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BMW lubricants 101
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:23 pm
by Beemeridian
456
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:13 pm
by taosports
The service manual PDF I have shows BMW recommending Shell Retinax EP2
http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?sit ... x_ep2.html
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:42 pm
by def38
The BMW side and center stands will tolerate any reasonable general purpose grease...either lithium or calcium soaped grease. But, do clean the side stand switch routinely. I use a copius spray with WD-40 or some other spray GP lube/solvent. The switch gets loaded with dirt which can cause a failure. Oh, I use the WD-40 to lube the side and center stand as well....forget the grease.
But, during winter riding, make sure you remove salt from this area...especially the side stand switch.
Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:42 pm
by Beemeridian
345
Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:00 am
by mcollect
Once again, WD40 is not a lubricant! When I worked at a gun shop, the owner thought it was an oil, he found that his blued guns rusted faster with WD40 then without, it cleaned all the oil off. Use it to clean and remove crud and water then use a lubricant such as lithium grease.
Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 2:47 am
by single650
What cleaned the oil off was the delivery solvent that the WD40 is disolved in, as that evaporates it leaves a film of WD40 behind which is a dry lubricant.
Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 9:13 am
by def38
mcollect wrote:Once again, WD40 is not a lubricant! When I worked at a gun shop, the owner thought it was an oil, he found that his blued guns rusted faster with WD40 then without, it cleaned all the oil off. Use it to clean and remove crud and water then use a lubricant such as lithium grease.
WD40 is mostly Stoddard Solvent (~50%). It has very little in the way of lubricantion properties...it is more a cleaner that a lubricant...but, not a bad thing if used properly.