Greasable shackles?

[Sprint]

Is there any point to having greasable shackles?

[Tank]

Yes, Regards Frank.

[Sprint]

care to elaborate?

[ramblingboy42]

no I dont like greasing mine, if I have to use my recovery gear I get grease all over my hands

[Tank]

care to elaborate?

Yes, lubed shackle pins last longer, Regards Frank.

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Isn't this one of those theory / practical discussions?

The reality is, a ramblingboy suggested you end up with grease all over.

If you grease, I'm sure there is proof that the pins last longer, but in reality in the last 15yrs+ I've never worn a pin out by not greasing because they are not in use 24x7.

So I suspect the question is cost of new shackle vs getting freeze all over you and your recovery gear.

I'm not going to start greasing mine any time soon.

J

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[460cixy]

Only useful if you use those crappy red plastic bushes don't use them on rubber grease kills rubber

[ramblingboy42]

you can use rubber grease on rubber though

[Tank]

The lube is not for the rubber, proper bushes have a steel sleeve in them for the shackle pin to move in, if you use a piece of rag you can wipe off any excess grease off, hard job though. Wouldn't mind a buck for every shackle pin and bush I've seen disinergrate through lack of maintenace (grease), Regards Frank.

[JDNSW]

If you are referring to the silentbloc bushes fitted to shackles on leaf spring Landrovers, or similar bushes used on suspension bushes of coil spring Landrovers, the shackle pin should never move relative to the steel tube. All motion should be taken by flexing of the rubber, and the steel tube should be clamped by the side plates. This is the whole idea of these bushes.

This type of bush (and later the plastic imitation ones) replaced greasable (usually steel/bronze) bushes more than fifty years ago in most applications, for the simple reason that greasable shackles don't get greased!

John