Selecting the proper control cable lubricant
can be tricky given the variety of
materials, designs, routing requirements,
loads, temperatures, and duty cycles. Tight
cable routing and heavy loads make the
selection of the right cable lubricant all
the more critical.
The
key is to choose a lubricant that improves
cable efficiency — a measure of how quickly,
smoothly and easily the cable moves under a
broad range of operating conditions. This
efficiency is directly related to how well a
lubricant minimizes friction between the
cable and its liner, that is, the
lubricant’s ability to wet and adhere to the
cable and liner surfaces under both test and
standard operating conditions. Since most
tests involve constant rapid cycling, high
film strength and the proper base oil
viscosity are essential to maintaining the
right amount of lubricant where it is
needed.
While oil is still used for some lightly
loaded cables with high efficiency needs,
greases offer several advantages for control
cable lubrication. A grease’s stay-in-place
capability mitigates leakage problems
associated with oil. Greases also prevent
wear better than oils. Formulated by gelling
a base oil with a thickener system, they act
as a sponge of oil, slowly releasing oil
throughout the life of the cable and
ensuring an adequate supply of lubricant
during cycling. Special grease formulations
can further improve cable performance and
extend operating life. Nye’s fluorocarbon
gels, for example, incorporate PTFE which
creates a surface with a very low
coefficient of friction and aids in
supporting medium and heavily loaded cables
to reduce wear. Other anti-wear and
load-carrying additives, as well as
antioxidants and corrosion inhibitors, may
also be introduced into grease formulations
for specific applications. Greases can also
damp mechanical vibration and deliver a
“quality” feel.
Greases for specific applications.
Nye has custom-formulated greases for a
variety of control cable applications,
primarily for the automotive industry. We
offer greases for mechanical systems that
use cables, pulleys, tracks, and guides.
Many are rust-inhibited for protection of
metal rail systems. We also offer greases
for push-pull cables. They feature a unique
combination of silicone oils and PTFE
gelling agents which provide excellent cable
wetting, very low friction, and
load-carrying capabilities. The very high
viscosity greases also introduce varying
degrees of damping which can be helpful when
trying to reduce mechanical vibration from
one end of the cable to the other. Damping
can also deliver a preferred “quality” feel
in a cable. Occasionally, certain designs
require a unique degree of efficiency, or
must operate well below freezing or above
200°C. Our “flea-power,” wide-temperature
greases are intended for these applications.
UniFlor™ fluoroether greases offer low vapor
pressure, excellent high-temperature
oxidative stability, and resistance to
aggressive chemicals.
Greases for Cable
Window Regulators
Sunroofs & Other
Mechanical Systems |
Temperature
Range (°C) |
Consistency |
Base Oil Viscosity @
40°C |
PTFE
(low torque) |
Corrosion
Inhibited |
High Load
Capacity |
NYOGEL 729F |
-40 to 125 |
Soft |
32 cSt |
■ |
|
|
RHEOLUBE 363F |
-50 to 125 |
Medium |
51.7 cSt |
■ |
■ |
■ |
RHEOLUBE 723GR |
-40 to 125 |
Soft |
80.6 cSt |
|
■ |
■ |
RHEOLUBE 739A |
-54 to 120 |
Very Soft |
18.7 cSt |
■ |
■ |
|
RHEOLUBE 789DM |
-40 to 150 |
Soft |
53 cSt |
|
|
■ |
UNIFLOR 8511 |
-50 to 225 |
Medium |
65 cSt |
■ |
|
|
Greases for
Push-Pull Cables
(Hood/Trunk Release;
Shift; Pedal;
Parking Brake;
Speedometer) |
Temperature
Range (°C) |
Consistency |
Base Oil
Viscosity @ 40°C |
PTFE
(low torque) |
Mechanical
Damping |
High Load
Capacity |
FLUOROCARBON GEL 880 |
-40 to 200 |
Medium |
19,600 cSt |
■ |
■ |
■ |
FLUOROCARBON GEL 885 |
-40 to 200 |
Soft |
410 cSt |
■ |
|
|
FLUOROCARBON GEL
990A |
-40 to 200 |
Soft |
31,500 cSt |
■ |
■ |
■ |
RHEOSIL 500F |
-40 to 200 |
Soft |
410 cSt |
■ |
|
|
Lubricants for
“Flea-Power;”
Extremely Wide-Temp
Applications |
Temperature
Range (°C) |
Consistency |
Base Oil
Viscosity @ 40°C |
PTFE
(low torque) |
Flea Power |
Chemical
Resistance |
NYOGEL 741E |
-50 to 200 |
Very Soft |
151 cSt |
|
■ |
|
UNIFLOR 8512S |
-50 to 225 |
Soft |
65 cSt |
■ |
|
■ |
UNIFLOR 8981 |
-65 to 250 |
Medium |
140 cSt |
■ |
|
■ |