the packaging says it doesn’t contain petroleum, and the manufacturer says it can be used on plastic on its FAQ page.
I know silicone grease is recommended by many people here, but for the sake of the discussion, we disregard the wonder of silicone grease and only look at lithium grease, say I am to apply white lithium grease on joysticks, will it work?
so far from google results, I got half people saying one thing and the other half saying the opposite. I just want a clear cut answer on white lithium grease so I can stop wondering about it.
Lithium grease contains petroleum which can act as a solvent and ruin plastics.
Lithium grease is used for metal to metal contact not plastics.
With Plastics you should only use Silicone grease.
Careful not all silicone grease is the same, even under the Shin Etsu branding
Shin-Etsu G-40M is used for joysticks, weather stripping and automobile break assemblies.
Shin-Etsu X23-7783D is used for thermal paste for CPU cooling and act as a adhesive locking up your joystick.
The Only grease I can with a good conscious I can recommend for you is the following
Shin-Etsu G-40M OR Molycote 44
Odds are one tube will last you almost a life time
That was the kind that normally found at Honda dealerships (note Honda dealerships will not sell you Shin-Etsu G-30)
I could not remember the number before, But keep in mind Shin-Etsu G-30 does not have the same mil specs as Shin-Etsu G-40M or Molycote 44.
Shin-Etsu G-30 is designed to keep rubber seals from drying out in automobile weather striping and not lubricant.
Big problem I have with G 30 is its way over priced due to the Honda aftermarket parts market. 30g tube for $18
Shin Etsu from Etokki or Arkishop is $20 for a 100g tube and Paradise Arcade has 3g tube of Molykote for $2.50
a 100g tube is like $20 or $25 dollars.
Reason I recommend Shin-Etsu G-40M OR Molycote 44 and the two greases have the same mil specs
Only real difference is (other than the branding) Shin Etsu -40M used for the stock grease on Japanese parts while Molykote is the stock grease for American Cabs
I got a 100 gram tube of Molykote from lizard Lick 4 years ago, I re-lubed now like 2 dozen stick with out making a dent in the supply.
3 grams of Molykote for $2.50 is going to last you a while (its also the best price per gram, shipping not included).
I can get shop price on Shin-Etsu but I don’t really see the point. One syringe of Molykote has lasted me through idk how many sticks. Still going strong.
Unless your based outside of North America (or you got connections) I don’t see how you wouldn’t go for the Molykote for $2.50.
And if you can’t afford $2.50 then arcade sticks aren’t for you.
I’ve used petroleum greases before and they didn’t do any damage to the plastic parts on the sticks I used. The major drawback is the smell, it’s pretty bad and your stick will smell like shit, you can smell it wafting up from your lap like a dirty fart or something.
Also, white lithium grease that I’ve found is too thin to do the job proper. It just doesn’t feel good, even if it doesn’t kill plastic.
The idea is plastics like ABS will turn into mush with the right solvents and petroleum fits the bill. Derlin is petroleum resistant and I got no idea about nylon.
I also think Lithium grease conducts electricity, so you don’t want to get any on your switches and don’t get me started with graphite powder.
I tried graphite powder the other day for shits. Besides being impossible to apply, it didn’t really do much. I made a graphite / grease paste and tried that and could feel the graphite dust move around the pivot. It was not smooth.
There’s also a silicone grease that is used for the reels on the fishing rods, it’s a very thin grease which is used to prevent corrosion from moisture on the reel mechanism, it is better than the Shin Etsu but a bit more expensive.
I prefer a medium weight grease, Reel Lube isn’t bad but it applies a bit too thin for my liking.
Also Reel Lube gets worked out /wears off quicker than Shin Etsu or Mollykote because it so thin.
Too thin of a lubricant will also not provide with acquired reduction of friction allowing parts to wear out faster.
On the other hand too thick of a lubricant such as (extreme example) an axle and artillery grease will freeze up the Joystick’s pivot joint.
Issue about graphite other than the grit is that graphite is a conductive material, if it gets into the switches it can foul the switch, its harder to get a medium weight grease into a switch.
Graphite is great on locks and in areas where dust is present and is not a issue. Grease can be bad for some locks as it can combine with dust and jam a lock.
