When working with a suspension bushing or anything that has any kind of rubber in it you want to make sure that you have a material on hand that is going to be able to maintain its longevity.
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Can you spray WD-40 on suspension bushings?
WD-40 is is a great product the best option for keeping things moving smoothly over time.
WD-40 might work fine, but it’s not going to be one of your best options long-term if you’re looking at longevity and performance for your car’s suspension bushings.
Can you spray WD-40 on suspension bushings? The answer is NO.
- One of the main ingredients in WD-40 is petroleum distillates. This is not something that you want to go slathering on your rubber bushings because it will break them down over time.
- WD-40 also has other ingredients in it such as xylene (a toxic substance), and several others including petroleum distillate, soybean oil, a petroleum solvent blend, and isobutane, butane, or propane.
- It is also important to note that WD-40 has an evaporation rate of 0%, which means it will not dry up after time. It will stay where you spray it forever as long as there are any molecules left in the can.
The reason that WD-40 is still on the market today, and has not been sued out of existence, is because it was created as a product to protect the metal from rust. It is supposed to be used for that purpose alone.
One last word about WD-40, do not use it as a lubricant for any part that requires lubrication because although it works well for a few seconds or minutes it will quickly dry and turn into an abrasive dust that will wear on your parts. It is also not recommended for any kind of electrical work due to the fact that WD-40 has been found in several cases to have caused fires.
What do you lubricate bushings with?
For a long-lasting lubricant for your rubber suspension bushings, you might want to give Motion Revive a try. It has been formulated with up to 28% natural oil, which was previously only found in certain types of plants.
The oil in Motion Revive has tremendous water repellent properties, and since the molecules are so large and thick they will not evaporate. This means that it will stay where you spray it until it is completely gone, or until you wish to reapply the product.
Motion Revive contains no solvents or other chemicals that may damage the rubber in your suspension bushings.
Another great thing about Motion Revive is that it can be used on all of the moving parts around your car, and with a bit of practice you will find there is hardly anything that you cannot spray it onto for lubrication.
In addition, If you want something else that will work well on rubber bushings and keep them in good shape then try using a silicone spray.
Silicone is very easy to use, and it will not damage any rubber beyond recovery like WD-40 can. Silicone has a drawback in that some people do not want silicone products on their car because they feel it looks tacky. This could be also because of the way silicone acts when you apply it to something, it dries not by evaporation but by absorption of moisture and then forms a flexible rubber polymer coating. This is why you can see it drying on the surface of your car when you spray it.
Does WD-40 damage O rings?
The answer is yes, WD-40 will damage O rings. O rings are not designed to withstand a strong solvent such as WD-40. WD-40 was designed for use on metal surfaces and it cleans them by removing greases and oils from the surface of said metal objects.
This is why many people recommend using 3 in 1 oil instead of WD-40 as it contains a light petroleum distillate instead of the stronger ingredients found in WD-40.
The solvent used in 3in1 oil is made up of three parts: Naphtha, kerosene, and white petrolatum. It works by softening greases and oils so that they can be wiped/blown away.
Will Vaseline soften rubber?
The answer to the question “Will Vaseline soften rubber?” is No. Scientists claim that over time, Vaseline can deteriorate most types of rubber.
Rubber is a polymer that contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Vaseline is a petroleum jelly that is composed of hydrocarbons (including paraffin wax) and other compounds such as fatty acids.
So, what happens when Vaseline comes into contact with rubber? The paraffin wax in Vaseline, which is a hydrocarbon compound, causes the rubber molecules to become unstable. The instability of the rubber causes it to deteriorate over time (meaning it no longer serves the function for which it was intended).
Conclusion
Spraying a lubricant like WD-40 on the bushings of your vehicle’s suspension is often helpful for getting rid of squeaks and other noises. However, this can be bad news for rubber components on your car’s suspension system. The key to maintaining the life of these parts is to use an oil that has been formulated specifically for them. This will help prevent damage caused by drying out or cracking over time, which could lead to costly repairs in the future.
Reference
How to Lubricate Rubber Bushings
