RMS Grease

[techrat]

Howdy all. Next month (June); I intend to finally make use of the RMS 29/40-120 case I bought myself all the way back during Black Friday. I have motors to assemble I have the case and I've watched a few youtube videos about putting it all together. My only question regards the grease. What's the best option here? I have White Lithium grease, axel grease, 3-in-one Oil, motor oil, WD-40, vaseline, KY Jelly, and whole bunch of other assorted ways to lube up something, but I'd rather ask the stupid question than accidentally blow up my rocket.

From what I'm reading, the grease isn't for heat protection or anything thermally-related, it's just to get the parts to slide together more easily. And you don't want to use much, just enough to make shiny. But what grease would you recommend for this project?

 

[tsmith1315]

Similar to paint and glue thread topics, many opinions to follow…

I’ve always used Vaseline. It’s not critical.

 

[Worsaer]

Same here with Vaseline. In addition to going together smoothly, it helps when disassembling the spent liner and cleaning.

 

[KenECoyote]

 

[DigBaddy]

Many will swear by Superlube. Until I acquired a tube of that, Vaseline worked fine. Even directions list that as an alternative to supplied grease.

 

[Handeman]

Many will swear by Superlube. Until I acquired a tube of that, Vaseline worked fine. Even directions list that as an alternative to supplied grease.

Exactly. I think those small tubes of grease that come with the motors are Superlube, but they do say to use Vaseline if you run out.
It's what I used for years before I finally bought a tube of Superlube.

The biggest negative with Vaseline, it turns liquid in the hot sun. I've made a number of messes because of that.

 

[rcktnut]

I've always used Superlube since first motor assembled.

 

[Daddyisabar]

An old tube of white lithium grease will last forever. Never any issues, better under heat, a little stickier to clean.

Grease is the Word, it's got grove, it's got feeling.

A little dab on the bottom side of your palm. Smear with pinky finger on your bottom side palm to get a nice sheen on dem rings. Clean pinky finger by rubbing on casing/closure threads. No mess. No wipes, no greasy fingers.

 

[n3tjm]

Get yourself some Super Lube. It's what comes with the hardware in the small clear squeeze sample packet. Available at many stores. You can use Vaseline in a pinch but as others have said and I have learned by experience it has a tendency to liquify in the hot sun.

Some tips: DO NOT GREASE the delay o-ring. Just stick it in the delay well. Don't want to contaminate the ejection charge with grease.

You only want enough grease on the other o-rings to make them shine.

Make sure all threads have grease on them.

Do not grease the liners. Doing so in my experience just makes a big mess and actually GLUES the liner to the motor casing unless you can clean the motor while its still hot.

I been using reloads since the RMS 29/40-120 came out in the 90's (after the DOT fiasco).

 

[Steve Shannon]

We had one old engineer who used saliva to lube his AT o-rings. Never had a problem.
I use SuperLube, because it's what AT recommended originally. You can get it nearly everywhere from Harbor Freight to Amazon. I have used white lithium grease, vaseline, and chapstick. Just don't use too much or get it the wrong places.

 

[Worsaer]

The biggest negative with Vaseline, it turns liquid in the hot sun. I've made a number of messes because of that.

Very true.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Bag Balm or A&D diaper rash preventer in a pinch. Warning: You might have some explaining to do if such products are used at public launch.

Not too much grease.

Feel the Force flowing through the grease, the ring, the case.

Greasing my Merican motors is an art form. Unlike the fancy pants Canadian ones you just plug and play.

 

[Steve Shannon]

Bag Balm or A&D diaper rash preventer in a pinch. Warning: You might have some explaining to do if such products are used at public launch.

Not too much grease.

Feel the Force flowing through the grease, the ring, the case.

Greasing my Merican motors is an art form. Unlike the fancy pants Canadian ones you just plug and play.

Wait a second. Don’t the Canadian motor directions direct you to lube the entire inside of the motor casing?

 

[Daddyisabar]

Wait a second. Don’t the Canadian motor directions direct you to lube the entire inside of the motor casing?

Good thing you read the directions! The dudes I know don't grease them, no maintenance or cleaning either. Just like the first M16s in Nam! A full proof, modern, technologically advanced system.

 

[SolarYellow]

You only want enough grease on the other o-rings to make them shine.

That is the key with o-ring assembly lube. Just enough to be shiny is all you need.

I'd also consider the Sil-Glyde https://www.agscompany.com/products/sil-glyde-silicone-brake-lubricant in my tool box if I didn't have SuperLube available.

 

[Syclone]

You can use almost any kind of grease. I used Road Kill Café chicken grease once.

 

[MALBAR 70]

Many years ago, I got incredibly lucky when the shop I was working for did a clean out of unused stuff.
Looking in the bin one evening I found two full tubes of Krytox high temperature grease. I've been using that to lube my o-rings with great success.

 

[Daddyisabar]

You can use almost any kind of grease. I used Road Kill Café chicken grease once.

Is this a rocket launch where someone is cooking like today's KFC!?

Naww, just flying some chicken greased AT reloads. Gotta mighty fine sheen on those rings.

 

[JackC]

SuperLube. Very clean and doesn’t melt in the sun like Vaseline.

 

[JoePfeiffer]

Do not grease the liners. Doing so in my experience just makes a big mess and actually GLUES the liner to the motor casing unless you can clean the motor while its still hot.

Interesting -- with both Superlube and Vaseline, my experience has been that lubing the liner makes cleaning the case easier.

 

[prfesser]

I watched a guy rub o-rings on his nose to grease them. Worked fine. Of course, greasing the liner that way might be a trifle difficult.

 

[Buster]

Bacon Grease works every time

 

[Banzai88]

Interesting -- with both Superlube and Vaseline, my experience has been that lubing the liner makes cleaning the case easier.

Same here. Always. And probably 99% of my motor case clean outs occur a day or more later after return from the field.

Never had one glue itself to the case, including the J540 that I forgot for over a year after the launch!

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Aerotech, anything will work as you are just keeping the rings from pinching as you assemble the motor. Once assembled, they are static seals and require no grease. For snap ring cases I use axle grease as silicone grease is too difficult for organic solvents to wash off.

 

[jsdemar]

This is what I use on orings:
Super Lube 56204 O-Ring Silicone Lubricant, Clear
https://a.co/d/1VTA6lr
For liners and general use:
Super Lube 41160 Synthetic Grease
https://a.co/d/cJrn0Zz

 

[Black Bart]

the reloads come with a small tube of super lube. you only need a small amount to stop pinching the o rings and make assembly easy. i use brake cleaner to clean the case. it leaves no residue and dose not remove the anodize.

 

[techrat]

I watched a guy rub o-rings on his nose to grease them

WHen I worked in the Movie business, we used to record the sound with a reel-to-reel tape deck called a "Nagra". No joke, but the prevailing wisdom was to lubricate the heads the tape ran across with nose grease.

 

[techrat]

I wonder if anyone has thought to use olive oil or vegetable oil as grease for a rocket -- after a launch it'll smell like french fries instead of that nasty rotten eggs smell.

 

[mrwalsh85]

This is what I use, but by the tub.... I use it very liberally.

 

[mrwalsh85]

I wonder if anyone has thought to use olive oil or vegetable oil as grease for a rocket -- after a launch it'll smell like french fries instead of that nasty rotten eggs smell.

oh come on, that's part of the charm of the hobby.