Author Topic: Best products to clean & lube lines? (Read 6353 times)

Louis Keller, Jr. · « **on:** December 27, 2012, 10:25:16 AM »

I have a set of lines that have quite a few flights on them and they are definitely showing signs of dragging or sticking again. I usually clean them with a full length wipe with rubbing alcohol and then relube with either sewing machine oil or bicycle cable lube. With a thorough wipe down immediately afterwards to remove as much of the lube as possible. Out of curiosity I was wondering what you guys have found to be the best stuff to clean and lube lines.

Dave Denison · « **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2012, 11:15:20 AM »

Louis.

A number of flyers here in the Northwest have been real happy using Rain X. Yes it’s the Rain X that people use on their windshields of their cars.
Simply take a piece of small toweling, may be 4 in.², soak the towel in Rain X and then put it in a small zip up plastic baggie. At the field after you have set up your lines, simply run the damp towel down the lines, then at the end of your flights before you wrap the lines up wipe them down one more time with the Rain X. Now your lines will be both waterproof and lubed.

Regards.
Dave.
AMA 41041.

Mike Haverly · « **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2012, 11:41:23 AM »

The reason I clean my lines is to remove the oil and dirt it collects. I would never put oil back on them after cleaning. One thing I noticed flying electric models for awhile is how much cleaner my lines stay. I'm sure that flying around in your own exhaust collects on you lines and makes them sticky. Use acetone or alcohol for cleaning.

Brian Massey · « **Reply #3 on:** December 27, 2012, 12:13:59 PM »

I've been happy using automotive carb cleaner.

Brian

Brett Buck · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 2012, 01:40:24 PM »

Quote from: Louis Keller, Jr. on December 27, 2012, 10:25:16 AM

I have a set of lines that have quite a few flights on them and they are definitely showing signs of dragging or sticking again. I usually clean them with a full length wipe with rubbing alcohol and then relube with either sewing machine oil or bicycle cable lube. With a thorough wipe down immediately afterwards to remove as much of the lube as possible. Out of curiosity I was wondering what you guys have found to be the best stuff to clean and lube lines.

I would strongly suggest just cleaning them, DO NOT oil them (stranded or solid). I use lacquer thinner, alcohol attracts moisture, and rubbing alcohol is something like 30% water to begin with. Occasionally you will get water-soluble debris (bug splats) and anhydrous isopropyl alcohol will take that off reasonably well, although I always follow it up with lacquer thinner to displace any water that may have gotten on there. For stranded lines you don't want anything else but cleaning, you want NO residue.

Solids are a different story and will get a bunch of arguments. I think that *any* residue of anything is unacceptable, and the SS polished solid lines will lock up or drag severely with even a tiny bit of anything to stick them together. Music wire solids are slightly more forgiving but despite what what anyone has suggested they still get draggy with even the slightest residue. Clean them before every flight and keep them dead dry, and hold them up off the ground when it's raining. Most clean/dry them on the way to the handle after the engine has started. Music wire solids should probably be oiled at the end of the day, and then cleaned of all oil and anything else before use. Most people have given up on solids because of the lock-up issue and difficulty of maintaining them.

Brett

Reptoid · « **Reply #5 on:** December 27, 2012, 03:06:32 PM »

I use naptha (lighter fluid). Cleans all the goo off and leaves no residue. Also is a great general purpose cleaner/solvent to keep around the shop. It removes sticker residue better than most and will not harm plastic. Comes in a handy flip spout container in several sizes or you can get it in bulk for refilling (unless you live in CA

)

Louis Keller, Jr. · « **Reply #6 on:** December 27, 2012, 04:34:37 PM »

Thank you all for the input.

Allen Brickhaus · « **Reply #7 on:** December 27, 2012, 04:40:09 PM »

Charles Reeves has been using No Touch Rain Shield for about 15 years on solids with NO problems. He does not recommend Rain X. No Touch Rain Shield is made by Permatex and is in a green spray can.

Allen Brickhaus

john e. holliday · « **Reply #8 on:** December 28, 2012, 07:54:49 AM »

I myself use a clean rag to wipe the lines down as I walk to the handle to hook them up. Sometimes it takes several trips to get the lines not to leave the black residue. That is what I was told is part of the lubricant that is used when lines are made at the factory. I only used solids for racing and we always wiped them down for each time we entered the circle.

Bill Heher · « **Reply #9 on:** December 28, 2012, 08:45:24 AM »

i use 100% IPA wipes that are individually packaged. they are supposed to be for cleaning eye / safety glasses and other optics. A few runs up and down the lines folding it to give a new surface and the lines are clean, by then the IPA evaporates and you have a dry wipe for the final polish.

Cliff Henke · « **Reply #10 on:** December 30, 2012, 08:40:10 PM »

Since NAPTHA has been removed from all lighter fluids that I have looked for, over a year now, does it's replacement ingredient work just as well as NAPTHA for wiping down lines ?

GregArdill · « **Reply #11 on:** December 30, 2012, 08:48:07 PM »

For music wire (solids) a good scrub with a green kitchen scourer to remove any surface rust and oil and dirt build up, then a good clean up with Shellite.

This practice was instilled on me by my racing friends.

If it rains replace the solids with stranded lines and use the same cleaning process.

Greg

Randy Powell · « **Reply #12 on:** December 30, 2012, 08:58:58 PM »

I alternate between naphtha and Rain-X. Works quite well.

Cliff Henke · « **Reply #13 on:** December 31, 2012, 03:55:48 PM »

Sorry for all the ?'s. I have plenty of racing chemicals on the bench ( new cans of Acetone ). Would Acetone (only) help in cleaning stranded stainless steel .015 / .018 flying lines ?

Jim Hoffman · « **Reply #14 on:** December 31, 2012, 04:39:09 PM »

My experience is that acetone work great to clean braided lines.

I have always used brake cleaner on solids.

I agree to avoid alcohol and ANY lube on any lines

Solids are very complex set up. I cannot recommend them for most folks. Sometines it takes more than cleaning to keep them smooth. Occasionally I would make a few passes w/ Scotch Brite abrasive or 600 grit sand paper to clean off someting on the surface causing friction (corrosion? Oxidation? fairly dust?)

Jim Hoffman

Howard Rush · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2012, 04:39:43 PM »

Quote from: Cliff Henke on December 31, 2012, 03:55:48 PM

Would Acetone (only) help in cleaning stranded stainless steel .015 / .018 flying lines ?

Yep. Just don't use the rag to cover your airplane after you wipe the lines.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2012, 04:40:24 PM »

Or--worse yet-- before.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #17 on:** December 31, 2012, 06:34:20 PM »

Quote from: Howard Rush on December 31, 2012, 04:40:24 PM

Or--worse yet-- before.

It doesn't do the case of a TNC Tachometer any good, either.

Brett

W.D. Roland · « **Reply #18 on:** January 03, 2013, 11:39:24 AM »

Louis
Clean the lines then wax with car wax. Kit paste wax.
rub it in, wipe it off after it chalks.

oil makes em collect trash, wax don't.

Thought I already showed you this?

gwassenaar · « **Reply #19 on:** January 04, 2013, 04:51:04 AM »

having read all of the prior posts, I missed the application of silicon oil? I use a spray can and a cloth. The stuff cleans and lubricates the lines nicely. Also, the spray can may used as an anti-foam gent instead of Armor-all.