Jake,
How about citrus based cleaner? I have used it on bicycle type stuff and it chews through grease nicely.
I have a jug of the stuff out on the work bench and use it to clean the floors when the engine oil and grease get too thick.
The purple stuff worked OK, but the citrus worked better for me.
Another thing I like for removing grease is wire wheels mounted on a drill. I have several shapes and sizes and so far, that has worked the best to prep before hitting with the pressure hose.
The grease on my truck was so thick that the pressure hose would not even break through it to get to bare metal.
