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lube for bush replacement

In a couple of recent forum posts such as this one:

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I'd raised the question of what sort of lube to use when replacing suspension bushes. At the moment I'd replacing old rubber bushes with brand new ones on the rear of my 1985 900i and I've been told not to use things like Vaseline or new engine oil because they'll attack the rubber.

I was at the auto parts store today getting some new nylock nuts to use with ball joint bolts on another repair and asked about this at the store, and they showed me a couple of different brands of spray-on silicone-based lube which won't degrade rubber bushes when used for installing new ones. I've purchased a can to try out.

I know that polyurethance bushes are usually supplied with special lube (might be silicone based?), but other than aerosol type silicone-based lubes, what else is out there that I'd be likely to find in an average auto-parts store?

Regards,

Craig.

Reply to
Craig's Saab C900 Site
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I haven't seen much talk about this in regard SAAB bushings, but this comes up all the time on the BMW tech talk groups and fora. The idea is to get something that will lube the bushing for installation and then go away, and also not degrade the bushings themselves over time.

A few commonly mentioned items are hairspray (have to work very fast) or liquid soap or detergent such as dishwashing liquid. I have also used spray silicone with good success.

Reply to
Fred W

Silicone lubricant, either as a spray or gel, is both effective and totally safe on all rubbers. Around here, you can get it in motor factors and in plumbers merchants.

Reply to
Grunff

IIRC I used PBR rubber grease last time I did this. Cheers

Reply to
hippo

Anything water based and safe for latex would work as well, I would think. Your local drugstore will have an assortment.

Reply to
Dave Hinz

Would you look for those next to the contraceptives, Dave?

Reply to
Fred W

A lower control arm bushing would probably make a very good contraceptive device itself (using the space exclusion principle) but the SO might complain.

Reply to
ShazWozza

Yup. Some even get warm when you rub 'em. Not sure how that helps (in either context, honestly), but you're in the right aisle.

Reply to
Dave Hinz

Interesting lead. 8-)

Craig.

Reply to
Craig's Saab C900 Site

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