Re: sunroof lube ?

[Steve Frattini <s373231@gettysburg.edu>]

Hi all,

Since we are on the subject of sunroof lubrication, I was just wondering
what sort of maintence I need to do, i.e. how often should the rails be
lubricated, and now the little fuzzy cables.  I just spent mucho dinero
fixing the sunroof after an unfortunate accident with a low hanging tree
branch while backing up with the vent open.  I would like to keep it
working, so I want to do some preventive maintence.  The car is an 84 Audi
5ks, also like someone else on the list, recently inherited from parents.
It runs great, and everything works (minus A/C), but I have a spare bottle
of hydraulic fluid in my closet here at school, just in case. :)

Steve

At 11:35 AM 9/15/98 -0400, you wrote:
>In a message dated 9/14/98 "scott miller" <macatawa@hotmail.com> writes:
>
><< What's best to lube sunroofs?  Silicon doesn't seem to last. >>
>
>I have had excellent results lubing the rails with a bicycle dry chain
>lubricant called White Lightning. 
>
>Bentley calls out "mineral oil" (read Pentosin Green Gold) but I have a
>feeling that is for the cables more than the rails. The cables (when not worn
>out) have a furry material between the spirals (gear) to retain lubricant.
>This is where the mineral oil goes. On my cables this furry stuff is gone and
>I have new ones in hand (thanks to Rod at IPC for a great price!) but have
not
>rebuilt mine yet. I will post my experience of rebuilding the thing if there
>is interest.
>
>The rails must be cleaned with a solvent soaked rag top and bottom. Next
apply
>the dry lubricant of choice. Silicon doesn't last IME either. White Lightning
>seems to last the longest of any products I have tried thus far.
>
><< Boeshield T9 seems a good choice. >>
>
>Boeshield T9 is an excellent product and I use it on my sailboat. It does
>leave a fairly thick waxy and sticky film--NOT what you desire on your
sunroof
>rails.
>
>I have yet to try it but a company called Miller-Stephenson Chemical Company,
>inc. makes various products for industrial applications that are of interest
>to me. One is a PTFE Dry Lubricant. The stuff is apparently outragously
>expensive but you can get a "trial sample" supposedly for 5 bucks a can. If
>interested their # is: (800) 992-2424. I can think of many areas where dry
>teflon would be a great lubricant including sunroof rails. HTH
>
>Mike Veglia
>87 5kcstq (about to undergo sunroof surgery for loosing mechanical alignment)
>