Lubricating Front Struts?

[CitroJim]

I'd be grateful for any thoughts on the best stuff for lubricating front strut rams...

Traditionally I've used LHM but it does not seem to last long. What is generally recommended?

Recently I acquired a pot of special grease intended for the lubrication of printhead guide rails in inkjet printers. It's white but beyond that I have no idea of its composition, except that it is clingy and stays where it is put.

The guide rails it is intended for are highly polished and not unlike a strut ram. The bearing surfces that run on the rails are hard plastic. It has the property of depositing a thin film of grease that is not rubbed off and piled up at each end like a conventional grease.

To me it seems ideal for struts but before I try it, I'd like a bit of reassurance that there is no risk of damaging the strut seals through contamination from the use of an incompatible grease.

[Mandrake]

Hi Jim,

I could be wrong, but usually white greases tend to be designed for plastic surfaces, and wouldn't be my first choice for struts....(but then I'm no lubricant engineer either )

You're right, LHM doesn't last long at all in this application, (only days, when I've tried it) as apart from being an oil not a grease its quite thin and has relatively poor lubricating properties even compared to other oils.

For what its worth I use BP Energrease LS-EP 2 which is a Lithium based grease that is supposed to be compatible with LHM and other mineral oils, although I don't have any references on hand to back that up.

The improvement in ride is not quite as much as LHM but lasts many months. For "anti-creak/groan" use the effect is even better - Dad's Xantia had groaning strut syndrome when he got it, we greased them once and nearly 2 years later they're only just starting to creak a bit and need doing again...

Regards,
Simon

[jeremy]

I found 3 in 1 machine oil remarkably good on my BX struts - there's a convenient hole in the mount and a couple of drops down there would last some time - especially after I'd done them a couple of times.

[Xaccers]

Some details on Energrease LS-EP

http://129.35.64.91/bpglis/lubtds.nsf/t ... enDocument

Might track some down for use in airsoft gearboxes to if it's reasonably priced

[Mandrake]

Some details on Energrease LS-EP

http://129.35.64.91/bpglis/lubtds.nsf/t ... enDocument

Might track some down for use in airsoft gearboxes to if it's reasonably priced

Thanks for the link.

Down here in New Zealand you can walk into most BP service stations and buy it off the shelf at a reasonable price. (Well, the ones that aren't just food malls with petrol pumps now and actually still sell car related stuff... )

Airsoft gearboxes ??

Regards,
Simon

[Mandrake]

The guide rails it is intended for are highly polished and not unlike a strut ram. The bearing surfces that run on the rails are hard plastic.

Just re-read this, are you sure the bearing surfaces are plastic ?

All the printers I've worked on (back when I used to repair them) used a bronze bush sleeve over a stainless steel shaft, I don't remember seeing any plastic sleeve bearings, but I guess cheaper printers these days might dispense with the bronze...

Regards,
Simon

[Xaccers]

Some details on Energrease LS-EP

http://129.35.64.91/bpglis/lubtds.nsf/t ... enDocument

Might track some down for use in airsoft gearboxes to if it's reasonably priced

Thanks for the link.

Down here in New Zealand you can walk into most BP service stations and buy it off the shelf at a reasonable price. (Well, the ones that aren't just food malls with petrol pumps now and actually still sell car related stuff... )

Airsoft gearboxes ??

Regards,
Simon

I'll have to check out the local BP garage (it's been years since I shopped in one) and see what they have on the shelf.

OT:
airsoft is like paintball but most of the guns run on batteries which power a motor attached to a gearbox which pulls a piston back and releases it, pushing the BB down the barrel at approx 328fps (100m/s).
Think it may be illegal in NZ, or Oz, or at least heavily restricted because the guns look real.
Lithium based grease is supposed to be great for their gears.
The grease I currently use is unbelievably expensive (and recently mostly used on Xantias!) so an off the shelf one in larger quantities would be great.

[CitroJim]

The guide rails it is intended for are highly polished and not unlike a strut ram. The bearing surfces that run on the rails are hard plastic.

Just re-read this, are you sure the bearing surfaces are plastic ?

All the printers I've worked on (back when I used to repair them) used a bronze bush sleeve over a stainless steel shaft, I don't remember seeing any plastic sleeve bearings, but I guess cheaper printers these days might dispense with the bronze...

Regards,
Simon

They're cheap Epson inkjets Simon, The C82. The carriage guide is a beautifully engineered round bar about 1/2" in diamater but they spoil it by making the printhead carriage out of a cheap, brittle hard plastic that looks made of recycled plastic without the benefit of bronze bearings. They frequently break

I earn my living looking after a whole fleet of them because they do a very specific job for us that no other printer will currently do so I get involved in keeping them going long past their natural life. Strangely, Epson has an excellent spares back-up for what is essentially a long-obsolete consumable printer in normal use and even supply (expensively) the very specific grease used for the carriage. We found nothing else quite does the same job.

Thanks for the tip about the Energrease Simon and the info about it you Posted Xac. I'll get a pot of it as soon as I have a chance and we can try it on struts and your airsoft gearboxes Xac!

Sadly Simon, all our local BP garages now just sell petrol and diesel as something of a sideline. They're great for a coffee, a loaf of bread or a pint of milk but grease, forget it

[MikeT]

I get the impression one should lubricate the struts periodically?

I ask because I'm getting a squeaking & creaking noise from the left front wing which seems to correlate with bumps in the road. Heavy bangs don't squeak or creak but gentle rumbling along at low speed is worse. It goes away when braking and isn't noticeable at high speed.

Since reading how strut mounts can fail, I'm getting paranoic

Sorry, forgot my original question! Where does one lubricate exactly and by how much? I don't recall Haynes mentioning it though I may be wrong.

[CitroJim]

Hii Mike,

The front strut rams are about the only bit that are not naturally self-lubricating through deliberate very small leakages of LHM. The rear strut rams are, hence the small leakage return pipes on their gaiters.

The symptoms of the front rams needing lubrication are if the front rises with jerky movements accompanied by moans, graons and creaks when the suspension is set on high. Citarobics are the time to hear/feel this.

To lubricate, set on high and carefully pull the ram gaiters down from the strut tops. It's quite a game as there is a smooth ring on the bottom of the strut top where it locates and it can be quite tricky to get the gaiter started on its journey. The gaiter is mounted on these rings at both ends to enable it to freely rotate around the strut and strut top during steering. In fact if the gaiter won't stay put it'll be because it has lost the ability to freely rotate due to a build-up of dirt inside from a hole in the gaiter letting in road muck.

Anyway, once you pull the gaiter down (no need to remove a wheel) you'll see the highly polished strut ram looking like a JCB digger hydraulic ram (same thing essentially). Simply smear this with LHM for a short-term fix or the grease recommended by Simon or light machine oil as recommended by Jeremy. Pop the gaiter back into position, (harder than removing it ) do a few citarobics to work the lubricant in and job done.

Repeat as necessary

Have a read of the huge thread about strut tops (I guess you'll have seen it) and that will tell you how to check and put your mind at rest. Essentially, have a look at the bottom of the strut top whilst you're lubricating your rams and check for any delamination of the rubber and corrosion on the bottom of the strut top.

Next, from the top, inspect for corrosion on the metal visible between the wing metal and the black hard rubber spherical bit below the sphere. Poke it hard with a big screwdriver and check you cannot bore holes in it.

The menthoned thread http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... ight=check

Has a good few pictures to illustrate failing strut tops.

They're a doddle to change

[MikeT]

Hii Mike,

....

The symptoms ... jerky movements ... moans, graons and creaks when the suspension is set on high.

Have a read of the huge thread about strut tops and that will tell you how to check and put your mind at rest.
The menthoned thread http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... ight=check

Hi Jim,

Sorry to take so long getting back to you, the thread is as you mention - huge! Pity some of the pictures and links don't work anymore.

I'll lubricate the chrome legs but can't justify the cost of replacing the struts if they're perished. Many thanks, Mike

[MikeT]

Ok, so I pulled the gaitor down, lubed the chrome leg and could I get the gaitor back on?

It's partly fitted I think but I don't reckon it'll stay up, will check peroidically to see.

While there, I examined my n/s strut mount area and the top looks good, as does the rubber dome part seem solid. Underneath it's hard to tell. All looks good except a small outer lip of rubber that's perished. I guess the assembly needs to be dismantled for a proper asessment.

[AndersDK]

The BP LP-ES 2 grease is a fairly common grease available almost anywhere in the world. Because its mentioned as the recommanded all-purpose grease in all tractor manuals.
Any farmer would have a couple of tubes messing around

I use the black counterpart with MoOs2 ('moly') additives which are especially suited for ball bearings and high temp applications.

[CitroJim]

Ok, so I pulled the gaitor down, lubed the chrome leg and could I get the gaitor back on?

Yes, They can be an absolute ****** Mike

Try a bit of rubber lube on it, say a bit of silicone grease or a touch of Vaseline or even a smear of LHM. Also check there is not dirt adhering on the ring or dirt in the groove in the gaiter, both will hinder refitting. Also, twist it on.

It is one of those things that you'll struggle with and try allsorts and all of a sudden it'll just pop back on

Looks like your tops are OK Mike. If there is no sign of major delamination and you cannot poke holes in it or see flaky rust, you're OK

[MikeT]

Hi Jim,

After a short 3 mile journey it's still attached so I must have got part way there. Thanks.