Luckily, the swingarm on my 81shovelhead has a zirk fitting so I greased her up today.
Next.......tighten pivot bolt to adjust preload.
Next next........clean up the greasy mess that's built up on the swingarm, brake bracket and everything else back there.
Any suggestions as to how I should approach this and whats your go to cleaner?
There are so many on the market.
I was thinking of saturating all areas with brake cleaner and let it sit overnight.
Also......it's up on my jack and I wouldnt feel safe wheeling it out of the garage to use the hose so itll be done inside.
Tx!

 

Brake cleaner evaporates in seconds so no use leaving it overnight. I use whatever automotive degreaser is cheap locally and a garden hose...pressure washers are bad voodoo on bikes IMO.

Then I wash it all again with wash n wax.

Not that I clean my Shovel very often....

 

^^^ Read and Heed!!!

 

Unfortunately I have to do the cleaning in the garage so no hose.
Gotta use the best oil cutter, rags and a brush.
Maybe pit an old towel underneath.

 

"Best" is very subjective...they all smell the same and, in my experience, some of the cheap ones work better than the expensive ones....go figure...

 

The only way you'll ever get it so clean that it looks like it hasn't been ridden is to not ride it

 

its easy to throw the rear wheel in tempoarry so it can be wheeled outside,.. it doesn't need to be assembled fully, just enought to wheel it 10 ft outa ya garage,
i use GUNK and hose it off with the hose connected to the hot tap in my kitchen, hose out the window, A cheap hose shouldnt cost you much ,
I also have used WD40 to soften the muck before removal, it works very well, but can be expensive if large areas are cleaned, great for small items though.
if you can get it where you are, GUNK i have found to be the best de-greaser available

 

Simple Green or the purple stuff, oven cleaning gloves and don't spare the paper towels. Heavy bristle plastic brush won't hurt either. Cut open a large trash bag to put under and some towel's or something like on that, bundle it all into the trash later.

 

Start with a putty knife or plastic scraper. What's left won't be hard to remove.

 

I use WD-40 to clean frames and a plastic scraper. It will loosen all the crud.