Flex cable lubrication

[motorfixer1]

As we all know proper and regular lubrication of the flex cable in a FE boat is very improtant and is often times a messy project. Has anyone heard of something that will allow you to grease the flex cable and stuffing tube without removing it from the boat? Possibly by pressurized means? I.E. an automotive style grease gun to be exact.

[MassiveOverkill]

Says it won't work with teflon tubes, but I've modified my flexshaft so that there's only teflon at the ends:

http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/pro...?prod=grp-2997

[m4a1usr]

As we all know proper and regular lubrication of the flex cable in a FE boat is very improtant and is often times a messy project. Has anyone heard of something that will allow you to grease the flex cable and stuffing tube without removing it from the boat? Possibly by pressurized means? I.E. an automotive style grease gun to be exact.

I like your way of thinking. Something simple. And it would appeal to about just every RC boater. Here's the monkey wrench on the gear box though. Water intrusion. Even if it doesnt travel all the way up to the innards, will make some progress upwards the inside via the flex assy. And what that does is keep the flex shaft wet with moisture, sans the protection of grease. Since the inner flex assy is steel, no surface protection allows corrosion or even galvanic action to occur and its blocked from a simple visual inspection by the stuffing tube so you get material degradation and no manner in which to determine its effects.

You can add all the grease you want via some form of injection or oil via some form of gravity feed system. No matter how you design a system a simple visual inspection process is the tool to ensure no flex degradation. And if you have to take it apart to see, then you might as well perform simple PMCS. Just my dos centavos.

John

[runzwithsizorz]

Oil yes, grease no. There are 1/4" stingers with an, "automotive style", grease zerk fitting for bearings, or lead, but NOT for us 3/16" drive guys. Here is an example of what I have, mind you I still think it a good idea, to now, and then remove
the flex, and thoroughly clean, and re-grease. http://www.radiocontrol-2005.com/T-Bar2012.php

[runzwithsizorz]

I like your way of thinking. Something simple. And it would appeal to about just every RC boater. Here's the monkey wrench on the gear box though. Water intrusion. Even if it doesnt travel all the way up to the innards, will make some progress upwards the inside via the flex assy. And what that does is keep the flex shaft wet with moisture, sans the protection of grease. Since the inner flex assy is steel, no surface protection allows corrosion or even galvanic action to occur and its blocked from a simple visual inspection by the stuffing tube so you get material degradation and no manner in which to determine its effects.

You can add all the grease you want via some form of injection or oil via some form of gravity feed system. No matter how you design a system a simple visual inspection process is the tool to ensure no flex degradation. And if you have to take it apart to see, then you might as well perform simple PMCS. Just my dos centavos.

John

Ummmmm, ahhhhhhh, well yeah, what he said.

[ozzie-crawl]

Mite be over kill,but i always remove flex wipe it down,spray with wd40 and leave it till next time i run before greasing and reinserting in stuffer tube. Never had any flex issues and i would rather do this than chance loosing a prop.

[JIM MARCUM]

I like your way of thinking. Something simple. And it would appeal to about just every RC boater. Here's the monkey wrench on the gear box though. Water intrusion. Even if it doesnt travel all the way up to the innards, will make some progress upwards the inside via the flex assy. And what that does is keep the flex shaft wet with moisture, sans the protection of grease. Since the inner flex assy is steel, no surface protection allows corrosion or even galvanic action to occur and its blocked from a simple visual inspection by the stuffing tube so you get material degradation and no manner in which to determine its effects.

You can add all the grease you want via some form of injection or oil via some form of gravity feed system. No matter how you design a system a simple visual inspection process is the tool to ensure no flex degradation. And if you have to take it apart to see, then you might as well perform simple PMCS. Just my dos centavos.

John

John, you guys crack my A$$ up!!! You must be staying up all night to come up with galvanic corrosion problems in a FE boat. Unless of course, you store it floating in a lake (put zinc bars on it if you do).

If you remove the flexshaft and put your choice of lube on it after a day of running (you should), you don't need to be concerned about corrosion issues.

Unless you're hauling bricks in your boat, don't worry about water intrusion via the flex shaft.

A more interesting debate would be whether to use grease, oil, auto tranny fluid, silicone - and which version of said grease, oil, auto tranny fluid, silicone to use lubing the flex drive.

JIM

[martin]

I worry about any water intrution as i run on salt water where you have to remove the shaft pretty quick, + even the smallest amount of salt water in the boat is not a good sign re electronics & battery.

[JIM MARCUM]

I worry about any water intrution as i run on salt water where you have to remove the shaft pretty quick, + even the smallest amount of salt water in the boat is not a good sign re electronics & battery.

Absolutely. If you are going to run in saltwater (like the Model Boat Basin here in San Diego) you need keep water intrusion near zero.

What type of flex shaft lubrication do you use? JIM

[martin]

Jim i quite like Grimracer Speed grease, i also use chainsaw bar oil as its a lot thinner but nice & sticky.

[mtbenjamin77]

I use an oiler on most of my boats. but after a days run when I start to pack up all my gear I pull the flex shaft wipe it down dry then wipe a generous amount of oil all over it. Then put it away in storage until next time. I also let the oil drain out of the stuffing tube so as to not make a mess in my vehicle or shop.

[ozzie-crawl]

I use lanotec. It is made from the lanolin in sheep's wool. Stinks a bit but is better than synthetic oils.

[TheShaughnessy]

What's your name. Lanolin? Like sheep's wool. Interesting

[ozzie-crawl]

What's your name. Lanolin? Like sheep's wool. Interesting

Its technically more a wax when raw. Supposedly they still cant make a synthetic as good.

http://www.lanotec.com.au/

[domwilson]

I've got teflon Liners in both ends of my stuffing tubes. Approx. 1.5 to 2" each end. Lots of grease in between on a few of my boats. Works pretty good for me.