Silicon spray

[guest7]

I recently had to lubricate the threads on the ladder clamps I use to keep ladders firmly attached to the roof rack of my van. I didn't have much to hand so I used some spray-on Silicon that I normally use when assembling waste pipes or popping in double glazing beads.

To my satisfaction the spray worked very well indeed and where the spinners used to chatter away as you spun them down they now spin very freely indeed. I wasn't convinced about how durable the finish would be but the spinners still turn free despite the clamps having been fitted (and therefore exposed) for the last few weeks.

Perhaps I'm just an ignorant sod who just hadn't heard of spray silicon being used to protect and lubricate threads before now, but on the off-chance that you too haven't heard of it I can recommend it for general protection against road crap and the like that bedevils winter-riding. I'm not sure it's any substitute for a good dollop of grease on moving parts, but its one advantage is that the coating is not really visible and not messy.

Here's an example of the stuff

GC

[002]

Use it to Lube all sorts of stuff.
Side panel rubbers,pipes,gromets and some switchgear.
And can be used to make things look loverly and shiny too.

1001 Uses !

Jethro

[guest40]

Yeah But!!

Silicon spray is NASTY stuff if you get it on painted surfaces. Yes it does shine well and has magic abilities in making stuff move, but it causes problems with its ability to get down into the painted surface (Something about its molecular structure being smaller than the paints structure) If the surface needs to be resprayed in the future the new paint will not stick to the old. All paint is removed to bare metal and then it can still cause problems. I used to flog the stuff many years ago and got chucked out of a paint shop or two, apparently just having it on me as a sample was enough to be told to " F Off and dont come back in here with it" 
It IS a great water repellent on shoes and camping equipment, especially tent seams. I love the stuff! just dont spray it on your fuel tank.

[Ian]

You learn something every day..I didnt realise about its "penetrating" properties. But I do use it for all sorts of lubing, protecting etc. I will just have to be extra careful in future,

Thanks for that Kurt

Ian

[guest1155]

i  used silicon spray once to help get a set of headlamp brackets on. i found that it did such a good job of protecting the tops of my fork stanchions i spray it on the tops of all my forks now, as it stops that annoying surface rust that you always get in the areas on your forks outsideof the travel area.

[Mark]

Regarding paint shop personnel hating the stuff.

I was using some silicon spray on a bike in a car park 100 yards away from a paint shop and within seconds of using the stuff the guys came out shouting the odds, apparently it found its way in and onto a car they were spraying which reacted, they knew exactly what had happened and came looking for the culprit, me.

I would never have believed it possible.