Based on several recommendations on this site and others I’ve been using Super Lube on my stepper units (some metal to metal joints and on the Bakelite disc contacts ). I always use the smallest amount possible and wipe away the excess. However, I realized yesterday that I’m using this:

Super Lube 92003 Silicone Lubricating Grease with PTFE, 3 oz Tube, Translucent White https://a.co/d/iX76J3Q

Instead of this:

Super Lube-21030 Synthetic Multi-Purpose Grease, 3 Oz. https://a.co/d/aaeXyFW

Both are dielectric and both have Teflon. But I’ve see a lot of guidance against silicone. Am I doing it wrong? Something I should worry about cleaning and redoing ?

Thanks!

Thanks for the responses so far. pete_d is thinking along the lines that I am which is “what is it that’s bad about silicone”? At this point I’m evaluating whether to take all the steppers back apart and clean them.

On the one hand, I have the back unit out and am restoring stuff, might as well do it right. On the other hand, it doesn’t take much to break my momentum (back working on it after 1.5 years of delay)… and after 1.5 years the steppers I lubricated with it still seem happy (even without having moved at all). I used such small amounts that I’m tempted to leave it unless I hear “silicone is bad because…”

I did some more googling and found this:

https://support.newgatesimms.com/not-recommended-silicone-grease-use-on-electrical-connectors/

Their reasoning seems to be that for electrical (purely) contacts, polymerization can cause it to become brittle and hard. But mechanical movement is usually enough to prevent that from happening.

In any case, it was enough to convince me to clean it from the Bakelite contact discs

For metal to metal, what I’ve read is that while there are certainly better lubricants than silicone for this, there is nothing Inherently wrong with it.

For that reason I’ll probably leave the metal to metal joints alone (I barely used any of it anyway), and clean and re grease the discs. Going forward I plan to move away from the silicone version. If and when my steppers start acting up, I’ll know where to look.

jgreene - I’m trying to answer that same question I think. I’ve seen it a number of places. One that I hold in high regard is Clay Harrel’s website:

http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1.htm#lube

To quote - “ When there is a need to lube an EM game, using the right lubricant is very important. Do not use white grease. Do not use WD-40. White grease solidifies and WD-40 gums up in a short amount of time. Do not use silicone-based lubricants either.”

I’m sure there is a bit of situational application to this statement, and that is what I hope to clear up.

In any case I think I know how I’ll proceed, but thought this was a good topic to hash through.

For what it’s worth, I bought the synthetic multi-purpose grease from super Lube to go with the silicone lubricating grease. Texture-wise the two are very similar. Both semi-clear as well. I redid the Bakelite contacts with the synthetic grease. Some of the contacts had been sitting for 1.5 years with the silicone type, and I saw no hardening, goop, or residue. Actually it seemed more like it had evaporated slightly. Overall I feel like the silicone type might be “more slick” while the synthetic grease might last longer. I tend to think either is valid for lubricating stepper units.