I drive a truck with a liftgate that is a lousy design. The gate hangs off 2 aluminum rails that ride up and down in steel channels which are open at the top. If it's not kept well lubed, the aluminum gets ground away against the steel. The only way to lube this stupid thing is with spray grease. I've been using white lithium because it's readily available, but the action of the gate going up and down wipes it away quickly and the open top, while making it easy to get grease in, also allows rain to wash the grease away. Does anybody know of a better grease available in spray form? The lithium only seems to stick around for a week if it doesn't rain, and not even all day if it's raining hard. Thanks for any info.
Spray grease
- Thread starter mrchecker
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I was a great believer in graphite for a long time, but I have found Lubriplate works places where it doesn't. Either may be hard to find in a spray. Have you tried the silicones? Can you drill a hole and install a grease fitting? Pump in enough grease to start to flush out any shavings from drilling the hole.
This is what I recommend for problems like yours. A product Schaeffers puts out designed specificly for such a problem called Silver Streak.
Here is the Technical Data Sheet on the 200 Silver Streak
Here is the Technical Data Sheet on the 200 Silver Streak
Bob, the link isn't working for me.
http://www.schaefferoil.com/data/200.html
Thats the link, the site may have been down when you last tried it.
Thats the link, the site may have been down when you last tried it.
Thanks, Bob, sounds like a much better product than the lithium. Will there be any reaction problems between the two greases? You can see I know just enough to be dangerous...
It's a good and valid question so dangerous would not be how I'd describe your knowledge.
You should not have a problem with this. What I recommend is if you ever have a concern with the mixing of greases and cleaning out the old prior to putting a new one in isn't possible, then accelerate your greasing times for the first little while. What this will do is allow the new grease to help over take the old. For example,in a bearing you have old grease residing, when you pump in the new grease, it will mix, and if there is some sort of mixing problem, while under normal interval greasing, this would allow the problems to exacerbate, but if you re-grease at an accelerated rate, this would help "purge" out the old grease, and give you a better feel as to how the new grease is going to hold up.
As for the pins and such, as you pointed out and this is very common, grease is squeezed under extreme pressures on pins and bushings and will not stay put. Because of this, you shouldn't see any problems with mixing as there won't be enough left from the old to interfere with the silver streak. I think you'll actually see an immediate difference with in the first day as to how this stuff will work in comparison to regular grease or silicon for that matter. The base gets tackier the more it is used and will adhere to the pins for a much longer time.
After you've ensured that the grease isn't being affected by the old residue, you obviously can adjust your greasing intervals to what ever level you need to based on what you are seeing.
Hopefully this helps.
You should not have a problem with this. What I recommend is if you ever have a concern with the mixing of greases and cleaning out the old prior to putting a new one in isn't possible, then accelerate your greasing times for the first little while. What this will do is allow the new grease to help over take the old. For example,in a bearing you have old grease residing, when you pump in the new grease, it will mix, and if there is some sort of mixing problem, while under normal interval greasing, this would allow the problems to exacerbate, but if you re-grease at an accelerated rate, this would help "purge" out the old grease, and give you a better feel as to how the new grease is going to hold up.
As for the pins and such, as you pointed out and this is very common, grease is squeezed under extreme pressures on pins and bushings and will not stay put. Because of this, you shouldn't see any problems with mixing as there won't be enough left from the old to interfere with the silver streak. I think you'll actually see an immediate difference with in the first day as to how this stuff will work in comparison to regular grease or silicon for that matter. The base gets tackier the more it is used and will adhere to the pins for a much longer time.
After you've ensured that the grease isn't being affected by the old residue, you obviously can adjust your greasing intervals to what ever level you need to based on what you are seeing.
Hopefully this helps.
How thick of protection do you need. I would think a spray grease would attract dirt.
If you can find some Amsoil HD MP(heavy duty metal protectant). The stuff spray's on wet, then in about 10-15 minutes dry's to a tough water resistant coating. It will also not attract dirt/dust once it is dry. I also use it on my bicycle/motorcycle chains.
http://www.amsoil.com/products/amh.html
If you can find some Amsoil HD MP(heavy duty metal protectant). The stuff spray's on wet, then in about 10-15 minutes dry's to a tough water resistant coating. It will also not attract dirt/dust once it is dry. I also use it on my bicycle/motorcycle chains.
http://www.amsoil.com/products/amh.html
Mike, that would be alright but IMO, his application really needs an EP additive chemistry to help eliminate wear.
This product is designed specificly as a diluent-type heavy duty, extreme pressure lubricant that is recommended for the lubrication of open gears, pins and bushings, dipper sticks, circle rails, wire ropes, large open chains and fifth wheels that are common to the mining, steel mill, railroad, construction, power plant and marine industries.
Here is the highlights on this product which you may not have seen....
This product is designed specificly as a diluent-type heavy duty, extreme pressure lubricant that is recommended for the lubrication of open gears, pins and bushings, dipper sticks, circle rails, wire ropes, large open chains and fifth wheels that are common to the mining, steel mill, railroad, construction, power plant and marine industries.
Here is the highlights on this product which you may not have seen....
- Forms an almost indestructible adhesive film with a “cushioning effect” even under extreme pressure and very low speeds
- Resists film destruction by containing oils or greases “migrating” from nearby mechanisms.
- Resistant to rain, snow and the process of water washout.
- Resistant to adhering of dirt or dust.
- Reduction in contact temperatures.
- Minimizes cold metal welding at the contacting asperities.
- Exhibits excellent reduced wear characteristics.
- Adheres strongly to gear teeth to resist excessive throw-off.
- Will not harden, chip or flake off or form a hard pack buildup especially in cold weather.
Yep, That is IMO more in line of something he could use,
Silver streak is the same way, it gets on and stays on will not come out of clothes either. Some real nasty stuff but hey, it's designed as a lubricant not as something to wear right?
I looked at the Tech sheet and am wondering what is it they are using for an EP additive?
http://www.amsoil.com/products/gfw.html
[ May 16, 2003, 01:26 PM: Message edited by: BOBISTHEOILGUY ]
Silver streak is the same way, it gets on and stays on will not come out of clothes either. Some real nasty stuff but hey, it's designed as a lubricant not as something to wear right?
I looked at the Tech sheet and am wondering what is it they are using for an EP additive?
http://www.amsoil.com/products/gfw.html
[ May 16, 2003, 01:26 PM: Message edited by: BOBISTHEOILGUY ]
I have no idea, but the stuff is pretty impressive. I would spray half a Tractor Trailer hitch with the stuff, then put a conventional on the other side, let it sit in the El Paso sun and the conventional stuff would be almost water. The Amsoil stuff was not phased by it.
Never had a chance to demo it in the cold, but it's not supposed to flake off like a conventional does in the extreme cold. I wish I had more trucking company's
MolaKule
Staff member
Moly and Antimony dialkydithiocarbamates.
BTW, I will be posting an article on the Antimony dialkydithiocarbamates additives some time this weekend.
Hmm this stuff sounds familiar?
- Performance Features
Excellent resistance to water washout
Environmentally preferable to solvent- containing formulations
Protects ferrous surfaces from rust
Excellent adhesion to metal surfaces
Forms a tacky, tenacious film
Heavy load-carrying and extreme-pressure performance
Stays pliable at cold temperatures and does not flake off
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