Pitch in Milwaukee told me to stop using WD-40 on everything back in 2018

I used to spray WD-40 on every sticky rail and call it a day. That old mechanic showed me how a dry silicone lube actually lasts 3 times longer on the guide shoes. Anyone else have a specific lube they swear by for certain elevators?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_henry1mo ago

Oh man, I gotta push back on this one a little. I mean, not saying dry silicone lube is bad or anything, but I've had way better luck with a good PTFE spray on guide shoes. That stuff just clings better and doesn't attract dust and dirt the way silicone can after a while. Maybe it's just me, but I've seen silicone leave this weird sticky residue when it mixes with old grease, and then you're back to square one in a month. I dunno, I feel like PTFE is the middle ground that actually lasts and doesn't gum up.

the_ryan29d ago

...and honestly I think there's a whole other factor people are missing. It's not just about the lube itself but how the elevator gets used. I worked a building where the freight elevator had these old Otis guides and PTFE was king, but the passenger elevator right next to it with the same setup? PTFE turned into a gritty mess in three weeks because the lobby door let in all this construction dust from the street. So I switched the passenger one to a moly grease stick and it's been smooth for six months now. The real trick is looking at what kind of crap is floating around your building before you pick anything.