Recommendations for a scissor jack lubricant ?

[DrBob_007]

We bought a 2016 R*Pod R-179 in January. Three questions for you pros.

(1) When I was ready to move it off of the storage lot to de-winterize it, I had a heck of a time with the scissor jacks being 'rust frozen'. I managed to free all four up and retracted them fully, but I don't want to revisit that episode anymore. Opinions sought for an excellent lube for the worm screws on the scissors jacks, please? And a good lubricant for the hitch ball latch?

(2) Sources I have seen recommended a max 80% fill of a propane tank. Any concerns if it is filled any more than that? I don't want to fully top it off. Right now I have only one tank.

DrBob_007

[jrk341]

This is what I use.https://www.homedepot.com/p/Blaster-...-TDL/202532762

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by DrBob_007

We bought a 2016 R*Pod R-179 in January. Three questions for you pros.

(1) When I was ready to move it off of the storage lot to de-winterize it, I had a heck of a time with the scissor jacks being 'rust frozen'. I managed to free all four up and retracted them fully, but I don't want to revisit that episode anymore. Opinions sought for an excellent lube for the worm screws on the scissors jacks, please? And a good lubricant for the hitch ball latch?

(2) Sources I have seen recommended a max 80% fill of a propane tank. Any concerns if it is filled any more than that? I don't want to fully top it off. Right now I have only one tank.

DrBob_007

The 80% fill is a legal requirement and tanks are equipped with an Overfill Prevention Valve (OPD). It stops the fill at 80%. No need to worry about filling to less than that as the remaining 20% is more than enough for normal expansion.


As for scissor jack lube, a good spray Dry Lube also works well for the scissor jacks. Dry lubes protect against rust and they also don't attract a lot of road dust that sticks to any oily lube on the jack screw threads.

If threads are rusty it would be a good idea to clean them with a wire brush and then apply a good dry lube. Run the jacks up and down, adding a coat or two of the dry lube.

If you end up using a spray oil type just make sure to make sure no road dirt/dust builds up on the threads and if it does, clean regularly.

[pgandw]

I have come to like Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) where grease would commonly be used but dirt buildup is an issue. The scissors leveling jack are an example. ATF is a slippery lubricating hydraulic fluid designed to repel and/or hold dirt in suspension. And it's cheap. I find reapplication once a year is all I need to do.

In addition to the scissors jacks, I use it on the sliding doors of my minivans, and most chain drives. It also works well on choke cables.

just my experiences
Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time
just had our April camping reservations refunded

[SoCal49r]

I have a Genie screw drive garage door opener. I use the same lube on my scissor jacks. Can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

Whenever I am washing or rinsing the exterior of trailer with a garden hose. I rinse each jack to get the dirt off. I let it dry then spray on WD-40.


Works for me.

[boatcat AH6NR]

On my Puma they were tough to move. Took off, took apart, cleaned and dry spray, torqued ? back to what they were. Still tough to move, backed off on bolts, and now wonderful.

[TimVWulp]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...KyRWoQcCGA6Ghf

Use dry graphite lubricant. Dirt and trash dose not stick to it. It needs to be reapply several times though the year. I also use this to lubricate the hitch ball also. Goes on wet dry's fast and dose not rub off no messy grease to deal with. Have used this on the trailer for the past 5 years with no problems. Used it at work to lubricate air intake dampers for 15 year. Oil's would collect dirt and gum up and seize up the air intake damper's pivot point's. The link above is what I buy.

Hope this helps Tim

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by pgandw

I have come to like Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) where grease would commonly be used but dirt buildup is an issue. The scissors leveling jack are an example. ATF is a slippery lubricating hydraulic fluid designed to repel and/or hold dirt in suspension. And it's cheap. I find reapplication once a year is all I need to do.

In addition to the scissors jacks, I use it on the sliding doors of my minivans, and most chain drives. It also works well on choke cables.

just my experiences
Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time
just had our April camping reservations refunded

ATF is interesting stuff. It's a special formulation.

It is lubricating in the sense that there is a molecular layer of fluid between moving metal parts which keeps them from forming micro-welds which degrade the surfaces.

It is NOT slippery, which means that the composite bands and clutches inside the transmission will grip their respective metal surfaces without slipping. If you filled an automatic transmission with motor oil, the bands would slip.

Limited-slip differentials also have friction-grip elements which is why they also require a special formulation.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by DrBob_007

We bought a 2016 R*Pod R-179 in January. Three questions for you pros.

(1) When I was ready to move it off of the storage lot to de-winterize it, I had a heck of a time with the scissor jacks being 'rust frozen'. I managed to free all four up and retracted them fully, but I don't want to revisit that episode anymore. Opinions sought for an excellent lube for the worm screws on the scissors jacks, please? And a good lubricant for the hitch ball latch?

(2) Sources I have seen recommended a max 80% fill of a propane tank. Any concerns if it is filled any more than that? I don't want to fully top it off. Right now I have only one tank.

DrBob_007

First of all for the steps and scissor Jack's, I recommend Boeshield T9. It is just an aerosol lubricant that does not leave a residue that collects dirt but displaces, stops rust in its tracks.
https://www.amazon.com/BOESHIELD-Cor...efix=t9&sr=8-2

Second of all, a propane tank can only be filled to 80% safely because of the need for expansion room within the tank. overfilling it results and possibility of overpressure also results in a possibility that the system will not function correctly and the regulator will freeze or worse, tank explosion.

When filling a propane tank there should be a relief valve. Usually a tiny thumb screw next to the field point. that thumb screw has to be open and when it begins to spit liquid splatter from the propane reaching that level the tank is full to its safe capacity.

Propane attendance should know this but some do not. propane dangers and insurance requirements usually prevent you from doing it yourself. Be sure you're buying your propane somewhere where the attendant has a familiarity with what they're doing and it's not just some gas station owners $10 an hour clerk.

Dispensing propane isn't rocket science but it does require a little bit of safety training, and procedural training for safety sake.

[Coevers]

Originally Posted by SoCal49r

I have a Genie screw drive garage door opener. I use the same lube on my scissor jacks. Can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes

X2

[WFD]

Originally Posted by TimVWulp

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...KyRWoQcCGA6Ghf

Use dry graphite lubricant. Dirt and trash dose not stick to it. It needs to be reapply several times though the year. I also use this to lubricate the hitch ball also. Goes on wet dry's fast and dose not rub off no messy grease to deal with. Have used this on the trailer for the past 5 years with no problems. Used it at work to lubricate air intake dampers for 15 year. Oil's would collect dirt and gum up and seize up the air intake damper's pivot point's. The link above is what I buy.

Hope this helps Tim

This product looks like it would also be good to use on the slideout mechanism as well.

[Joe V]

I used WD 40 on my jacks. I spray it on the threads where they pass through the bolts and then crank them up. I also use a SMALL amount of lithium grease on the trailer hitch and the scissor jacks.

[rsdata]

Bicycle chain lube in a spray can sticks better than WD40 which will tend to evaporate. Modern propane tanks ( the only legally refillable type) can only be refilled to 80% by design. Those tanks you buy already filled off a rack tend to be only 75% filled.


Hopefully you have a battery operated drill with a socket extension to raise and lower those scissor jacks quickly and easily. If not Home Depot Ryobi is a good brand.

[itat]

I use a dry graphite lube.

[BandJCarm]

WD40 is not good. It attracts and holds dust. CRC 5.56 multipurpose lubricating spray is what I use for any moving metal parts.

[Ampdraw]

Originally Posted by DrBob_007

We bought a 2016 R*Pod R-179 in January. Three questions for you pros.

(1) When I was ready to move it off of the storage lot to de-winterize it, I had a heck of a time with the scissor jacks being 'rust frozen'. I managed to free all four up and retracted them fully, but I don't want to revisit that episode anymore. Opinions sought for an excellent lube for the worm screws on the scissors jacks, please? And a good lubricant for the hitch ball latch?

(2) Sources I have seen recommended a max 80% fill of a propane tank. Any concerns if it is filled any more than that? I don't want to fully top it off. Right now I have only one tank.

DrBob_007

(1) They now sell WD40 in every kind of flavor and scent you could enjoy. Pick your favorite.

(2) 80% is max full fully topped off, that’s to allow for expansion due to ambient temperature changes. If you don’t leave room in the top of the sealed LP tank to allow for expansion you risk getting to where you’re going with an empty tank. A few degree rise in temperature will cause more liquid in the tank to change state into gas which expands outward if allowed, or increases in pressure if prevented from expanding. In other words it could pop the built in tank safety and dump everything out of your nice full tank. This is why you never store an LP tank in an occupied space.

If that doesn’t happen then the next problem you risk with an over filled tank is liquid, not the desired gas, passing through the tank valve when you open it and freeze it up till nothing comes out of it.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by DrBob_007

(2) Sources I have seen recommended a max 80% fill of a propane tank. Any concerns if it is filled any more than that? I don't want to fully top it off. Right now I have only one tank.

DrBob_007

If the DOT cylinders built in Overfill Protection Device (OPD) is working as designed, then you can NOT have the cylinder overfilled. A proper fill will usually have the cylinder filled by weight (utilizing scales) to be sure, but not all places do this. Some just pump propane till the OPD shuts off the incoming propane.


A DOT cylinder is filled with liquid propane to 80% of the cylinders water capacity.


This is all explained in more detail here:


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ng-133760.html


If you are new to RV's this thread may also be of assistance, which has the link above and other things that may help get you started correctly. We have based it on a lot of questions that new RV owners tend to ask.


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ts-157524.html

[Mandog]

Buy the garage door lubricant with added Teflon. It works good and is designed for screw style mechanisms. Also won’t attract dirt!

[NJKris]

Any dry lube. Liquid Wrench spray is what I use.