Best degreaser (frame prep for paint)

I took my GS down to the frame and I'm going to splash some paint on it. I am having a hell of a time getting all the grease and crap out of every nook and cranny. I've tried rubbermaid purple stuff and some foaming engine degreaser and I'm still finding grease in tight spots.

I don't want to pay to have it blasted or anything like that, i'm doing it on a budget and painting it myself.

Anybody got a good product or a good method for prepping an old frame for paint?

 

One way of doing it...

1) Lots and lots of contact cleaner or Brake Cleaner (use the straw to get into tight spots)

2) then sand with fine grit (like 300 grit)

3) then wipe it all down w/ ACETONE

4) paint

 

How long does the paint last? Is power coating frames expensive?

 

Back when I cared, I had my frame acid dipped and powder coated for $250.

You can probably have it soda blasted for ~$50.

 

Paint chips off very easly....even with primer. I would only powder coat the frame.

 

Or bed liner!

 

Yeah, but it's a vintage bike with several modern parts and other things grafted on and welded on, etc. If you want to change stuff later on PC is a bitch. When I do modern stuff or a supermoto bike I always go PC. For a vintage bike frame that may need tab or bracket locations changed later on I think paint is a better option. If later on, when I knew everthing was not going to change I would powdercoat.

 

Oh...that can work. Might add too much weight for some people....so skip the second smamwhich.

 

Well you could start out with powder and then when you have to make a change just spray paint where you ground it. Then at some point it should stabilize then get the powder fixed.

But I do see your point.

 

Actually, it isn't really that heavy. A guy in our local club has his track plastics coated in bed liner (plastikote - from a can) and his plastics don't really feel overly heavy.

It is 100% re-coatable at any time and patch jobs blend in perfectly. I did various bits and pieces a year ago and all are still perfect.

 

stop using cheap paint or prepping incorrectly.
Do you think powdercoat is bullet proof? Because its not and will chip
just as easily.

 

Try PJ1 Super Cleaner. Its a really good degreaser with a nozzle on the can that puts out a pretty good blast for getting into tight areas. A $8 can goes pretty fast, but I've found nothing better.

 

I've painted 4 frames in the last 3 years.
Not one of them chipped.
If you skimp, you can run into problems.

epoxy primer

PPG Omni with urethane clear.
As far a prep, everything is bead or sand blasted, then sanded.

 

Brake cleaner should do the job, otherwise Ive always thought WD40 did a great job cleaning grease.

 

Clean the frame very well as described above, prime the steel frame with acid etching primer (This is non-sandable), top coat with two coats of rattle can PJ1 epoxy frame paint. Take your time and it looks like OEM. PJ1 is a bout $8 a can.

 

What about aluminum frames, someone care to throw up some prep steps?

 

Heavy compared to regular paint and possibly powder.

 

I know it will chip...but it won't do it as easly even compared to a good paint job.

 

Hmmm. I have been thinking the same thing. Wether to powdercoat my swing arm on my GSXR or have it painted. My swingarm has some surface scratches from the rear stand and rub marks from my boots (wore through the paint to the bare metal) so it seems everyone is split half and half on what to use.

 

Do you know a good powder coater? If not...paint it. In either case you'll wear through it again. Powder will take longer but that's about it.

What you can do after you fix it is to put a 3M clear protector in that area and that'll help you from rubbing through. Then just replace the piece when you rub through that.