Shaft Oiler or Grease?

[Don Ferrette]

I start with Quicksilver 2-4-C on a brand new shaft then after a few runs switch to castor oil via oilers. I do not remove shafts unless a motor comes out for service (I don't pull engines at end of race days either, just pickle the crap out of them). Been doing this for almost 20 years now and the only shaft that I ever had fail was due to a defective welding of the inside windings to stub shaft. To each his own and I'm just sharing what works and has worked for me for years....

 

[Tom Foley]

If you have to regrease to get through a weekend, you are doing something wrong.

Ok what would that be ? Open water testing one day and 3 - 4 rounds of racing at approximately 10.- 12 laps per heat?.What pray tell could we be doing wrong ? If you say that you race 3 - 4 rounds and pull shafts and they are fully greased I would have to see it to believe it. Let's hear your regimen for shaft grease longevity ?

 

[Wally Duarte]

I’ve got one boat that when greased it holds and maintains the grease. Every other boat I have washes the grease out fairly quick. I went to oilers to deal with this and quickly found out the clean up with the oiler seems to be a lot more work. If there’s a secret how one boat holds grease and the next one don’t please tell me. I’ve gone round and round with this and have never found a solution

 

[Mark Anderson]

Tom
I do just that Grease the shaft when I put the boat together. Test, race 4 rounds and put it away. When flying I may test 3 engines in my gas mono for different classes, race the first class, then when putting the second engine in regrease and run 2 more classes. Never think about pulling the shaft between rounds.

 

[Tom Foley]

Amazing and when you pull the shafts out describe condition? I usually see a small amount of grease down around the stub shaft and very little if any around the cable above that
I have not tried Green Grease , Super lube , Corrossion X . Usually use CRC.or other brands of "waterproof " grease . Mercury lower unit oil seems to be the best for the oilers
Next race we will do some video and check results
My 45 hydro seems to go through straight grease the fastest .

 

[K F Wheeler]

I'm wondering if the number of bend(s) and/or extent of the bend(s), plays a role in the amount of grease/oil used. I would assume it does... But, to what extent?? Tom, does your 45 hydro have a straighter drive line than your other boats? If it does, then that my be another reason to have an "S" bend in the drive line. I know Mr. WOW (Terry Keeley), Lohring, I believe and, I'm sure others sware by the "S" bend theory. I live by what Mr. WOW says but, the "S" bend is one line of thought I can't quite take that last step off the end of the plank to follow... Length of the drive line of coarse would also come into play. Not to change the subject... But, something to consider when setting up a boat??? I know my old Sport 40's I could run two heats with mill time before I had to regrease/oil or it would run dry. This newer used boat wants re lubing about every heat!! One difference was the old boat, the engine sat lower in the hull. So, it had a straighter drive line/smoother bend.
Something else... I wonder how straight the drive cable is? I've seen some that were just as straight as could be!! Then, others have a slight bend in them. And, regardless of how many bends or, at what extremes' those bends are, you know there's going to be a certain amount of tendency to flop around in the tube! Or, am I over thinking it?!?
Too much thinking...

Ken

 

[Tom Foley]

I'm wondering if the number of bend(s) and/or extent of the bend(s), plays a role in the amount of grease/oil used. I would assume it does... But, to what extent?? Tom, does your 45 hydro have a straighter drive line than your other boats? If it does, then that my be another reason to have an "S" bend in the drive line. I know Mr. WOW (Terry Keeley), Loren, I believe and, I'm sure others sware by the "S" bend theory. I live by what Mr. WOW says but, the "S" bend is one line of thought I can't quite take that last step off the end of the plank to follow... Length of the drive line of coarse would also come into play. Not to change the subject... But, something to consider when setting up a boat??? I know my old Sport 40's I could run two heats with mill time before I had to regrease/oil or it would run dry. This newer used boat wants re lubing about every heat!! One difference was the old boat, the engine sat lower in the hull. So, it straighter drive line/smoother bend.
Something else... I wonder how straight the drive cable is? I've seen some that were just as straight as could be!! Then, others have a slight bend in them. And, regardless of how many bends or, at what extremes' those bends are, you know there's going to be a certain amount of tendency to flop around in the tube! Or, am I over thinking it?!?
Too much thinking...

Ken

I also believe the configuration of the driveline has everything to do with it due to the lefthand lay of the cable acting like a worm gear moving lube to the rear ! Some boats it's simply not possible to S.bend .

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told a while back that an "S" bend prevented a flex from "whipping" inside the stuffing tube in the same way that a third centered bushing or needle bearing does with a hard shaft. Could a flex that is "whipping" in the middle of the stuffing tube throw grease or oil off the shaft more so than a shaft that isn't "whipping" as much due to more contact points?

 

[Don Ferrette]

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was told a while back that an "S" bend prevented a flex from "whipping" inside the stuffing tube in the same way that a third centered bushing or needle bearing does with a hard shaft. Could a flex that is "whipping" in the middle of the stuffing tube throw grease or oil off the shaft more so than a shaft that isn't "whipping" as much due to more contact points?

That is correct as far as cable whip goes. The late Mr. Rod Geraghty shared info with me years ago on extensive testing in both 3/16" and 1/4" cables regarding parasitic drag. The S bend tubes actually performed better that straight and single bend tubes. Hard to say as far as difference in retaining grease or oil but I fill oilers right before I run (often right at the starting table) and haven't had issues with the oily mess that some describe. One of the things I do on riggers and others where space permits is set the place of entry farther down the tube (see attached pics) and use fitting at engine side of bulkhead to pump in the oil. It's a little extra work during the build but worth it in my opinion.

 

[FloridaScaleBoater]

Entry farther down the tube is key.
In eliminating mess inside the boat

 

[Tom Foley]

I have a mess in my engine bay due to the oil tank feeding both shafts but don't care . Don , that is some super sanitary building bro !! Very nice ! My setup is a little different but came years after the build .

 

[Mark Anderson]

I use a waterproof grease that I get at the motorcycle shop, but have used many over the years. Rod tried to convince me of the s bend, but I never bought in. I use a single bend as shallow as possible. Almost everything I run is square drive with a ferrule at the strut, so the stuffing tube is basically open. When I pull the cable there is always a thin coat of lube on it.

 

[Jarcaines]

Ok what would that be ? Open water testing one day and 3 - 4 rounds of racing at approximately 10.- 12 laps per heat?.What pray tell could we be doing wrong ? If you say that you race 3 - 4 rounds and pull shafts and they are fully greased I would have to see it to believe it. Let's hear your regimen for shaft grease longevity ?

That’s what I do and it’s always fully greased. The only difference between before and after the race is the grease is a slightly lighter color.

 

[Jarcaines]

Amazing and when you pull the shafts out describe condition? I usually see a small amount of grease down around the stub shaft and very little if any around the cable above that
I have not tried Green Grease , Super lube , Corrossion X . Usually use CRC.or other brands of "waterproof " grease . Mercury lower unit oil seems to be the best for the oilers
Next race we will do some video and check results
My 45 hydro seems to go through straight grease the fastest .

Are you filling the stuffing tube? I do 4-5 (A hydro) to 8 (Thunderboat) pumps on my grease gun up the stuffing tube from the strut before pushing the cable through, then slowly rotate the cable in so the grease doesn’t just push out the other end.

 

[K F Wheeler]

I think ANY cable is going to have some whipping to it just because of the loading and un loading. I've got two Mercury lubes/greases I want to try... But, a couple other lubes sound interesting. Motorcycle chain lube. And chainsaw bar and chain lube. Both are formulated to cling to the surfaces. Not just to reduce friction for when the rotating surfaces come together.
Half a dozen and six of the other...

Ken

 

[dave roach]

I like using castor oil. Have been for 30 years and no problems Oil will get down in the windings of the cable better than grease.
5 Pages on how to lube your Shaft. use K-Y LOL

 

[Kent Fowler]

All right let's try to make this six pages,
I'm not sure if anybody's mentioned this but this stuff here says and I quote,

"An Extreme pressure grease with hydro activated technology to provide outstanding ware protection and becomes tackier and more Adhesive when exposed to moisture"

Slippery when wet!

 

[Tom Foley]

All right let's try to make this six pages,
I'm not sure if anybody's mentioned this but this stuff here says and I quote,

"An Extreme pressure grease with hydro activated technology to provide outstanding ware protection and becomes tackier and more Adhesive when exposed to moisture"

Slippery when wet!

SOLD !!!

 

[Timbo Whalen]

All right let's try to make this six pages,
I'm not sure if anybody's mentioned this but this stuff here says and I quote,

"An Extreme pressure grease with hydro activated technology to provide outstanding ware protection and becomes tackier and more Adhesive when exposed to moisture"

Slippery when wet!

Pay attention to this guy!....he's vetted in the the airline industry and re-exposed me to Kroil....more specifically, AeroKroil.

I hadn't seen that stuff since the 60's in my uncle's tool and die shop.
It has tremendous cleaning, lubing, and protecting properties that benefit our RC boat endeavors.

It's a known staple on every aircraft A&P technicians workbench.....huh, Kent.

https://www.kroil.com/
Also, here's a quick link to the Castrol Pyroplex line of greases....the gold series appears to be a step up from the blue series-

https://www.castrol.com/en_us/unite...les-oil-and-fluids/product-types/greases.html

 

[dr gary turner]

Couldn’t resist
HAHA

BTW just use synthetic motor oil.