Lubricating lift cables

[600SL]

I had my lift Bend Pack HD9 4 post in storage the last two years and just got it back up and running. I am looking for a good way to lubricate the cables. I have been using spray on wire rope and open face gear lube but it seams every time I apply it I get more on everything else and cant get the top side of the cables. Every thing I see for wire rope is spray on. I would prefer a brush on liquid or an applicator tool that can apply lube directly to the cables.

At this point I would like to power wash the whole thing cables and all prior to lubing.

Any Ideas.

 

[MikeMustang]

I spray the wire rope lube onto a shop towel until it is soaked and then wipe down the cables really well. Raise and lower the lift to get to all sections of the cable.

 

[Matt M PA]

I use gear oil. I put on a pair of disposable gloves, apply oil to the cable with the spout on the bottle...then smear around with a gloved hand.

I remember reading in my owners manual for the lift that gear oil is the preferred lubricant. I will get a trip or two on the floor.

 

[rlitman]

I would not power wash the cables. Forcing water into the center of the cables cannot be a good idea (especially since cables fail from the inside).

There's not much special about wire rope lube. It's just an oil, with a thinner that evaporates to help carry the oil to the middle. If it were me, I'd mix some acetone with ND motor oil (or whatever you feed to your compressor, or for that matter, whatever you have around), and brush it on until no more soaks in. Mineral spirits would be a good thinner choice too.

Gear oil is probably a little better, if you can stand the smell.
ATF+Acetone would probably work well too.

 

[600SL]

I spray the wire rope lube onto a shop towel until it is soaked and then wipe down the cables really well. Raise and lower the lift to get to all sections of the cable.

I thought about that but as much as I believe my cables are good my eyes are getting old and I tend to find broken strands the hard way.

 

[600SL]

I use gear oil. I put on a pair of disposable gloves, apply oil to the cable with the spout on the bottle...then smear around with a gloved hand.

I remember reading in my owners manual for the lift that gear oil is the preferred lubricant. I will get a trip or two on the floor.

Yes I just checked the owners manual 90 WT or Almasol wire rope lubricant. So its 90Wt which I can get in a squeeze bottle.

The manual also says to replace cables every 3 to 5 years. I guess I'm overdue.

 

[pattenp]

I think that's based on the lift being used in a business environment where cars are lifted multiple times a day.

Yes I just checked the owners manual 90 WT or Almasol wire rope lubricant. So its 90Wt which I can get in a squeeze bottle.

The manual also says to replace cables every 3 to 5 years. I guess I'm overdue.

 

[Chuck122]

White lithium grease in spray? My can say it can be used to lube cables

 

[muncie21]

The guys that installed my lift said use lubricant on the cables very sparingly...as the lubricant will attract dust/particles, which are more damaging (abrasive) to your cables than lack of lubricant. Keep in mind, this was for a non-commercial, hobby lift that gets used a time or two a month.

 

[600SL]

Lubed today with 75W-90 Amsoil gear lube. Pored it into a wadded up paper towel and wiped onto the cables. It actually seemed to clean the cables as well as soak in.

 

[Raul.P]

I just got my two post lift installed and I lubed the cables with gear oil like the instruction manual recommended. The thing is that the smell of gear oil is guite intensive. Does it get better with time or is there anything else with less intensive smell that is good to use on the equalizer cables.

 

[rlitman]

Gear oil stinks to high heaven, and doesn't get better over time. But once you've soaked it into a cable, I'm not sure how to get it out.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Acetone and ATF is a really bad idea. The two products do not mix.
Acetone dissolves completely when mixed with water.
In this reaction, acetone is the solute and water is the solvent. When acetone mixes with water, hydrogen bonds form between these compounds. These bonds will keep acetone dissolved completely in water, resulting in a homogeneous solution. A proper lubricant should displace water, not attract and dissolve into it.
The best solutions have been the shop cloth soaked with oil of you choice.

 

[Chevy-SS]

I use "chain lube" in a spray can, for every moving part of my 4-poster. Seems to work good. Plus it's easy to do, not messy, and doesn't stink.