OK to use automotive Lithium Grease on new servo gears?

[adamnyholt]

I just installed new servo gears in my 200SRX (plastic gears) and noticed the old ones were greased with a white grease. I asked my local hobby shop and he said to just pick up a tube of automotive lithium grease from Autozone. I picked up some valvoline general purpose lithium grease. It's a little different in text than the original stuff, though.

Is this what I need? How much do I apply?

Thanks in advance!

[desertstalker]

As long as it is save for plastics it will work fine.

Dont go overboard with it, a thin smear all over the gears is all thats needed.

[vebbyson]

Lithium grease is petroleum based. Common practice is to avoid petroleum based grease on plastics. I've been using either hitec servo grease or Triflo synthetic.

[yhchoong]

Originally Posted by vebbyson

Lithium grease is petroleum based. Common practice is to avoid petroleum based grease on plastics. I've been using either hitec servo grease or Triflo synthetic.

You're right in saying not to use petroleum based grease on plastics. However, whether it is lithium or not does not affect its nature as a synthetic or petroleum based grease. As such, there are both petroleum and synthetic lithium grease in the market.

To OP:
For plastic geared servos, it would be great to use a low viscosity grease so that they turn freely without drag. Hitec or Futaba white grease would be ideal for plastic gears - they also do well on the TX sticks.

For metal geared servos what MKS uses is a Molybdenum based grease. It's dark gray/black due to the Moly, but cannot be used on plastic gears as the Moly, which acts like solid graphite and hence lubricating on metal, becomes abrasive to plastic.

[Ron_R]

Originally Posted by yhchoong

You're right in saying not to use petroleum based grease on plastics. However, whether it is lithium or not does not affect its nature as a synthetic or petroleum based grease. As such, there are both petroleum and synthetic lithium grease in the market.

Yep. Make sure it is synthetic grease. I would never use petroleum based grease anywhere near anything RC, but that's me.