Installing Isolastics

openroad said:

Which of the P 80 products? Website has several types.

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The free sample pack they send will have a varity. I have found that solutions will cross over so what you get may last the a life time. Just check off what you want them to send.
Expect a follow up emailing requesting an opinion and an order.

yeah when i ordered it i requested whatever the run of the mill looking one was, and they sent a little cardboard package with a sample of all of them in it.

I know it's not free, but I bought a tube of Dow Corning High Vacuum Grease http://compare.ebay.com/like/271160260617?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar over twenty years ago, and I'm still using it! Being as it's made for high-vacuum systems, there's nothing in there that's going to evaporate out, and it seems to be unaffected by weather, moisture, heat, cat piss, and a number of other things I can't currently think of. I use it on tail light bulb sockets (especially great for boat trailers that routinely get dunked in the drink), spark plug boots, battery posts, plug-in relays, and inside all sorts of contactor switches. "Not bad on a cracker, too... :wink:

Nater_Potater said:

Being as it's made for high-vacuum systems, there's nothing in there that's going to evaporate out,

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That's the problem with using it on iso rubbers. You want it to assist in assembly, then go away.

I actually don't want it to go away - I want it to assist in disassembly for next time too. So I use either Sil-glyde or the Dow Corning grease.

batrider said:

I actually don't want it to go away - I want it to assist in disassembly for next time too. So I use either Sil-glyde or the Dow Corning grease.

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I respectfully disagree. This is not a regular maintenance type of procedure. I would put it closer to the overhaul category. I do not think that these rubbers should move around all loosy goosy. Compound this with the DT headsteadies and you'll be adjusting every 100 miles, fighting a wobble and scratching your head thinking you've done every thing right. Wrong!

I also think that sometime we see these rubbers seemly bonded to the inners of the tubes. To me, this is particularly not undesirable. These rubber are to be set at a specific depth as the special tool and manual would dictate.

The life cycle of these mounts could be 5 years minimum but I am sure 20 years is not uncommon. If I need to scrape and wire wheel the insides of the tubes, lets say every 10 years to be fair, then this is well worth it to know that my rubbers are secured in the tubes. That being said, if all is dry and clean, they come out with out all the fuss. I think so called "safe, residual" lubes may still react over time particularly when we are talking many, many, many years.

I do not use the tool but I do use the non residual proprietary compounds. They are virtually gone in minutes leaving the rubber securely in place where they need to be.


Faucet grease, Sil-glyde, Dow Corning grease and silicone is safe for rubber but not for handling at highway speeds. These rubbers need to stay put and allowing them to move around unsecured for the sake of a rare inconvenience is both irrational and unsafe.

But that's just me.

pvisseriii said:

[quote="batriderFaucet grease, Sil-glyde, Dow Corning grease and silicone is safe for rubber but not for handling at highway speeds. These rubbers need to stay put and allowing them to move around unsecured for the sake of a rare inconvenience is both irrational and unsafe.

But that's just me.

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I see your point. In the meantime, I'll still use it for all of the electrical bits.

Why not just white moly lube?

elefantrider said:

Why not just white moly lube?

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Will it dissipate allowing the rubbers to maintain their position in the tubes? If not, then that is why.

Pete-v, Ya got to be kidding us on the bonding of cushions to outer tube mattering except for install and removal ease. If anything it'd be better to allow cushions to slip and slide instead of grip to spring back at inopportune instants in road handling loads that could actually put such side loads on them. Except for the lack of humidity sealing I prefer graphite or talcum powder myself and insert and remove by one angry WACK on shaft then fine tune with smaller smacks. If spikes of force that great tear the bond of cushions to inner shaft then thank goodness ya discovered it then but even so likely undetectable. The motorcycle I think is the smoothest and best handling in the world has only two 1/4" wide bevealed cushion contacts on well lubed surfaces. I've a second Combat I feel is smooth enough for 1000 miles is don't want to get off of yet terrifying to race around on has identical reduced cushions.

hobot said:

Pete-v, Ya got to be kidding us on the bonding of cushions to outer tube mattering except for install and removal ease. If anything it'd be better to allow cushions to slip and slide instead of grip to spring back at inopportune instants in road handling loads that could actually put such side loads on them. Except for the lack of humidity sealing I prefer graphite or talcum powder myself and insert and remove by one angry WACK on shaft then fine tune with smaller smacks. If spikes of force that great tear the bond of cushions to inner shaft then thank goodness ya discovered it then but even so likely undetectable. The motorcycle I think is the smoothest and best handling in the world has only two 1/4" wide bevealed cushion contacts on well lubed surfaces. I've a second Combat I feel is smooth enough for 1000 miles is don't want to get off of yet terrifying to race around on has identical reduced cushions.

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No, I am not kidding. If it wasn't for the P80 stuff, I would use the special insertion tool I made modeled after the factory tool.

http://www.oldbritts.com/19_063971.html

Hehe pete.v looks like the iso insertion tools also needs a hydraulic press to use properly to insert squarely to so to avoid hobot's bing bang boom crudeness. I guess I shouldn't be allowed near machinery or weapons or sharp power tools or matches but for some reason no one trys to get near enough stop me in time.

hobot said:

Hehe pete.v looks like the iso insertion tools also needs a hydraulic press to use properly to insert squarely to so to avoid hobot's bing bang boom crudeness. I guess I shouldn't be allowed near machinery or weapons or sharp power tools or matches but for some reason no one trys to get near enough stop me in time.

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No, no press needed but it may help some. Just to add,the tool does set them to the required depth. Another reason you don't want them washing around in there.
Section F17-7

Ya know, they will maintain position in the tube due to the spacers orienting the rubbers. That being said though, if they can move, they can wear.