Mephistopholes Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 (edited) Has anybody oiled their gripper springs? And if so, what type of oil would you recommend? I'm thinking my grippers are in need of some TLC, but I'm note sure what type of oil would be best for the job. Edited September 6, 2012 by Mephistopholes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 I like 3-in-1. Cover the spring in oil (a little too much) and take a toothbrush to all the nooks. If you can, close the gripper to open up the spring coils so you can really get in there. Wipe it all off. Then put a small amount of oil back on and give it some reps. Wipe it off again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mephistopholes Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Awesome, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Strossen Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Any light oil will work, so 3-in-1 and WD-40 are standard choices, but you could even use cooking oil if that's all you've got—you just need something that provides lubrication and blocks moisture. Besides Matt's tip about using a toothbrush, most light oils penetrate really well, so you can be lazy and let gravity move the oil through the coil, turn the gripper and then hit it from another angle. A little regular maintenance along these lines will keep your gripper from chirping and if you live in a humid place, it will also keep your gripper rust free even if it would oxidize otherwise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Any light oil will work, so 3-in-1 and WD-40 are standard choices, but you could even use cooking oil if that's all you've got—you just need something that provides lubrication and blocks moisture. Besides Matt's tip about using a toothbrush, most light oils penetrate really well, so you can be lazy and let gravity move the oil through the coil, turn the gripper and then hit it from another angle. A little regular maintenance along these lines will keep your gripper from chirping and if you live in a humid place, it will also keep your gripper rust free even if it would oxidize otherwise. I blow them out with an air hose and use a toothbrush if necessary. Oil them up good and blow the oil in / off / around with the hose again. A clean and oiled gripper will be much more consistent than a rusty dirty one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mephistopholes Posted September 7, 2012 Author Share Posted September 7, 2012 Thanks everyone, this is very helpful. I live near Louisville, Ky, and if you don't know anything about it, the weather here is just chaos. Unpredictable temperature and atmospheric fluctuations, lots of random heavy storms, and absolutely oppressive humidity. My grippers are starting to get that 5 o'clock shadow look on the springs and some are pretty noisy, so this should help. Would you recommend maybe lightly polishing the springs with fine steel wool too, to remove the rust? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilliman64 Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 I give a very light spray of WD-40 then let it sit for a day or two and then wipe excess off the spring. (make sure you don't spray the handle) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikulich Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Does anyone use a Silicone spray instead of oil to lubricate and protect the spring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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