "i'll get it next year", so this is the year to complete the cleaning before the cold.  Is there anything to spray up there like mineral spirits or HD degreaser to get that mess done?

 

As always, thanks in advance!!

[carusoam]

I used WD40 for cleaning up and around the belly panel interiors and inspection panels.  Seemed to be gentle enough without long lasting effects.  Light dirt has a tendency to stick with some oil residue on everything.

Maguire's Soap and water works pretty well also.

Probably can't paint over either of these though.....

-a-

[N9453V]

I have been using Wash Wax All Degreaser on the formerly very dirty belly of my M20G and have been happy with the results.

You can buy it off Aircraft Spruce or in many local pilot supply stores:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/alldegreaserpint.php

 

-Andrew

[flight2000]

Has anyone tried the Airwolf air/oil separators to try and cut down on the belly grease?  I've got the same problem and would like to find a solution that's easier on my back instead of cleaning her every 3 months...

I use Simple Green Aircraft spray when I do clean and it works like a charm.  Spray, let soak for a minute, whipe off.  Just have lots of towels on hand.

Brian

[GeorgePerry]

1. Air/Oil separators are terrible for engines.  They pipe all the junk, moisture and sludge right back into the crank case.  Don't use them.  Just run with a quart below max and that'll cure 90% of the blow by.

2. You can use simple green on alluminum, but you'll need to dilute it and quickly rinse it off and not let it dry on the alluminum.  If left on the aircraft, overtime the formula has a corrosive effect.  The best cleaner for belly grease is a citrus based, degreaser such as 409 orange.

Here is a quote from the Simple Green website wrt using their products on alluminum:  "The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes"

[Theo]

Quote: GeorgePerry

 

2. You can use simple green on alluminum, but you'll need to dilute it and quickly rinse it off and not let it dry on the alluminum.  If left on the aircraft, overtime the formula has a corrosive effect.  The best cleaner for belly grease is a citrus based, degreaser such as 409 orange.

 

[flight2000]

Quote: Theo

 Or ... you can get the Aviation Simple Green designed for Aluminum:

 

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/09-00809.php

[Cruiser]

Super Clean - found at most discount stores. Wipe on..... wipe off.

[roundout]

Kerosene, but then you have more cleaning to do. If you can get it, B100 biodiesel is an excellent solvent. 

[FlyDave]

Quote: N9453V

I have been using Wash Wax All Degreaser on the formerly very dirty belly of my M20G and have been happy with the results.

You can buy it off Aircraft Spruce or in many local pilot supply stores:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/alldegreaserpint.php

 

-Andrew

[DaV8or]

To the OP-

If you plan on painting after the cleaning, I would highly recommend cleaning again with either an automotive paint wax degreaser that you can get at an auto paint supply shop, or lacquer thinner that you can get at a regular hardware store. The automotive stuff works a bit better I think, but lacquer thinner is cheaper and easier to get. All of the cleaning products metioned above will leave a thin residue that is naked to the eye, but paint doesn't like to stick to. This comes from decades of painting cars, motorcycles and equipment. Let the other cleaner/degreasers like simple green, mineral spirits, 409 do the hard work, then prep for paint after that.

[blacknchrome]

Last time I scrubbed the belly of the Bravo from one end to the other, I simply used Palmolive Oxy dish soap. I tried a bunch of things, and this seemed to work the best.  It's safe on the paint and doesn't cause some of the issues that the original Simple Green may.  It took some work and a few rags, but it worked in getting the oil and exhaust off the belly behind that fire-breathing TIO540.

[jax88]

I used Aero Cosmetics Wash Wax All and it worked well.  Sorry, not the best shots of the belly, but I was too tired to climb back down there after washing the entire aircraft.

[Mooney_Allegro]

Wash Wax All Degreaser works well on the belly. I've been using that product for years now.  It doesn't take me too long to clean the belly using the product.  I try to keep up with it though so it doesn't get too greasy.  I use A LOT of paper towels for sure.  I hope I'm not scratching the paint by using the paper towels you get at the grocery store. 

[Immelman]

I use simple green extreme for the belly oil. Found it packs much more of a degrease punch than wash-wax all. I typically clean the belly once per oil change interval and completely saturate (and destroy) one little terry cloth towel in the process.

For the gear... good question. I use the same stuff to touch up on the gear, but I imagine you'll need to do some abraision to get paint or primer to stick to it. Do let us know what you do there - my gear looks about the same.

[Carl S]

+1 for the Wash Wax All Degreaser (Got a starter kit and a gallon each Blue and Red for refills.)

I happened to tackle this job today.  After the degreaser and plenty of paper towels I followed up with the Wash Wax All Blue for some shine. A creeper would have mede the process much easier but an old sheet worked to keep my hair and back from polishing the hangar floor. I took time to get the wheel wells gear, and gear doors and am very happy with the results. 

PPG included glasses (might wear goggles next time), jump suit, and nitrile gloves. 

I can hardly wait to go get it dirty again. 

Carl