Door Latch Lube / Grease Compatible with Plastic Parts

[SWS]

Hi! I have a 2006 Honda Accord and will be removing the door latch to replace the lock actuator.
Any suggestions for maintenance lube / grease for the exposed portion of the latch -and- the 'inside-the-door' mechanisms?
There are various mental & plastic / Nylon parts - what grease to use or avoid on the plastic / Nylon?
Thanks!

 

[nthach]

I’ve used Super Lube PTFE grease on a Toyota lock actuator. The OEM grease was Body Grease W, a Toyota rebrand of Molykote YM-103.

you want plastic safe grease with some solid lubricants. Molykote 33 or Super Lube seem to work for those.

 

[Oro_O]

I’ve used Super Lube PTFE grease on a Toyota lock actuator. The OEM grease was Body Grease W, a Toyota rebrand of Molykote YM-103.

This is a good choice. It's cheap and widely available (Super Lube). I use it on plastic components (plastic gears inside actuators, lock parts, etc). It is reputable and holds up.

 

[JHZR2]

Which Super Lube? They have one that is silicone based and one that is petroleum. I’d assume that in cases where plastics are involved, the silicone variant would be preferable. It is marginally harder to find...

 

[Boomer]

I would always err on the side of caution around rubber and plastic parts and stay with silicone based greases.

 

[doitmyself]

Which Super Lube? They have one that is silicone based and one that is petroleum. I’d assume that in cases where plastics are involved, the silicone variant would be preferable. It is marginally harder to find...

Agree. The standard synthetic Super Lube (Not silicone) that is most common on store shelves is listed as plastic safe, but it's data sheets show that it is not compatible with EPDM and other rubber, so keep that in mind.

https://www.super-lube.com/Content/Images/uploaded/documents/Compatability%20Charts/Super%20Lube%20Multi-Purpose%20Synthetic%20Grease%20with%20Syncolon%20(PTFE).pdf

 

[Dave9]

Most plastics you'd find in automotive uses where a grease is warranted, including nylon, are compatible with standard petroleum based greases. Rubber is where caution is needed to use silicone grease except not on silicone rubber.

The most critical parts (IMO) are still going to be the metal to metal contact, even little things you don't think about like a sharp edge on a stamped part that a spring latches onto, so as viscous a grease as you can get into the area is what I'd use, except in extreme cold weather then a lighter weight so it doesn't harden as much and gum up the mechanism.

 

[SWS]

Thank you for your feedback - this is valuable / timely information!

 

[frankd]

What about Dow Corning PG-30L grease?