Skeg slider/cable lubricant?

[jason]

What's the appropriate lubricant to apply to the skeg slider & cable?

I think that Brian said that one shouldn't use silicone but I don't recall what I should use.

Thanks -Jason

[Brian Nystrom]

What's the appropriate lubricant to apply to the skeg slider & cable?

I think that Brian said that one shouldn't use silicone but I don't recall what I should use.

Thanks -Jason

No, silicone lubricants for cables are fine (though not very durable), it's using silicone sealers for sealing leaks that I warn against.

For best results, you should use a cable lube that's dry, rather than oily, as oily lubes will pick up sand and create a real mess. Keeping the cable clean is more important than lubricating it, so anything that tends to attract sand or create a gunky mess is to be avoided. Bicycle lubes like "White Lightening" (original formula), Krytech and similar wax-based products work well. If you have the cable out of the boat, you can also just rub it with paraffin wax.

Although I do lube my skeg cables when I service/replace them, it's probably more important to just run some fresh water through the system periodically to remove salt buildup and flush out sand.

[Bill Gwynn]

DuPont Teflon Dry Film Lubricant

I love this stuff. I use on everything from my Motorcycle chain to skeg cables, to squeaky doors.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...&lpage=none

[Michael_Crouse]

http://www.harken.com/McLube/McLube.php

After I used this on my slider skeg and it worked flawlessly.

The stuff Bill posted is probably the same, at a much lower cost.

[jason]

Thanks for the advice. I will take my skeg out flush it again (last time help but not for long). I will then test the recommended lubricants (not all at once).

Thanks -Jason

[Gcosloy]

To be environmentally friendly, use vegetable oil. Raise the stern upside down and pour some into the skeg box until it runs out the slider.

[jason]

To be environmentally friendly, use vegetable oil. Raise the stern upside down and pour some into the skeg box until it runs out the slider.

To quote Brian "oily lubes will pick up sand". I also had heard from other channels that OIL is a bad idea...

I think that I am going to start with the DuPont Teflon Dry Film, if that doesn't last I will try waxing the cable before I trackdown the McLube.

-Jason

[Brian Nystrom]

To quote Brian "oily lubes will pick up sand". I also had heard from other channels that OIL is a bad idea...

...and vegetable oil is an even worse idea than petroleum-based products, as it will become gummy over time and make an even bigger mess. I'm all for being "green", but only where it makes sense.