lopez17
08-09-2007, 11:49 AM
There's a great deal of discussion that always occurs in regards to which lubricant's to use on your Intimidator.
The easy answer is to open the manual and read what the manuafacturer recommends and go from there. In this case that's Dow 55.
Why Dow 55?
Dow 55 is a jack of all trades lubricant. It's viscous enough not to clog up the marker or wear off the o-ring quickly but at the same time ensure a smooth coating on moving parts. Unlike it's counterpart Dow 33, it has a unique property. It's designed to swell o-rings
Why is it important to swell o-rings?
Many intimidators are made/drilled/extruded with tolerances that are a bit larger than needed. This enables the manufacturer to get the components into place easier without nicking or tearing o-rings (such as those on the ram sleeve). Using Dow 55 enables parts to be fit to the body as opposed to fitting the body to the parts. On the Gen4's this is critically important as you must have a tight seal on the rear ram o-ring in order to achieve the desired velocity. Using Dow 55 to swell that rear ram o-ring ensures that you have a consistent operation.
Can I use Dow 33?
Certainly! Dow 33 is a little bit thicker and tends to stick to moving parts a little bit better. Many people use a combination of Dow 33 and Dow 55 in their markers. On static o-rings that require tight seals (Ram Sleeve O-rings, Poppets, etc.) they'll use Dow 55. On moving parts they'll opt for Dow 33 due to it's propensity to lube, coat and stay in place.
Is Dow 33 known by any other names?
Yes, you may see it listed as Smart Parts Sl33k or Sleek lubricant or as Molykote 33.
Which do you recommend?
If you're in a pinch, I suggest using the manufacturer's recommendation of Dow 55.
What about Slick Honey, Lurker Lube, Hater Sauce, etc?
There are many other lubricants on the market, however Dow 33/55 are the lowest common denominator and will work well in all intimidators, in all weather conditions (hot, cold, rainy, dry). Some other types of lubrication will also work, but I generally only recommend using these lubricants when you have a full understanding of your marker and how it operates, otherwise you risk damaging your marker.
Slick Honey is a grease used for cyclists. It's thick but incredibly viscous and has a tendency to get into hoses and solenoids when it's warmed up. It's a horrible lubricant for the purposes of intimidators and in the short term it may work, but in the long term, it's a mess. I'd never ever recommend anyone who's a serious Intimidator owner actually use this in their marker. If you want to win the Tour de France with your Alias then use Slick Honey. :eek:
Hater Sauce is a decent lubricant that's very slick and somewhat more viscous than Dow. Unfortunately this tends to mean that when it's over applied, it gets into hoses and creates a mess. I'd recommend avoiding it.
Lurker Lube. This stuff is about the only alternative to Dow 55 that I recommend. It's as viscous as Dow, sticks as well and is a bit smoother when applied. It doesn't swell like Dow 55 but should reduce the friction of moving parts a bit better.
Generally when you're fully able to disassemble your marker into it's smallest components and troubleshoot issues, your able to use something other than Dow.
What's the black stuff in my ram sleeve, on my ram or bolt?
Dow breaks down over time and contains graphite. The black residue is a graphite component of the Dow and it harmless in your marker. If it builds up, use a Q-Tip to remove.
Where can I get Dow 33 or 55?
Some stores like Lowe's or Home Depot may carry it, industrial supply stores will have it as well. Paintball Kingdom and McMaster-Carr also have it.
Where can I get more information about Dow 33 or 55 lubricants?
I recommend going to Dow Corning's website for the MSDS on Dow 33 and 55.
How often should I lube my marker?
This will depend on how often you play but the manual gives good recommendations on frequencies of lubrication.
What about my bolt?
Your bolt o-rings can be a point of friction. If you need to lube the bolt (you don't necessarily need to), use Tri-Flow oil or Gold Cup on the o-rings only.
The easy answer is to open the manual and read what the manuafacturer recommends and go from there. In this case that's Dow 55.
Why Dow 55?
Dow 55 is a jack of all trades lubricant. It's viscous enough not to clog up the marker or wear off the o-ring quickly but at the same time ensure a smooth coating on moving parts. Unlike it's counterpart Dow 33, it has a unique property. It's designed to swell o-rings
Why is it important to swell o-rings?
Many intimidators are made/drilled/extruded with tolerances that are a bit larger than needed. This enables the manufacturer to get the components into place easier without nicking or tearing o-rings (such as those on the ram sleeve). Using Dow 55 enables parts to be fit to the body as opposed to fitting the body to the parts. On the Gen4's this is critically important as you must have a tight seal on the rear ram o-ring in order to achieve the desired velocity. Using Dow 55 to swell that rear ram o-ring ensures that you have a consistent operation.
Can I use Dow 33?
Certainly! Dow 33 is a little bit thicker and tends to stick to moving parts a little bit better. Many people use a combination of Dow 33 and Dow 55 in their markers. On static o-rings that require tight seals (Ram Sleeve O-rings, Poppets, etc.) they'll use Dow 55. On moving parts they'll opt for Dow 33 due to it's propensity to lube, coat and stay in place.
Is Dow 33 known by any other names?
Yes, you may see it listed as Smart Parts Sl33k or Sleek lubricant or as Molykote 33.
Which do you recommend?
If you're in a pinch, I suggest using the manufacturer's recommendation of Dow 55.
What about Slick Honey, Lurker Lube, Hater Sauce, etc?
There are many other lubricants on the market, however Dow 33/55 are the lowest common denominator and will work well in all intimidators, in all weather conditions (hot, cold, rainy, dry). Some other types of lubrication will also work, but I generally only recommend using these lubricants when you have a full understanding of your marker and how it operates, otherwise you risk damaging your marker.
Slick Honey is a grease used for cyclists. It's thick but incredibly viscous and has a tendency to get into hoses and solenoids when it's warmed up. It's a horrible lubricant for the purposes of intimidators and in the short term it may work, but in the long term, it's a mess. I'd never ever recommend anyone who's a serious Intimidator owner actually use this in their marker. If you want to win the Tour de France with your Alias then use Slick Honey. :eek:
Hater Sauce is a decent lubricant that's very slick and somewhat more viscous than Dow. Unfortunately this tends to mean that when it's over applied, it gets into hoses and creates a mess. I'd recommend avoiding it.
Lurker Lube. This stuff is about the only alternative to Dow 55 that I recommend. It's as viscous as Dow, sticks as well and is a bit smoother when applied. It doesn't swell like Dow 55 but should reduce the friction of moving parts a bit better.
Generally when you're fully able to disassemble your marker into it's smallest components and troubleshoot issues, your able to use something other than Dow.
What's the black stuff in my ram sleeve, on my ram or bolt?
Dow breaks down over time and contains graphite. The black residue is a graphite component of the Dow and it harmless in your marker. If it builds up, use a Q-Tip to remove.
Where can I get Dow 33 or 55?
Some stores like Lowe's or Home Depot may carry it, industrial supply stores will have it as well. Paintball Kingdom and McMaster-Carr also have it.
Where can I get more information about Dow 33 or 55 lubricants?
I recommend going to Dow Corning's website for the MSDS on Dow 33 and 55.
How often should I lube my marker?
This will depend on how often you play but the manual gives good recommendations on frequencies of lubrication.
What about my bolt?
Your bolt o-rings can be a point of friction. If you need to lube the bolt (you don't necessarily need to), use Tri-Flow oil or Gold Cup on the o-rings only.