silicone spray rubber to extend life?

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Does anybody spray their rubber components with silicone spray? For example, once a year I spray the CV boots with silicone, as well as the rubber gaskets around the doors/trunk/hood. Original CV boots lasted 16 years and 180K before they finally split open, so it seems to have paid off.

Was wondering if anyone sprays any other rubber components? I can't really think of anything else that gives a good bang for the buck here besides the CV boots and exterior gaskets.
 
On the old mb diesels, most are starting to crack after 25-30 years and >200k without silicone.

Still, if it doesn't swell or degrade the rubber, I'd imagine it is a great idea.
 
Don't see it would help the situation for rubber components (except EPDM) such as suspension bushings, strut boots, etc. will deterioriate over time due to (a) ground ozone; (b)heat (c)contamination such as grease/oil/hydrocarbon based stuff.

Esp. CV boots where typically it would suffer from all of the above. So long as you service them (repack) when you see a crack developing and so on, it should still lead an easy 200,000miles life (1 or 2 repacking required).
 
I've occasionally sprayed silicone on all the rubber on my vehicles. On CV's it seemed to extend the life on them. As to the door seals, it works great in the winter unless you have someone who gets in and out of the vehicle in a long coat and the coat wears up against the door seal. My mother in law drags her coat up against the door seal on her car and the silicone softens the rubber making it less abrasion resistant (my experience). As a result, I replaced the door seals and quit using silicone. On my cars, I silicone the door seals because no one drags their coat against the door seals. Silicone is awesome for cars left outside in freezing rain. It stops the seals from sticking. For EDPM suspension bushings, I do not recommend because it tends to cause the EDPM to separate from the metal case on the bushing by softening the vulcanization. I have had bushing separate that were frequently siliconed. Some silicone sprays are below 7 on the PH scale which means they could be corrosive. I always use a food grade silicone which ensures me of PH neutrality.
 
why try stretching the service life of a cv boot when the rotting comes from the inside and not outside? (outside is strictly cosmetic and bears no useful signs/meanings to that of whether the inside is holding up properly or not. It's just psychological).

Also: EPDM rubber typically used in weatherstripping seals and not on suspension bushings.

LAstly: silicon spray doesn't stay on very long for it will wash out fairly quickly. It's only good use is for assembly of parts.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: mikered30
Is silicone better than 303?


Nothing will stop the deterioriation of CV boots, nothing. So don't bother spraying with Amror-wall, 303 and the likes for it's an utter waste of time.

Although some CV boots tend to stay good longer due to the composition of plastics (some thermal plastic blend as opposed to synthetic rubber), they will still go through the usual stages of deterioration (heat from the inside, for example) and they will all go eventually.

Q.

Lemme see: I've tried all kinds of tricks to extend my 323 and my Suzuki's CV boot life: from keeping the steering knuckle aligned (steering wheel straight during parking) to spraying on 303/armourall to sylglide, etc. none of them can stop the deterioriation or extend the life of my boots and they all eventually go bad to the point where I have to repack them around 130,000kms or 8~11yrs. Since then I learned the fact that it's not only heat but ground ozone that would exacerbate the situation of the boot so I wouldn't bother to protect it now but to inspect it every year or during brake servicing, and whenever I see slight cracks developing on the crease of the boots, I'll take them off and repack with a fresh new boot kit and life goes on.
 
there is no other good product for it, so i silicone spray all of the rubber door seals on an annual basis. i don't know if it does any good or not, but it makes me feel better anyway. i do it in the fall, and it helps to keep the rubber from freezing together when we get a thaw followed by a freeze.
 
Door surrounds and all that rubber frame insulation can be well protected with a product call Gummi Pflege.
Goes on with a built-in daubber like old fashioned shoe polish.
Stuff works great and your doors will open when the car comes out of a Dr. Zhivago icestorm.
 
found it!!! it's called 3D Universal protectant.
One gallon on Amazon is 20$ + shipping. water based thick silicon, you put it on your sponge, spread it on, let dry, then wipe off. and it's good for everything, even tires - makes them really shiny.
 
Silicone etches glass? Never heard of that one!

BTW, good luck finding a silicone spray with more than a pittance in there. Most are light oils with some silicone.

But yes, anything is better than leaving seals alone. Armor all or any similar treatment is a help in the right direction.
 
Napa Sil-Glyde. It takes some rubbing to get it on the rubber but it lasts. For <$6 a tube it is hard to beat.
 
This is some serious stuff. I have an 08 Mustang convertible that with the top and windows up was making enough of a rattling noise that I was seriously considering trading it. Put some of this on the seals around the window and no more rattle.
 
*I don't believe everything I see and read on internet. This video shows a mechanic lightly spraying silicone spray on the intake (outside) of an air filter. Mechanic claims that it collects dust more efficiently. I know in essence, that's what K&N does, but I'm strictly OEM for parts. For us OCD who do UOA.

Would this increase silicates? Does it help efficiency of air filters? What about the Mass Air Sensor? Does silicone degrade the filter paper? Not sure about petroleum distillates.

Video Link


Thanks in advance!


Respectfully,

Pajero!
 
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