Hi all,
Can anyone give some advice on lubricating: 1.  timing belts and 2. Rack and Pinions. Do they require lubrication?
My thoughts are that the lubricant would attract dust build up.
 Maybe some type of silicone spray may work?
(I have just spotted the other forum sub sets! I will use "Tangent in future" Thanks Bret)


Bruce

Timing belts shouldnt need lubed, I would imagine racks may need it though. Probably your silicone  spray would work, if not then maybe just using a light oil would help minimise dust collection.
Hood

Thanks, Hood
I just tried a smear of Vaceline on the new belts.  Now  whisper quiet.
Bruce

Another one of the many uses Vaseline has been put to

Hood

  - speaking of which - I wonder if there's any petroleum based plastic or particularly latex in the belts - given .... erm... certain erm.... things.... shouldn't be used together... maybe not a topic for this forum.

Oh just google latex vaseline 

Well if your belts get pregnant you could start up selling them at half the price of the bearing supply houses do
Hood

I use Lubriplate 630AA on the rack & pinnions of both my machines. Its a multi-purpose grease for bearings, gears and cams, best part it doesn't attact dust, nothing on the belts I run them dry

As Stirling stated...I wonder if there's any petroleum based plastic or particularly latex in the belts. Oil will indeed rot rubber. Thats one reason why your not supposed to use WD40 on your vehicle door sills in the winter. It might solve one problem at the moment, but creates a much more serious problem later. The 2 do not play nicely together. You could buy some KY jelly for your belts.  Might wanna tell the wife what your doing before she stumbles upon a tube of KY in your toolbox, though, because yet again... It might solve one problem at the moment, but creates a much more serious problem later.    Seriously though, I wouldn't think belts would need lube. If you feel that they do, my first thought would be some belt dressing from the auto store.

I just had a thought, that there are rubber preservative/lubricasnts available from auto acc. stores armerall the stuff you spray on plastic and rubber seals - should work fine. Which is cheaper "armorall "or "KY" decisions decisions.