Rubber meets the metal

[Jeffrey.Carver@Aerojet.com (CARVER, JEFFREY D)]

In my seemingly never-ending quest for
a way to quiet the rubber parts of my bus where
they meet the metal parts, I have been 
experimenting.  Suspension components I am
talking about here, sway bars, bushings, etc.
wherever rubber meets the metal.

Silicone degrades rubber, as does petroleum
products.  Water is very temporary.

I have used a Teflon based material that came in
a small tube like that for sewing machine oil.  This
substance worked for about 6 months.  Thinking
that Teflon is the substance of choice I managed
to acquire a can of spray Teflon (using perc as a
carrier).  Besides the toxic nature of using perc,
the stuff evaporated too fast to flow into the joint.
(so the stuff was designed as a mold release and
wasn't meant to flow into a joint, someone had to
try it!)

Since then a thread indicated that the factory 
installation uses talcum powder as a lubricant.

So the search went on.  This time for plain
talcum powder.  Checking my sources revealed
that talc is magnesium silicate.  Can't find any
plain talcum powder so settled on the cheapest
version found in drug stores and it has a little 
fragrance to sweeten up my ride!

I mixed the talc with rubbing alcohol to get a 
suspension (about 2 to 1 alcohol to talc).  I used a 
lab squirt bottle with a narrow nozzle and went to 
work.  I checked and found that the alcohol evaporated
and left a nice layer of talc behind as a test.

It can probably be squirted from a spray bottle
using the stream setting, don't know if it would 
gum up the pump mechanism.

Ran the bus up on ramps and crawled under.
Pushed the bus up/down with my knees and 
arms while squirting the solution into the appropriate
areas and lots of non-appropriate areas.

The squeaking has stopped!  Did this last night,
so no long term results yet.

As an aside, I react to ANY talcum powder with
a headache, so SO and kids can't use the stuff
around me.  Next time I'll use my respirator!  I got a
MAJOR headache after doing this.  Check yourself
before doing this as the powder gets everywhere.
I forgot in the excitement.

- Jeff  
Iwanna21/23windowsunroofDeluxe!
'80 Westi  '67 Sqbk  '64 Ford Crewcab 
'87 Subaru 4WD (4 Sale)  '97 Nissan Quest
Grass Valley, California, USA
Jeffrey.Carver@Aerojet.com