I had the lift pins replaced on my ASH 26 E at 3000 hours, due to pitting and
wear. The wings weren't loose or making any noise, but Rex Mayes was doing the
3000 hour inspection, and said it was a good idea.

I rigged it for about half it's flights, the other half it remained assembled,
primarily at glider camps. I used various grease, but primarily the grease that
came with the glider in a little unmarked - thick amber axle grease is the look of
it. I was not very diligent with greasing the pins.

The pitting is something that proceeds slowly, so you have years to order
replacement lift pins (or rotate them 180 deg, as some pilots do).


kinsell wrote on 2/3/2020 6:37 PM:
I believe our national dealer has recommended Master Pro Multi Purpose Lithium
Grease.* If you're looking a a nasty messy gooey black grease suitable for wheel
bearings, this one fills the bill perfectly.

I've always been happy with the white lithium stuff in a tube myself.

-Dave


On 2/1/20 4:42 PM, Jim Hogue wrote:
So, I have been using white lithium grease for decades for all my glider
fittings.* This has worked out fine, no problems ever, all my fittings have
stayed nice, with no damage of any kind.

However, now that I have an 18 meter motorglider and am retired and blessed with
time to go soar, my rigging habits have changed.* I now typically keep my glider
rigged for weeks at a time when flying at soaring safari or contest sites.* When
based at my home 'drome off season, I have a hangar so I am typically rigged for
months at a time off season.

A person knowledgeable about such things recently told me that white lithium
grease for the main high stress attach points (wing pins and lift pins) is not
good, it dries out and/or cannot stand up to or stay in place due to the high
stresses on those components, and the result is scoring.* This makes sense to
me, and I am thinking about changing to a better grease for long-term rigging.
He suggested molybdenum disulfide grease.

I would like to invite comments on this.* Are there other options for grease for
long-term rigged gliders?* What are the best sources (USA) for such greases?

Thanks in advance,
Cheers,
Jim J6




--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1