Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

Teflon grease VS Silicone grease. Pros and cons?

Trailblazer and Envoy related, but not off-road related...

by bobbyblaze » Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:23 am

OK, I just picked up a new set of OE stabilizer bar to frame bushings and need to grease them. The dealer suggested using silicone grease but the guy who told me that dosen't seem to be wrapped too tight :? . I have used Teflon grease in the past for polyurethane bushings and have enough leftover to do this job. :mechanic:

I believe that the teflon grease will be safe for the factory bushing (could be wrong). Are there any other positives or negatives to using either of them ? :?:
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by bgwolfpack » Fri Sep 25, 2009 12:30 pm

bobbyblaze wrote:Are there any other positives or negatives to using either of them ? :?:


I don't see there being an issue where bushings are considered. If you were dealing with a heat sensitive issue than I believe the Teflon grease would be superior.
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by bobbyblaze » Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:06 am

bgwolfpack wrote:
bobbyblaze wrote:Are there any other positives or negatives to using either of them ? :?:


I don't see there being an issue where bushings are considered. If you were dealing with a heat sensitive issue than I believe the Teflon grease would be superior.

Some grease is harmful to certain types of bushings but I guess more of what I'm looking for is how each of the types of grease hold up after time and wheeling. Maybe one will wash out or harden up/dry out faster than the other. I called the service dept of a few dealerships with the same question. Each of them gave me a different suggestion. Since I have Teflon grease in the house already, I'll use that. If I start hearing the bushings squeak, I will try silicone grease. The dealer also suggested White Lithium grease as an alternative. I have and only use red lithium grease for those type of parts so that's out.

Gonna' swap out my front stabilizer bar frame bushings (OE) along with the end links (Moog) later this morning (sat). I destroyed all four of them at TECORE 2 this past weekend. The rear end links are beat too. I wanna hold off on the rears till I either find ones with a quick disconnect or buy a set and mod them to work that way.
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by bgwolfpack » Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:52 pm

bobbyblaze, I found a site you may be interested in looking at.www2.dupont.com/Krytox/zh_CN/assets/downloads/H-58505-1.pdf
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by bobbyblaze » Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:03 pm

Just looked at it. Good knowlege. Are you using used Krytox ?
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by bgwolfpack » Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:18 pm

bobbyblaze wrote:Just looked at it. Good knowledge. Are you using used Krytox ?

No sir, just trying to help out.
To be honest, for what we do in these trucks (even roadie), I don't think we need to go beyond a standard lubricant off the shelf.IMO
Please tell us if you find something great though. :)
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by bobbyblaze » Sat Sep 26, 2009 6:42 pm

I thought I had enough teflon grease left over from a previous sway bar job. Not the case so I just used Red lithium grease for the bushings and to top off the end links in the zerk fittings. There was rain in the forecast today (no garage) so I used what I had. Just started to rain when I was cleaning up. Lucky me :excited: .

In the not too distant future I'll be doing the rear end links and possibly the frame bushings back there too. I have time to research some lubes. Maybe even give that Krytox a shot.
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by bgwolfpack » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:34 pm

I did a little more research on Krytox. If you try it please let the rest of us know when you use it. I at least will have more questions about it.
Glad you got done in time not to get soaked, but around here we don't think about that sort of convenience. :shock:
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by Gordinho80 » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:10 am

Bob, how's the front sound since replacing the links and the bushings?
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by bobbyblaze » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:01 pm

Gordinho80 wrote:Bob, how's the front sound since replacing the links and the bushings?


It sounds like . . .nothing. That's exactly how I hoped it would. No noise anymore. The end links were bad like michael jackson and the frame bushings were worn out like an old hotel mattress.

I would highly suggest changing the frame bushings at the same time. Only cost about $20.00 extra for OEM for the pair. That wear was enough to let the stabilizer bar move in there. That's what the old original one looks like at 40000 miles.

I am definetly going to make a set of quick disconnect end links for the rear stabilizer. My rear tire should have been way closer to the ground when i did the 3 wheel thing at tecore. I don't think i'm gonna make the fronts QD because of the IFS. I don't know if it will do more damage than good to let those half shafts go too far.

Does anyone have any input on possible damage by disconnecting the front stabilizer bar for wheeling ? I'm sure there are some guys here who have some experience with our vehicles and this issue.
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by Trail X » Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:49 am

My understanding is that it's best to disconnect the front swaybar and leave the rear in place due to CG heights and suspension geometry.

By unhooking the fronts, you're actually able to get similar articulation to the rear axle. As it is, the rear is much more flexy than the front.
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by bobbyblaze » Wed Sep 30, 2009 5:28 pm

JamesDowning wrote:My understanding is that it's best to disconnect the front swaybar and leave the rear in place due to CG heights and suspension geometry.

By unhooking the fronts, you're actually able to get similar articulation to the rear axle. As it is, the rear is much more flexy than the front.


Most aftermarket QD's I was looking at for my jeep were for the front but I was thinking it had something to do with the having a straight axle up there and all. I hought IFS had a little more possible up and down movement.

GAME ON for a set of custom front QDs. The real problem I have is with the rear stabilizer bar hanging below the diff. Totally uncalled for :gimp:
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by Gordinho80 » Wed Sep 30, 2009 5:39 pm

I'm in for the front links, rear links, and SLIDERS!!! LOL
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by bobbyblaze » Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:19 pm

It woild be real easy for me to mod my brand new moog end links :geek:
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