What type of grease with rubber OEM bushings?

[cxh10]

I'm installing a new suspension tomorrow and I've seen some things online that said not to use regular petroleum based grease with rubber bushings because it will decrease the life of the bushings. I already have a lot of some standard marine grade grease lying around. I don't think it's synthetic. Does this matter all that much?

 

[Leaping Deer]

I think that you could use Lithium (sp?) on rubber.

 

[lostmarbles]

I'd use "rubber grease" (as sold for use in assembling seals in brake cylinders) or "silicone grease".

I would advise against using lithium-base grease (which is "regular grease").........and also advise against using "marine-grade grease" (which is usually regular grease with an additive to stop water emulsifying it).

 

[terrx]

Check out Permatex "Ultra Disk Brake Caliper Lube", it's a silicon based grease. I've been using it for a lot of things lately including shackle pins and bushings. Disclaimer: don't know if it's the 'right' thing to use, but I had it on the shelf and it seems to be working.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Au...ake_Caliper_Lube_Hi-Temp_Silicone_Formula.htm

http://www.permatex.com/documents/tds/Automotive/24115.pdf

 

[4x4Poet]

Any silicone lube says right on the tube of paste or spray can that it is harmless to rubber and able to withstand significant heat.

I recommend silicone paste since it's thicker than spray lube and therefore more likely to stay in place.

 

[cxh10]

Ok, thanks for the help guys. I'll go grab some silicon grease before I start assembling the suspension. No point putting the wrong grease in after spending all that money on the more expensive rubber bushings.

 

[cxh10]

So I went looking for silicon grease.. Autozone, Pep Boys, O'Reilly, and 3 walmarts...none had any silicone grease. What's the deal?

 

[cxh10]

I upgraded and have new greasable shackles ready to install with the springs. Is silicone grease sold in the same kind of packaging that can easily be dropped into a grease gun? I'm kind of being tempted towards returning the expensive rubber bushings and going with poly if this stuff is a hassle.

 

[lostmarbles]

I upgraded and have new greasable shackles ready to install with the springs. Is silicone grease sold in the same kind of packaging that can easily be dropped into a grease gun? I'm kind of being tempted towards returning the expensive rubber bushings and going with poly if this stuff is a hassle.

Well personally - I prefer the poly bushings anyway - in which case normal grease is fine.

No. I've never seen silicone grease available in "cartridges" for grease guns.

And it is nice (for me) to see that I'm not alone in finding it hard to get "specialist greases". (I thought it was just a "New Zealand problem".)

My silicone grease came from an electronics shop (who no longer stock it).

My "rubber grease" came from Repco (which is the down-under version of NAPA I guess).

Good luck if you continue the search.

 

[cxh10]

That's what I was afraid of. I just checked NAPA's site and they have some silicone grease but it's all spray or in small cans of paste. I will most likely return the rubber and get poly. I know most people use poly anyways but some fellow mud members talked me into rubber. I definitely wouldn't mind getting a few bucks back and also being able to use my greasable shackles.

 

[67azcruizr]

the rubber OEM bushings are/were designed to run dry it has less to do with the synthetic non-synthetic and more to do with the the friction of the two mating surfaces

if your looking for a grease able shackle and bushing then the poly bushings that are meant for this type of application are your best bet.

 

[cxh10]

Oh.. I'm surprised I've never read before that the rubber ones are meant to run dry. My greasable shackles seem kind of like a waste if that's true...guess I have a decision to make. There seems to be a huge debate over whether rubber or poly is superior. I guess the poly lasts a lot longer but the rubber provides a slightly better ride?

 

[cxh10]

Considering I'm on the tight budget of a college student and I just calculated I would get about 80 bucks back by returning the rubber OEM bushings and purchasing a poly set from SOR. That's probably what I'll do. With greasable shackles, I think the poly will do just fine.

 

[lostmarbles]

I'm installing a new suspension tomorrow and I've seen some things online that said not to use regular petroleum based grease with rubber bushings because it will decrease the life of the bushings. I already have a lot of some standard marine grade grease lying around. I don't think it's synthetic. Does this matter all that much?

When I read this - I did not know you were planning on fitting "greaseable shackles" and "greaseable fixed pins".

If one has grease nipples on one's suspension, I think one should always be running polyurethane bushes (rather than rubber bushes).

the rubber OEM bushings are/were designed to run dry it has less to do with the synthetic non-synthetic and more to do with the the friction of the two mating surfaces

if your looking for a grease able shackle and bushing then the poly bushings that are meant for this type of application are your best bet.

Yes. I agree that poly should be used with greaseable pins/shackles.

But when I had rubber bushes, I ALWAYS fitted them with "lube" ("rubber grease" at first and then "silicone grease" in later years once it came on the market). Without any easy means of re-applying it, the lube doesn't last long - So rubber bushes do indeed run dry for practically all of their life. But I wouldn't be surprised if the factory had used "lube" when fitting the bushes originally. In my opinion, it makes sense to do so for "easy fitment" .... if for nothing else.

Oh.. I'm surprised I've never read before that the rubber ones are meant to run dry. My greasable shackles seem kind of like a waste if that's true...guess I have a decision to make. There seems to be a huge debate over whether rubber or poly is superior. I guess the poly lasts a lot longer but the rubber provides a slightly better ride?

I would even dispute the "better ride" claim.

Not all poly bushings are the same. Some are made from considerably softer polyurethane than others and some have "scallops" taken out of their external diameter to further help "suspension flex".

Considering I'm on the tight budget of a college student and I just calculated I would get about 80 bucks back by returning the rubber OEM bushings and purchasing a poly set from SOR. That's probably what I'll do. With greasable shackles, I think the poly will do just fine.

Go for it! ...... You should see by now that I wholeheartedly back this decision.

 

[tlc_4play]

Most rubbers are porous to a certain extent
Being in the High Voltage Electrical cable accessories - We use silicon greases extensively and, , , the grease will eventually be absorbed and migrate into the rubber and will be rendered ineffective, unless applied regularly.
Also, silicone grease has no abrasion or friction strength and if not lost due to absorption/migration into the rubber, it will degrade rapidly as a result of friction/abrasion.

I would rather use Polyurethane bushes with a synthetic lithium based grease

 

[bsmith123]

petrolatum

We use petrolatum on rubber o rings in fuel systems ===the rings are fuel resistant though, but still I don't think it would hurt. A common form of petrolatum is vaseline.