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Polyurethane Bushes and Grease
Alfa145 - 16/10/14 at 09:35 AM

Being plagued with squeaky bushes so going to fit nipples to the bones so I can grease them up. They are fitted properly and spaced properly and only start squeaking after the silicone grease I apply during build up has dried out.

Question is: Is it ok to use normal grease when I fill them up? Or do I need to only use silicone grease?


britishtrident - 16/10/14 at 10:40 AM

I did a bit of digging on this recently normal silicone grease is not really suitable, the most suitable grease I could find is the specialist waterproof white teflon grease sold for use on push bikes and outboard motors..


Charlie_Zetec - 16/10/14 at 10:46 AM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
white teflon grease sold for use on push bikes and outboard motors..


Exactly what I was going to suggest....


Mr Whippy - 16/10/14 at 11:54 AM

I used copper slip on the beach buggys rear swing arm polly bushes and years later it was still just fine, until I used it the squeaking was really loud, noticed no deterioration in the bush surface


MikeRJ - 16/10/14 at 04:23 PM

Superflex actually supply copper grease with poly bushes which is pretty ridiculous. Why not just go the whole hog and pack it full of valve grinding paste?

Genuine Peugeot 205 front wishbones bushes are now getting hard to find (old stock only) so a friend reluctantly went for another set of Superflex bushes for his tarmac rally car when his last set went. Exactly like the last set he fitted, they were scrap within two events, that's probably less than 150 miles of (very hard) driving. The genuine bushes he replaced every year just to be on the safe side, but they never destroyed themselves like the PU bushes.


pewe - 16/10/14 at 05:58 PM

Not used it personally on bushes (but practically everything-else) I reckon Motorcycle Chain Spray will probably do the job.
Has good cling, creep properties and most modern motorcycle chain have rubber/silicone bush seals.
It's readily available (Toolstation, Screwfix).
Also makes a great rust-proofer, nut & bolt lubricant on assembly etc. etc.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe10


rick1962uk - 16/10/14 at 06:30 PM

i have proper rubber grease if you want to try a bit


adithorp - 16/10/14 at 06:40 PM

I used Red Rubber Grease. Put it on the front when I swapped to poly bushes last year and the rear earlier this year (over 3500 miles ago) and not had any squeeking.


alfas - 20/10/14 at 03:30 PM

under no circumstances you should use mineral oil containg products...like WD40 or similar...nor silicone, nor ceramic based grease/sprays ( WD40 is containg silicone, too) anything mineral-oil/silicone based is destroying the bushes.

brake assembly "grease" should do it.

some say: if a PU bush is starting to make a quieky noise, you wont cure it besides replacing them.


Irony - 20/10/14 at 03:44 PM

try searching in the leugo section for this issue. There is lots of information about changing the bushes and greasing them. I think you can buy the correct stuff from maplins

[Edited on 20/10/14 by Irony]


steve m - 20/10/14 at 04:37 PM

I used LM grease on my poly bushes

should I start worrying?

steve


Dingz - 20/10/14 at 05:50 PM

No.
There are 2 basic types of Polyurethanes both are resistant to mineral oils, polyurethane seals are used in hydraulic systems (mineral oil)
Silicone greases will be fine too, the only time you shouldn't use silicone grease is with silicone rubbers.


rusty nuts - 20/10/14 at 05:59 PM

I used Rubber grease when I rebuilt my car 5 years ago , haven't had a squeek since


britishtrident - 20/10/14 at 06:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by alfas
under no circumstances you should use mineral oil containg products...like WD40 or similar...nor silicone, nor ceramic based grease/sprays ( WD40 is containg silicone, too) anything mineral-oil/silicone based is destroying the bushes.

brake assembly "grease" should do it.

some say: if a PU bush is starting to make a quieky noise, you wont cure it besides replacing them.


Polyurethane bushes can be safely lubricated with mineral oil based products, but it is not ideal. The real problem is finding a grease that won't wash out or harden.
Brake Red Rubber grease is really for corrosion protection not lubrication.
Brake asembly grease is a high temperature lithium grease
Push bike or outboard motor water resistant Teflon containing grease is the closest to ideal.
Incidentally WD40 is mineral oil based most of it is kerosene and gas oil like hydrocarbons



[Edited on 20/10/14 by britishtrident]


britishtrident - 20/10/14 at 06:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by steve m
I used LM grease on my poly bushes

should I start worrying?

steve

Should be fine.

LM is lithium soap based good water resistance but not that slippery.

[Edited on 20/10/14 by britishtrident]