What grease do you use for assembly?

[LiveToSki78]

I'm branching into the world of reloadable motors. I picked up an Aerotech 29/40-120 casing recently and an E and G reload kit. The assembly instructions reference greasing the o-rings and outside of the liner sleeve with the included packet of grease. However, the reloads did not come with a packet. They said you can use Vaseline if you run out, but I'm wondering what else people here on the forum use? I'm looking for something with easy cleanup that isn't going to leave a mess everywhere. I tried to test fit the propellant liner and there's no way it's going without greasing it. Are they supposed to be that tight?

 

[manixFan]

I use the same stuff for o-rings from my pool maintenance for the motor o-rings. To grease the liner, I use disk drum/ wheel bearing grease in a tub. It’s lasted me years, even though I slather it on pretty good.

Tony

 

[tsmith1315]

A recent discussion on the subject here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/assembly-lubricant-for-aerotech-reloads.169633/

 

[NateB]

Super Lube. It gets used on my bike parts too.

 

[rharshberger]

SuperLube is a common (its what the little tubes are that AT includes) and can be bought at Harbor Freight and many hardware stores, its a synthetic grease.

 

[Voyager1]

Super Lube.

 

[Hobie1dog]

A recent discussion on the subject here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/assembly-lubricant-for-aerotech-reloads.169633/

the search function is the first place to check

 

[FredA]

We use a lot of grease.
I buy the four pound tubs of Wheel Bearing grease from NAPA for $16.50.

 

[Steve Shannon]

@LiveToSki78 :
If the paper liner is too tight, grease isn’t the answer. Peel a layer off the liner.

As far as grease, almost any kind of grease is okay. I’ve used SuperLube, white lithium grease, Mobil 1 synthetic, and Vaseline in the tube which is also good for a chapped baby butt.

 

[jimzcatz]

Ohhh hell, just wipe yer nose and use that. The grease on the side of your nose not your snot. ANYTHING will work, you just have to get the orings shiny. As for greasing liners, don't unless specifically told to do so in the directions. I say that just for warrantee purposes. And if you do decide to grease your liners, don't use Dow 111. That snot is like glue when heated and you will fight getting it out.

 

[cwbullet]

I started using superlube and never switched. I still have my first tube.

 

[kenstarr]

Is it bad to use chapstick? It's worked well for me. I just lube up the lips and run an o-ring through when I need it. I've only done that for small reloads/small o-rings. Otherwise it's the super lube.

 

[Steve Shannon]

Is it bad to use chapstick? It's worked well for me. I just lube up the lips and run an o-ring through when I need it. I've only done that for small reloads/small o-rings. Otherwise it's the super lube.

No, not bad at all. Chapstick is just petroleum jelly and wax. Be careful not to transfer rocket chemicals back to your lips though.

 

[Rocketclar]

For quite awhile, I used a Teflon containing grease used for hot tub filter o-rings. Just something I had at the time. Now I use mostly Vaseline. I put a thin film in the casing along with some on the threads. To clean I use white vinegar and Goo-gone.

 

[boomtube-mk2]

On a similar subject; if you are using one of the motor retainers that have a screw-on cap ,such as Aero Pack, it doesn't hurt to put a dab of "anti-seize" on the threads.

They are fairly course, and they are anodized aluminum to aluminum and that combination can prove troublesome at times especially if there is a bit of dirt/grit or some-such caught in the threads.

 

[n3tjm]

As little as possible. Don't get grease anywhere where BP touches. DON'T GREASE THE LINERS! (unless you like gluing the liners to the case)

 

[GlueckAuf]

+1 on peeling off the outer layer of a liner that won’t slide easily in the case. Do a trial fit-up prior to assembly to verify. In my opinion and experience, one is inviting a case burn-through if both closures’ o-rings don’t evenly compress and thus seal as the aft closure is given its final tightening. You achieve this even compression if the liner “floats” in the case, so a bit loose trumps too tight, in my view. Using a synthetic grease on the outside of the liner and the case interior does mean you’ll have a bit of a greasy black mess to deal with after a flight, but better that than a stubborn, burned-on layer of carbon. Some dish detergent on a wet toothbrush or equivalent gun-cleaning brush and warm, soapy water in a basin makes it easy. Super Lube is all I’ve ever used as an assembly lubricant, and it works well.

 

[DeltaVee]

with the hardware I've accumulated I have around a dozen or so packets of the superlube and I go thru about one or two per flying season. I've used vasiline and that works perfectly well... as @n3tjm says... a little goes a long way.

I've just smeared a dab into a paper towel to about the same sized area as the biggest o-ring I'm using. then press the o-ring onto the greased area, flip over and press again, repeating for the other rings. This seems to put the perfect amount on the rings. For the threaded sections of the casing... I place three/four dabs on the threads in the casing about the size of the head of a pin, then screw each closure in succession into that end. This puts enough on the threads of both closures.

 

[Banzai88]

DON'T GREASE THE LINERS! (unless you like gluing the liners to the case)

Some folks say 'Grease 'em' and some folks say 'Don't'. I've done both, never had an issue either way with 29 and 38mm L1 class motors. I'm about to step into 54s, so we'll see.

 

[cbrarick]

petroleum jelly for the little ones. Not wasting my red grease on that! Works fine..,.. easy to clean
Red grease for everything else. I never grease the liner regardless of the size. When grease thermal cycles it becomes glue

I'm a Pedros guy for the bike

 

[n3tjm]

Some folks say 'Grease 'em' and some folks say 'Don't'. I've done both, never had an issue either way with 29 and 38mm L1 class motors. I'm about to step into 54s, so we'll see.

I have spent many MANY hours trying to get greased liners Unglued from a cases. Sometimes having to break apart and chiseled a piece of liner at a time. Worst experience I had was maybe my L3 flight. L3 Advisor was supervising the assembly of my N1800, he said grease the liner. Who am I to argue with my L3 guy? so I did. Spent the remainder of the day trying to get that liner out.

Now if you don't grease the liner, it is simple. Wooden dowl rod, mallet, light bonk, Slides right out.

Also, nothing is worse than trying to clean that fired grease off the case when its mixed with propellant residue, fried liner material, etc.

 

[DeltaVee]

Also, nothing is worse than trying to clean that fired grease off the case when its mixed with propellant residue, fried liner material, etc.

With the possible exception of being hit by a bus! ;-)

 

[Banzai88]

I have spent many MANY hours trying to get greased liners Unglued from a cases. Sometimes having to break apart and chiseled a piece of liner at a time. Worst experience I had was maybe my L3 flight. L3 Advisor was supervising the assembly of my N1800, he said grease the liner. Who am I to argue with my L3 guy? so I did. Spent the remainder of the day trying to get that liner out.

Now if you don't grease the liner, it is simple. Wooden dowl rod, mallet, light bonk, Slides right out.

Also, nothing is worse than trying to clean that fired grease off the case when its mixed with propellant residue, fried liner material, etc.

Sounds like you've had a bad experience. Most of my field greases the liners, which matches many of the responses that I've seen here on TRF. Me, personally, I've never had a greased liner get stuck, but I always push out liners and motor residue at the field while the cases are still warm after recovery.

I'll have another data point after this weekend, where I'll launch my L2 on an AT54 3 grain. If that goes well, I'll launch another!

 

[n3tjm]

That's the ideal situation, cleaning the motor while it is still warm. But that is not always practical. Sometimes by the time I get the rocket back the motor has already cooled. Or for time constraints I choses to clean the motors later in the day so I have more time to fly during the day. Even when the liner comes out easily, there is still a greasy mess to clean up.

 

[David Schwantz]

l also had greased liners leave a rough residue on the inside of the case. What are you guys using to clean that up with?

 

[Banzai88]

Even when the liner comes out easily, there is still a greasy mess to clean up.

Dawn dish detergent and a soak in hot water, followed by a scrub with an old toothbrush for any thicker or stubborn spots and I've not had anything that didn't come off. I use this, too, just to get all the way through the cases: https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Ultra-G...words=foam+bottle+brush&qid=1639664911&sr=8-7
For used cases that I've bought that had deposits on them, an overnight soak in a Hoppes/Kroil blend, followed by a soak as above seems to cure a lot of problems, too.

 

[smstachwick]

I’ve flown exactly two reloadables, both of which were in the RMS 29/40-120 case, and failed to assemble two more in a licensed-manufacture RMS 18/20, so I guess you can take what I say with a grain of salt.

That said, all of the reloads were exceptionally tight in the casing, too tight to go beyond flush while dry, even with the most vigorous banging. Peeling a layer and then liberally applying Vaseline were both necessary to get the 29/40-120 liners in the casing. Stubborn things, it was really messy too.

I ended up damaging the second reload and having to MacGyver it a bit but it worked fine.

 

[LiveToSki78]

Thanks for all the input! I did try to search, but I don’t know if I just wasn’t using the right search terms or what, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. It sounds like SuperLube from Harbor Freight (I have one about 5 minutes away, lucky me) and peel a layer off the liner is the solution. It seems like it’s common for these 29/40-120 cases to be tight. I’m hoping with my time off the next week and a half to get some rocket projects done, including finishing the 3’ BT-80 airframe for which this motor is intended!

 

[hball55]

Ohhh hell, just wipe yer nose and use that. The grease on the side of your nose not your snot. ANYTHING will work, you just have to get the orings shiny. As for greasing liners, don't unless specifically told to do so in the directions. I say that just for warrantee purposes. And if you do decide to grease your liners, don't use Dow 111. That snot is like glue when heated and you will fight getting it out.

DOW 111 is all I use. Though, I have a 38/1080 case that I flew at Blackrock and didn’t clean until I got back home. Like you said, it was like glue, but I eventually got the liner out. I cut on one end, very carefully, and when it was almost cut through, I wedged a wooden dowel in the cut end of the liner and twisted. The liner cracked and loosened enough that I was able to get it out.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Snap ring motors, wheel bearing grease. CTI and Aerotech motors, usually Vasaline although I've used sport sun screen in a pinch. Note that CTI motors 38 mm and smaller don't need any grease. I don't use silicone grease as it's too hard to clean off. Dow 111 is the worst as it is so thick.