WD40 on Glide Outs, Jacks, & Landing Gear

[Mosnowman]

Thoughts? Will it serve as a good lubricant?

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by Mosnowman

Thoughts? Will it serve as a good lubricant?

WD40 is not a good lubricant - for most anything. It is a good dispersant and useful to prevent corrosion and rusting but shouldn't be used to lubricate moving parts - especially metal on metal.

For your slides, I would recommend any dry lube spray. You can buy "special" slide spray sold at RV parts and supply outlets or save a bit of money and buy an all-purpose dry spray - Liquid Wrench or something similar. By using a dry spray, dirt and grit are less likely to stick to it and "gum up" the mechanism. The dry spray can also be used on the stabilizers and landing jacks.

The landing jacks - gears - should be properly packed with grease every so often but this entails finding the oft-hidden zerk. If you can't find the zerk, you may have to pop off the top of the jack and manually pack it with gear lube - not dry lube spray!

[theeyres]

I've tried it and it will work great the first time you use the slide or jacks, etc. but the next time I try it's like it isn't there anymore. I think the dry lube seems to work best. Lithium also seems to work ok.

[jkohler70]

It helps to remember what the "WD" in WD-40 represents. The story my aerospace engineer father told me was that it was the 40th attempt to produce a water displacing compound for the military. Because it contains petroleum, it will lubricate, but it is intended to protect against rust by displacing water.

[SLIMSHADIE]

I use this stuff, its a dry lube that doesn't attract dirt and stuff.
Made for the slide-out but I also use it on the stabilizer jacks.

http://www.amazon.com/Thetford-32777...words=thetford

[webslave]

I don't use WD40 as a lubricant...

What I do use is either a teflon spray:

http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Non-Sti...ptfe+lubricant

Teflon goes on wet, but, dries leaving the teflon coating. Since it is dry, it doesn't attract or collect dirt, but, what I use the most is Slip Plate; a dry graphite "paint in a can" that you spray on and let dry:

http://www.amazon.com/SLIP-Plate%C2%...rds=slip+plate

Slip Plate is what I use the most...stabilizer screws, slide out rails, steps, even the pin on the 5er's hitch. Even as it "wears" off, it leaves behind a coating of graphite, very dry and very slick. I tend to use the teflon for door hinges, locks, latches, etc. and I use the Slip Plate for "heavy duty" outside things that I want to keep sliding without getting gummy or collecting dirt and grit.

[hankaye]

Mosnowman, Howdy;

The military gave up on WD-40 for cleaning and
lubricating firearms back in the 1980's, found it
didn't do what it was supposed to do they now use
"Break-free".
When I drove big trucks I found that (hint from a
more experienced driver to me), liquid soap (your choice),
works very well and the added benny is that it washes off
the next puddle you drive over there by helping to keep
whatever cleaner.

hankaye