Busbar lube

[geldo79]

Hi,

since I have installed full foldback on my m3's upper manual, some keys have a loud and scratchy key click. First the click was so loud, that I agreed to the instructions which told me that i would have to clean the busbars, especially the 'new' full length busbars which came with the foldback kit, before installing them. Thus, I removed the upper manual again and cleaned the busbars with alcohol pads. In effect the loud click was gone....i would say it's only ca. 20% of the loudness now. But it is still not as good as the sound from the unmodified lower manual. Now I think i could do the job again and also do a busbar lube job. Question: can I expect that it has a big effect? And is it necessary to use a special lube? What I have here is a copper grease, but I don't know if it is the right choice. From my experience, manual removal from the chassis is time consuming....i want to be sure it solves my problem. I tried other things like busbar shifting.....no effect. What i did not try is busbar shifting while holding down the keys.....i am afraid of damaging the contacts. Any suggestions?

Greetings Christian

[Jyvoipabo]

Hello,

The contacts is made of a very fragile piece of paladium wires.
They are self-cleaning. They clean themselves by playing.
If you shift the busbars with a depressed key you will destroy the palladium wire.
Paladium is also a catalyst that can produce unexpected chemical reactions with the solvant or grease you add.

JP

[geldo79]

Hmm....but my busbars were so dirty that i don't believe they would have been cleaned just by playing. But anyhow....you would not use any solvant/grease for busbars?

[Jaim]

It is my understanding that the buss bar lube prevents notches from being cut into the buss bars due to the "sawing" action of the paladium key contact. All of the pros I know lube the bars.

https://www.bborgan.com/products/busbar-lube
https://www.goffprof.com/products/bus-bar-lube
https://ssl.tonewheelgeneral.com/bui...p?item_no=LUBE


Jim

[Sweet Pete]

Never-Dull wadding,used in many firearm applications sure cleans those bars nice.Also gives a coating of almost invisible lube!
More lube? Attracts more dust. You really have to go easy on the 'lube'.On an M3 it's a LOT of work.
Many folks wipe off the wadding lube with alcohol,thought I'd try leaving it on.So far it hasn't eaten the palladium,five years or so.
M3 still plays nice and clean,not as 'modded' as yours. Poormans upper foldback and removal of R1 in the MT's is good enough for me.
I could ALWAYS break out an A100.

[Jaim]

I use an alcohol wipe, Never-Dull followed by a very lite coating of lube.

Jim

[KC9UDX]

It was only a matter of time before the bus turned into a Buss®. :embarrassed:

[Tim_at_Jonas]

https://www.lubriplate.com/Online-St...5-oz-tube.html

Links on the page to other sizes (make sure you click the correct lubricant.)