flex shaft lube?

[MBrater]

I was just wondering what you guys use to lube your flex shafts? I used a mixture of 50-50 20w-50 synthic motor oil and stp gas treatment before every run and my shaft broke after only 8-12 tanks. :- thanks, Mike

 

[TimD]

What motor / outdrive are you using?

I have had good results with Molycote BR2+ grease.

 

[Propjockey]

Any truth to the rumor that replacing the (K& B) plastic guide tube with stainless will reduce shaft breakage?

 

[MBrater]

Tim, I've got the k&b 7.5 pro w/ stock lower unit & just installed a new stainless steal shaft tube from mock productions. I don't race so I'd rather use some lube that prolongs shaft life than worried about a couple mhp loss. thanks, Mike

 

[eric ekern]

prather grease works pretty well

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Here's my 2 cents worth:

There's any number of grease and or oil/additive mixtures that will provide good lubrication for OB flex shafts. I'm currently using a light weight grease that one of my boating buddies bought in pint containers at a local automotive supply.

Flex cables will break or knot up, that's just the nature of the beast > . It is a good idea to remove the flex cable after a day's running and visually check the cable for broken strands.

Jerry Dunlap

 

[Ron Olson]

You're using what??? Hopefully you mean STP Oil Treatment. I've used that, Prather and Hughey grease without much trouble. Most of the breakage that I've seen on 3.5's has been at the PTO. My 7.5 seems to just slightly unwind the cable, that's when I replace it. A heavy boat and/or too big of a prop may contribute to problems.

I've seen some Graphite lube in spray cans that goes on sticky but is real slippery, has anyone tried that?

 

[billr]

I run 1/3 STP, 1/3 20 weight oil, 1/3 Automatic TRansmission fluid. The stuff is slick as anything I have ever seen. The ATF has cleaning agents and displaces the water. I have been running the same shaft for a very long time since I started this witches brew.

Bill R.

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Billy,

Nice looking boat . That's the kind of paint job I can identify with - one color and some decals.

Not sure why it's posted under "flex shaft lube," however.

Jerry D.

 

[TomMoorehouse]

i think thats his avatar.... a bit messed up in size....i think it is a setting i have to change...... hold on ill try

tom

 

[TomMoorehouse]

there we go! that's better! thanks for pointing that out....

 

[billr]

I did not show any pictures in that last comment. Just the small pic beside my name. DId it show up large for some reason?

Billy R.

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Billy,

When I first saw the post I questioned, there was just a large picture of your boat and nothing else. Tom fixed the situation.

Jerry

 

[duc]

I use plain 20 W 50 motoroil. I use a auto lube on the bigger engines. (all except 3,5) The shaft still have the gold finish after houers off running!

 

[Hammerhead]

I use molycote mixed with Tamiya ceramic grease. It is the stuff that submarines use in their parascope shafts. It doesn't break down in the water as fast as Prather.

Prather isn't bad if you are using a teflon liner.

 

[_laxmasta2039]

is there any problem w/ using 2-cycle engine oil?

i've heard it works well as long as u have a gaurd around the stuffing tube [to catch splattering oil] and u replace it often......

 

[_laxmasta2039]

oh, whoops, sorry i fergot this is an outboard forum,

i was talking about an inboard [w/ the stuffing box and all]

 

[m brater]

Hammerhead, where did you get this ceramic grease? thanks, Mike ;D

 

[Gattorno]

I´m replacing too the (K& B) plastic guide tube but with copper tube and work beary good and use marvell oil with bardall 2 50/50,

I can´t broken the flex shaft, I empyty five gallons of 50% nitro

 

[Ron Olson]

K&B recommends using a 50/50 mix of 20w50 racing oil and STP on their flex cables. I have used that and Prather, Hughey and wheel bearing grease. Straight 2-cycle oil would have to be put in too often. We have some stuff at work that I would like to try, it's a high speed, waterproof sticky spray that is slippery to the touch.