So I’m stripping the cheapo forks from my son’s bike, RST Capa 24″. I’ve mostly figured out what bits to undo to strip it down and now I have a spring that is packed solid with wet a orange grease and little bit of rust mix, and dirty lowers caked in the same.

Any good tips to scrubbing this lot clean? A spray with degreaser just isn’t cutting it due to the volume, so I’m thinking I just need to soak it in very hot soapy water to get the bulk off the spring. Not sure how to clean out the lowers..

When I put it back together, how much grease should there be inside a coil fork? As I said the spring is packed solid which seems excessive, unless it was some form of damping.

Hose pipe or pressure wash the spring? If not a wire brush would clean it.
If the spring moves then grease will be good, in theory it would move and move the grease around it. Lighter grease if you are worried.

Dishwasher? 😉

I think that would be the end of me.

I often use a splash of white spirit for shifting heavy grease/gunk off parts. Just try not to get it on any of the rubber seals as it can make some of them swell.

Petrol, then rinse with hot, soapy water, then hot water.

Outside.

WD40 is great at shifting grease.

Strongly recommend diesel rather than petrol. Not going to engulf you in flames if someone lights a cig down wind.

Actually, I suggest removing as much as possible with kitchen towel, save on the amount of solvent you need to dispose of.

I was just going to say the same as ‘gofasterstripes’

Wipe off most of it and then clean with a degreaser. I use Paraffin that I get from a local DIY place in a gallon bottle.

Then I’d get some LM10 (standard automotive grease) and re-pack the spring.

Just don’t over pack it or the forks will likely not move much.