Can You Use Any Kind Of Grease On RC Cars?
Maintenance is key to the health and longevity of your RC model, which is why we’re going to breakdown some of the most asked questions about an RC car’s best friend: grease.
First off, let’s start with the most common question when regarding RC model grease: can you use any kind of grease?
The Answer Is
That depends: do you plan on using grease before taking your RC model out in wet conditions?
Do you want to use grease after taking your RC car out in wet conditions?
For preemptively greasing up your RC model, using an aluminum-complex waterproof grease is your best choice.
An aluminum-complex waterproof grease is going to ensure that water can’t get inside of your RC model’s important components and induce water damage, so keeping this grease on hand is a must for damp or wet weather.
What Kind Of Grease Should I Use For My RC Car?
The kind of grease you should use on your RC car purely depends on how you plan to use your RC model.
- Greasing for bashing in wet conditions
If you plan to go out in wet weather, greasing your RC model beforehand with aluminum-complex waterproof grease can really make a world of difference in keeping your model’s components safe from water damage.
- Greasing to prevent grinding
If you want to keep the components of your RC model from grinding against each other and creating wear and tear due to friction, then most greases on the market will suffice for that.
- Bashing in really cold weather
If you plan to take your RC model out for a spin in cold, possibly freezing weather, then a temperature resistant grease is essential, as some other greases may actually freeze inside of your RC model, which will cause many problems.
There are many different greases that you should look into, depending on what you plan to do with your RC model.
There are also a rather wide variety of applications for these greases, and as you can see above, many come with pros and cons.
Can You Use White Lithium Grease On RC Cars?
Speaking of different greases, white lithium grease is often mentioned in the context of RC models.
You can use white lithium grease on your RC models, but be careful not to expose any plastic or rubber parts to this grease.
Lithium tends to speed up the degradation of plastics and rubbers, weakening them and eventually causing them to break or tear easily.
White lithium grease is a mixture of lithium soap and vegetable or mineral oil. It’s important to make note of these ingredients before applying it to your RC model, as some of your model’s parts could be subject to damage from the ingredients in white lithium grease.
Can You Use Marine Grease On RC Cars?
While we’re on the subject of potential damage, is marine grease any good for your RC car?
Yes, you can use marine grease on your RC car, and like any other hydrophobic (water-repelling) substance, marine grease will displace water from important components of your RC car.
Marine grease is usually used for RC boats, but the application of marine grease isn’t limited to just boats.
If you’re planning on taking your RC car out for a spin in wet conditions, marine grease can protect the important components of your RC car and keep water damage from occurring.
What Is Traxxas Lithium Grease Used For?
Now that we have an understanding of lithium-based greases from one our previous questions, we can now touch on another lithium oriented question: what is Traxxas lithium grease used for?
Traxxas lithium grease is used to lubricate components of your RC model that are susceptible to friction and to displace water.
Traxxas lithium-based grease sticks particularly well to metal, but keep in mind that also Traxxas’ lithium grease can lead to the faster degradation of plastics and rubbers, so it’s best to make note of what certain parts of your RC model are made of.
As for temperature resistance, Traxxas lithium-based grease has a good amount of cold resistance, meaning it won’t freeze as easily in very cold weather.
What Is Traxxas Silicone Grease Used For?
Traxxas also has a silicone-based grease and it is used for a wide variety of applications.
One of the main applications for Traxxas silicone grease is to keep wear and tear caused by friction to a minimum, as well as keep water out of the important components of your RC model.
Traxxas silicone-based grease is plastic friendly and adheres well to metal, making this grease one of the most popular types of grease for RC models.
What Type Of Grease Does Tamiya Use?
Many Tamiya enthusiasts have questions about the proper grease that should be used with Tamiya models.
Tamiya is known for producing ceramic grease, which helps to keep scuffing from occurring between two or more components in your RC model, as well as keeping it free from dust accumulation and keeping water from accumulating in your RC model.
Tamiya ceramic-based grease is great for rubbers and plastics, and it is well known among those of you who prefer Tamiya over other RC manufacturers.
What Parts Of Your RC Car Should You Grease?
We’ve been talking quite a bit about the importance of greasing up your RC model, but to some of you who are new to the hobby, you may be left wondering where to grease your RC model.
For most RC models nowadays, brushless motors are the standard, meaning that you have to take care of the ball bearings inside of the motor by applying grease. This reduces friction and allows for your ball bearings to stay healthy for a longer period of time.
This is considered to be one of the most important places to lubricate your RC model, but there are other places.
Make sure to also grease up your RC car’s meshing gear and spur gear, as these could eventually wear out over time.
Five Best Greases For RC Cars
Now that you may be considering purchasing some RC grease for yourself, here’s a list of the top five best greases on the market.
- Permatex 80345 Lithium Grease
- Lucas Oil Grease
- Maxima 80916 Grease
- Lucas Oil 10533 Lithium Grease
- Traxxas 1647 Silicone Grease
