Community Forums

gonational · 07-23-2014, 08:35 PM

I always used silicone spray and it seemed to work right away.

jerichorick · 07-24-2014, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonational

I always used silicone spray and it seemed to work right away.

I think you may have missed something in their instructions. They say NOT to use silicone. WD-40 is now recommended. Even soap and water and a soft cloth will work as a washing agent for the piston. It is a real pain to have to lube the jacks every time they are raised. I have started using CRC Power Lube with PTFE. It seems to last for a few usages and better than WD-40 alone.

Gerryl · 07-24-2014, 01:15 PM

I had the same problem with my left rear jack. Not only was it slow but it would not retract all the way. Sprayed it with several different things. that didn't help. then I sprayed it with "AEROKROIL". Solved the problem!!!!!!

Now it is faster and retracts all the way.
If you have never used aerokroil to loosen rusted bolts etc, buy some and try it. It is the best stuff I ever used. Now you can buy it on Amazon, I used to have to order it directly through the company.

Do not use WD40 first as it blocks the creeping action of the aerokroil.

gonational · 07-25-2014, 05:23 AM

Manufacturers recommendation are not always as good for the customer as it is for the parts department. But I never use WD40 on anything with seals anyway. It worked great for me on the lifts as well as my steps.

jerichorick · 07-25-2014, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerryl

I had the same problem with my left rear jack. Not only was it slow but it would not retract all the way. Sprayed it with several different things. that didn't help. then I sprayed it with "AEROKROIL". Solved the problem!!!!!!

Now it is faster and retracts all the way.
If you have never used aerokroil to loosen rusted bolts etc, buy some and try it. It is the best stuff I ever used. Now you can buy it on Amazon, I used to have to order it directly through the company.

Do not use WD40 first as it blocks the creeping action of the aerokroil.

Gerry, how long have you been using this stuff? I know a guy who worked for the Cummins factory and he said he was surprised about HWH recommending WD-40 because it used to damage O rings and seals. Something must have changed in the product. But, considering the aerokroil, this is also a concern to me. What industry is this stuff known to be used in?

Thanks for the info and update.

Rick Y

Gerryl · 07-25-2014, 09:10 AM

Jeri, I first used this stuff about 30 years ago. A mechanic who worked in a large factory gave me a can. He said it was the only stuff that would free up rusted equipment. I gave a can to a garage owner who mainly worked on lime trucks. He was amazed at how well it worked. I guess you know what lime does to equipment. Also there was a garage here in town that used to have a whole big vat of it. They reclaimed a lot of old seized up engines for a junk yard. They would set the motor in the vat and let it work for a few days. Said it worked like a charm.

You bring up a good point though, I don't know what it will do to the seals. So far so good on mine but I only sprayed it on there this spring. I only used it on the jack that wasn't working and now that you mentioned this, will only use it on that one. At least it saved me from having to go to the dealer to work on it. Thanks.

Gerryl · 07-25-2014, 09:23 AM

I just called the company. He said that to be safe he would only use it to free it up and not continually spray it on there. Of course I didn't expect him to fully endorse it for continued use because of liability issues in todays world.

Gerryl · 07-25-2014, 02:23 PM

Just looked on the internet for safe things to use on rubber gaskets. here is the link. What Is Safe Lubrication for Rubber Gaskets? | eHow

From now on I will only lube with heavy duty silicone and only use the Aerokroil or Silikroil if my jack gets stuck again. Silikroil is what I have been using, it is a relatively new product for them. The name of that company is KANO LABS.

bailiff · 07-25-2014, 03:55 PM

Mine takes about 3 minutes to stow also. I follow the manual instructions for cleaning using only WD40.

dwhit · 07-25-2014, 07:41 PM

My fifteen year old kickdown jacks retract quickly. I move the levers & before I can close the driver door they've banged home. I spray WD40 on both exposed pistons on each jack every time they're extended for more than a day or two just before retraction. When I'm at camp for weeks at a time they need a little solvent to remove airborne particulates and gravel dust. Yeah, inconvenient so I lay on a tarp. But the point is...I have no jack issues. Now, the aging hydraulic lines are something I've had to get involved with.

jerichorick · 07-26-2014, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerryl

Just looked on the internet for safe things to use on rubber gaskets. here is the link. What Is Safe Lubrication for Rubber Gaskets? | eHow

From now on I will only lube with heavy duty silicone and only use the Aerokroil or Silikroil if my jack gets stuck again. Silikroil is what I have been using, it is a relatively new product for them. The name of that company is KANO LABS.

That was a good link, Gerry. It says that CRC stuff is ok on the jacks. I still find it interesting that HWH is NOT in favor of silicon sprays. Something about buildup and only WD-40 or mild soap and water is recommended to remove it.

I'll "slide" with the CRC PTFE stuff. Works for me and meets the manufacturers requirments.

Rick Y