need a lubricant for plastics

[venm11]

you guys might know this.

I have a sticky xbox 360 controller and it looks like I need to lubricate the joystick mechanism. What lubricant should I use that will stay in there and not dissolve the plastics?

I assumed something had gotten in there and have been working at the mechanism with 90% alcohol and q-tips. The q-tips get gummy with this orange stuff, and I'm wondering if that was the original lubricant.

 

[Johnx64]

http://www.amazon.com/Synthetic-Gre...8&qid=1394313119&sr=8-1&keywords=plastic+lube

 

[Tuthmose]

^ +1 for Superlube products for use on plastics and rubber

In addition to the grease that S0m30n3 linked you too, they also make an oil. Back in the day when I used to work on airsoft guns, I used to use it all the time; it won't degrade plastics or rubber the way common lubricants will. Slicker than greased lightning too.

 

[cyclone3d]

I wouldn't use 90% on plastic. It tends to melt it.

 

[cyclone3d]

^ +1 for Superlube products for use on plastics and rubber

In addition to the grease that S0m30n3 linked you too, they also make an oil. Back in the day when I used to work on airsoft guns, I used to use it all the time; it won't degrade plastics or rubber the way common lubricants will. Slicker than greased lightning too.

+1

I like superlube as well.

 

[venm11]

thanks guys. I'll try the superlube.

And for the plastic/alcohol thing. Never heard of that.

 

[Arcygenical]

It won't melt the plastic but it will leach the plasticizer. Acetone will melt plastic, but 99% Iso alcohol will make it very brittle.

 

[dragonstongue]

orange lubricant is similar to what they use on personal desk cooling fans for their mechanisms, is either an orange or light golden yellow color.

Silicon, Teflon, or Lithium based grease should work quite well and should stay on no problem, do not use petroleum based though, an option Liquid Wrenchs' Multi-Purpose White Lithium Grease folks say to basically spray it into some other container then apply with Qtip type deal, and they use this for their airsoft as well as paintball guns which do tend to have a lot of plastics used.

This I believe is the one used by makers though granted in much higher volume size for production
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOW-MOLYKOTE-EM-30L-Synthetic-PAO-Grease-for-Plastics-/270666662674