I'm installing new ball sockets on all throttle linkage connections. What is the best lubricant to use on these ball sockets?

NLGI #2 grease.

I have owned vehicles since 1968. Always used something like the old 3 in one oil, gun oil or simply WD-40. But, the climate out here is fairly dry.

Since then and until now I have never tough of what might be best to use. Note I also as a mechanic worked on other equipment that used similar linkages and light oil or WD-40 always seemed to work fine.

I have occasionally seen where rust and or crud like dirt built up inside of the sockets and that needed to be cleaned out. So something that has antitrust properties and does not allow dirt to stick would be the target. Something that does not allow dirt to stick to it yet lube is going to be hard to find.

One time I was on the road and experienced a throttle that was not returning as fast as it should and I popped of one of the linkage balls cleaned that and the socket and rubbed Chapstick on the ball and drove off and had no issues at all with that.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

What is it that people use to lube Motorcycle or Bicycle Cables with these days. That would seem to have the anti-rust properties and be something that is thin enough to to easily slow dirt to stick. It is usually something you spray on as you would with WD-40

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

LOL I am looking in the Mercedes Service Manual on CD and it has "Lubricate pivots of control shafts, control levers, throttle linkages and control cables with only ATF."
That would be whatever Dextron ATF was back at the time which in my case was 1984.

That is from section 3022 of the Maintenance Manual.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

ATF. I wouldn't be concerned about what version. Grease may attract dirt and cause
binding. Bicycle chain lube is also an interesting suggestion.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Chain lube is not the same as cable lube.

The ATF actually makes good sense. I am presuming it does not freeze up like some 3 in one oil might in cold weather. It is thicker then 3 in one oil but at the same time would only leave a thin coating.

Personally for me the WD-40 is entirely sufficient. Sometime when you have the hood open it is easy enough just to spray some on the linkages. Don't need to take them apart. On the 84 300D the linkages are not hard to get at.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Been using only NLGI #2 grease for 15 years. Never any binding.

Do you ever have to clean out the old grease or does it keep on working?

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

I clean and re-lube it when I'm there to do a valve adjustment.

I used ATF.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

I'm going with ATF.

I've had good results with Sil-Glyde. It's a silicone grease intended for brake caliper slides, but I use it in a lot of places. Rubber safe, sticks like a grease, doesn't dry up, and resists dust build up.

I used to use white lithium grease, but now use ATF applied with a syringe. I cleaned the ball and sockets with brake cleaner to get the old grease off and added a nice film to the ball portion and a few drops inside each socket. Works very well.

day before yesterday I locate a quart bottle of Amsoil ATF with a little synthetic ATF left. I dig around and finally locate a suitable syringe. I then open the bottle of ATF then tilt the bottle trying to suck some up in the syringe. I then dropped the syringe into the bottle! I ended up cutting off an old plastic water bottle and then poured both the ATF and the syringe into the cut off plastic water bottle. Some days you can't win.....