Re: silicone spray and rubber?

[VINCELYONS@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-04-07 22:23:55 EDT, you write:

<< tonight I sprayed my lower control arm inner bushings that had minor 
 surface cracks with silicone spray from NAPA.  one minute later the minor 
 surface cracks had become massive failure with gapping tear.  what is 
 going on?  I was following the advise of the list in trying to prolong 
 rubber life.  Could one of the learned ones provide an
explanation....please!
  >>

Phil,

Some of the chemical suppliers used to send their
salespeople out with a stack of styrofoam cups to 
sell silicone spray.  If you try some silicone sprays
they melt the cups ( as gasoline does ), if you use 
the good stuff there is no harm done to the cups.... 
Something to do with the propellants not the silicone. 
I don't think this applies to the NAPA stuff you say 
you are using but I don't know that for a fact. 

Perhaps the propellant evaporates real quick and made 
the surface of the bushing shrink and crack from the 
instant cold. 

Perhaps the pressure of the spray just washed the 
glop out of the way so you could then see how bad 
the bushings really were. 

Perhaps the UFO hiding behind the comet used
a tractor beam and .... nahhhh.

Vince Lyons