Any advice on sliding tackle?
Q While equipping my workshop, I have noticed how many kinds of grease there are. What do I need for a classic car? Will Drummond, Edinburgh
Ed says
A Lm-type grease is a standard, yellowish grease which is used in wheel bearings and for general purpose work such as balljoints, trunnions, door strikers and so on. MS or CV grease has a similar consistency but is dark grey, due to the addition of Molybdenum Disulphide. This assists sliding under extreme pressure, so it’s used in driveshaft joints. A rarer grease with the gift of sliding is graphite grease – it’s a really good friction reducer and aids the fitting-together of tight components, too. Neither MS nor graphite grease should be used in conventional bearings –
the balls or rollers tend to skid, rather than roll. They’re useful in steering racks, trunnions and balljoints. Copper, aluminium or ceramic greases are variations on a theme: high temperature grease that doesn’t easily wash off, and which is reinforced with solid particles of copper (etc) to act as an antiseize agent. They are used for assembling the mechanical parts of brakes, exhaust components (including pipe joints) and linkages under the car. Ceramic grease doesn’t interfere with ABS sensors. Silicone grease is good for all rubber parts and can be applied to hydraulic brake seals and boots during assembly. It has little or no lubrication qualities on metal-to-metal surfaces, regardless of how slippery it seems. Red rubber grease is an older alternative for rubber components; castor oil-based, it solidifies to a soft wax. Calcium-based water pump grease is almost extinct: it is white, very water-resistant and doesn’t seem to cause rubber components to swell as normal greases can. It’s good at staying where it’s put in steering idlers and door hinges.