Hello Shans;

I used cheap vegetable oil to lubricate the canisters, the problem with using mineral oils is that it can splash onto the rubber boot which stops dirt entering the can and can cause it to expand and degrade. I don't know if LHM will also cause this, but I don't think it'll cause any problems with the fibre ring on the spring cups. I find it helps to put a cable tie or jubilee clip around the end of teh rubber boot as it usually falls off if left to its own devices.

Hi folks,
my understanding is that the linings on the compression cups are asbestos based, so won't be affected, whatever type of lubricant you use.
However, the rubber buffers/limit stops are a different matter altogether and the problems start if mineral oil, including LHM, gets onto them.
It won't take very long to reduce them to the consistency of jelly, after which your suspension won't function as it should.
Even if you fitted stronger springs, there will be far too much end float of the canisters hence 'soggy' suspension, so sunflower oil is your friend...

ken.

Super and thanks guys!
Must go harvest some Sunflowers and make some oil then (got the back garden full of them )

I haven't been using LMH that long, so maybe it will help to drain out the rest and put some vegetable oil on instead.

Vegie oil vs LHM. Both are fine IMO, only little oil is needed to keep the donkey silent. I can’t really see how one can get oil on the rubber buffers? However they do dissolve when exposed to engine oil. Just look at cars with oil leaks, good for the chassis and other bits along it but no good for rubber not oil resistant.
This guy has done the right thing by cutting a proper sized hole to lubricate the internal parts. Note the sliding door keeping the dirt away.

Interesting idea that, but it's not that hard to lubricate them by using a bottle with a tube on, like the ones youy get EP90 or ATF in. All you need to do is pull back the rubber boot and pour the oil in.

If using mineral oil it can get onto the buffers quite easily, all that is there to stop it coming into contact with the buffers is the fibre ring next to the phosphor bronze slider. Its not an oiltight seal by any means. It's also quite possible that oil can get through the tubes into the boot and then out onto the buffers that way.

To back up what Ken said, I don't know why I suggested that the fibre rings on the spring cups would be damaged, I don't think any oil would make a difference to them.

To save typing it all again, here you go, folks...

< http://www.flickr.com/photos/30132857@N06/3937643288/ >

ken.
( Russell, your carb jet is now on its way to bonny Scotland, as Sean called in today for a quick visit.
Wonder where the one that comes back will end up? )

I agree that oil will dissolve the rubber but I have never seen it coming from the inside of the canister. The wind can not allow the oil to work it self forward. I don’t believe the oil can crawl out on it own, when the car is not moving. The front rubber buffer is eaten by oil leaking from the engine pushed down the chassis by wind. Usually the rear rubber buffer doesn’t suffer as the oil is stopped before.
The ‘’inspection’’ hole is also a drain hole to drain the canister after flushing + if you snap a tie rod, it is very easy to replace it. You properly seen many cars without any canister at all.

Yes, I used to use the bamboo without canisters, very easy to swap things about, but not so good for keeping the tie trods away from the brackets.

The front rubber buffer suffers more because the oil will sit in the front of the spring can, most 2cvs sit nose down, so at rest the oil will obviously move that end, when the spring and cup start thrashing about as the car's driven over bumps the oil will be sloshed hard against the end of the can, and forced down the tube between the can and the slider, the wind won't get anywhere near it, but it'll start to destroy the rubber from the inside.

Lazy as I am, I have drilled a hole in the top of the canister in the middle of it, there I lube the springs with at ordinary Oil can.

A fine example...