Snap On drawer slide maintenance question

[Rezarf]

I just picked up a used SO box with ball bearing slides. It was a guys work box and is pretty dirty (he was a body man). I would like to baseline the box and clean and lube the slides.

What have you found works well for cleaning up the grit, dust and junk in the slides and is there a prefered lube to put it all back together? FWIW, I live in Colorado which tends to dry out most wet lubes... I have had good luck with white lithium grease... at least until winter

Thanks in advance-

 

[mrshaun]

take the drawers out and you might have to use a lot of water pressure to clean them out then re-lube the slides. someone here will tell you all about the lubes that turn them on.... just wait it will happen. i pressure wash the body shop boxes then spray amsoil MP spray on the slides, or just start replacing them...

 

[chadster1]

....and if you dont have easy access to an Amsoil dealer, you can order it thru my website.

 

[stltikn]

Remove the slides from the box and wash throughly in diesel fuel or any petro based solvent. Water based solvents tend to leave surface rust on the balls. Dry throughly with compressed air. Lube slides with marvel mystery oil. While slides are out, remove lock mechanism, clean and lube with lock ease. Apply small amount of grease to pivot points when reassembling. Clean box inside and out with lots of full strength simple green, rinse throughly, dry throughly. Wax painted surfaces with TR 3.

 

[Rezarf]

Thats some good info guys, I will break out the pressure washer this weekend and scrub it down when I wash the cars. Compressed air dry, and think through my gun lube selection and see if any will cross over without drying out too quickly.

 

[back2class]

I agree, water will not be a good idea. It will "push" the grity grease around more than remove it. If you can make a little long trough and submurge the slides in diesel while you work them...that would be ideal.

 

[Skyline]

No way would I use a pressure washer on a toolbox. Or any water for that matter. Tool boxes have hollow sections, all sorts of seams, and lots of holes and perforations on the inside. There are plenty of areas where water can get in, and not get out. I really don't know how well these internal areas are rust protected at the factory, but I don't see how it's possible to powder coat or paint an internal surface. So if it were my box, or one I was reconditioning for a customer, it would NOT get wet.

I use a combination of Armorall all purpose cleaner and WD-40. WD-40 is great for cleaning the slides out. Also works very well for cleaning greasy drawers. Worse case, it will leave a little bit of a clear shinny film, but that will protect things too. I lubricate the slides with spray grease.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

You can make your own slide cleaning tank. Use 24" piece of 3" PVC pipe with a plug on one end and a test plug in the other. Put up to four slides in the tube and fill at least half way up with a solvent. Put the test plug in and let them soak for a little. Shake the tube a little and flip them around and repete. Once the are down soaking let then hang to dry out and use your favorite greese.

Here's my cleaning tank.


The slides on my used Matco has to be the dirtiest on the planet. They would grind from the imbedded grit and bind from being gummed up. They also had a stink of old rotten greese.

 

[bgott]

When mine get to screwing up I get a can of brake cleaner and spray down the sides as best as I can. I had to do it every week or two when I first started back to wrenchin', I haven't had to do it for six or eight months. I was going to lube them but the cleaner seems to have rejuvenated the grease or whatever was in there.

 

[Rezarf]

Thats pretty good thinking. Powder coat can get into places paint doesn't, but it stands to reason not to soak the box down.

Slow and steady wins the race... or something like that.

No way would I use a pressure washer on a toolbox. Or any water for that matter. Tool boxes have hollow sections, all sorts of seams, and lots of holes and perforations on the inside. There are plenty of areas where water can get in, and not get out. I really don't know how well these internal areas are rust protected at the factory, but I don't see how it's possible to powder coat or paint an internal surface. So if it were my box, or one I was reconditioning for a customer, it would NOT get wet.

I use a combination of Armorall all purpose cleaner and WD-40. WD-40 is great for cleaning the slides out. Also works very well for cleaning greasy drawers. Worse case, it will leave a little bit of a clear shinny film, but that will protect things too. I lubricate the slides with spray grease.

 

[blacK20]

I've always just used some multipurpose spray grease. When the time comes I just wipe off the old lube and reapply.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

never lubed mine in over 20 years

 

[Rezarf]

I am thinking about some kind of light grease, as oils dry up here so quickly. Any recommendations on their prefered lube?

 

[Rezarf]

Would Kerosene be a decent solvent for this application? I have a gallon sitting on the shelf for the camp stove is why I ask. thanks in advance-

 

[Outlawmws]

Would Kerosene be a decent solvent for this application? I have a gallon sitting on the shelf for the camp stove is why I ask. thanks in advance-

Kerosene is fine as a mild solvent, and (very) light oil (It will leave a a slight residue)

"Camp Stove fuel" - Rarely is this Kerosene (Unless you are UK based...). is this Coleman Fuel? If so then that is "white gas" or more properly, Naphtha.

That will leave less of a residue, but is far more volatile than Kero or Diesel so pay attention to fumes and ignition sources...

 

[Outlawmws]

You can make your own slide cleaning tank. Use 24" piece of 3" PVC pipe with a plug on one end and a test plug in the other. Put up to four slides in the tube and fill at least half way up with a solvent. Put the test plug in and let them soak for a little. Shake the tube a little and flip them around and repete. Once the are down soaking let then hang to dry out and use your favorite greese.

Here's my cleaning tank.

The slides on my used Matco has to be the dirtiest on the planet. They would grind from the imbedded grit and bind from being gummed up. They also had a stink of old rotten greese.

That is a slick solution! I'll have to remember that one.

 

[Rezarf]

You can make your own slide cleaning tank. Use 24" piece of 3" PVC pipe with a plug on one end and a test plug in the other. Put up to four slides in the tube and fill at least half way up with a solvent. Put the test plug in and let them soak for a little. Shake the tube a little and flip them around and repete. Once the are down soaking let then hang to dry out and use your favorite greese.

Here's my cleaning tank.

The slides on my used Matco has to be the dirtiest on the planet. They would grind from the imbedded grit and bind from being gummed up. They also had a stink of old rotten greese.

I built one for about $20 bucks... it is a GREAT idea for a washing tank for all kinds of things, bike chains, slides, even crusty old tools!

It has been awesome for cleaning these nasty drawer slides.

 

[Rezarf]

So after Mr Rachet showed off his solvent tank, I had to make one too! Thanks!

I pulled out all the drawers, cleaned them, removed the adhesive in the bottoms that held on the liners and set them aside.

Then I took out all the drawer slides, they were a crusty mess. White lithium grease and body work dust was ground up and in everything in a thick gritty mess. The drawers function told the tale.

Into the solvent bath (Kerorsene) and after a few minutes and shakes in the tube I would fish them out, work the slides and put back in for a few more minutes and shake them up again. After the second soak I'd pull them and wipe them down before hanging them to dry.

I used a needle applicator of Hoppe's #9 and they went right back in. I tried white lithium grease on one set and they were too "slugish" for my liking. The Hoppes seems to be doing the trick just fine for now.

Here are the pics, thanks for the help fellas. Next up, decal removal and loading the darn thing up to USE it!

The before mess:

typical grit in the slides:

Mr Rachets contribution to my tool box

After:

before and after the dunk tank... I was super happy with the results:

 

[huero]

Hello, all.
I just removed my slides and before I dunk them in diesel fuel does anyone know if the plastic and rubber pieces on the slides will be harmed by the fuel? Click on links below to see pieces I'm referring to. Thanks in advance.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hueroski/24547384355/in/datetaken/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hueroski/24439091482/in/datetaken/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hueroski/24179628409/in/datetaken/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hueroski/24251841970/in/datetaken/

 

[Patrick73RS]

Bought a plastic tray from Home Depot along with some mineral spirits. Soaked them in that for an hour while cleaning the rest of the box. I would go back to the sliders every 15 minutes and move them. I used a small paint brush to get it into areas to clean. Worked extremely well. Drip dry and repeated for the next batch. Used a small drop of Hopps gun oil on each bearing and another paint brush to spread it and wipe up the excess. Did the same on the section which is attached to the drawer. Used a rag to get the junk off as I didn't want to take the slides off of every drawer.
Massive improvement. My 1023 is like new again. All the detents were hard, cracked and needed replacement. That's the next step then install the new liners and load it up

 

[maverick302]

I did the plastic tray thing as well. Got it from Sherwin Williams, it was for wallpaper glue I believe. Submerged the slides in kero and used some dry bike chain lube.

 

[Rickster]

I hosed them down with spray carb cleaner. Let dry and then lubed them with spray Super Lube.

 

[2oolhound]

I do a lot of grinding so I always have those dried up sparks flying around which I think will clog up grease or oil on the slides. I've been lubing all my boxes, friction or roller bearing with graphite powder and it works fine.