Originally Posted by
tkamd73
I have a 70s British sports car with chrome and stainless wire wheels. Every year before winter storage, I coat the wheels liberally with WD-40, and leave it so all winter. I bought those wheels in 1995, they still look new. Never heard of any instance of WD-40 actually harming metal surfaces. Not sure on PB Blaster, my first choice on seized hardware.
Tim
The WD in WD-40 stands for "water displacing formulation #40" It was specifically developed to get and keep moisture out of equipment. It's fairly ineffective as a penetrating oil except in relatively undemanding circumstances.
It's also great as a cutting lubricant /coolant when drilling, taping and machining aluminum. (just don't make the mistake of using it on steel particularly with a tap!)
BITD I ran a ceramics plant. We had lots of water around machinery so used a lot of it. I had to keep it locked up because it kept disappearing. Turned out some of the older women on the lines though it was good as an arthritis treatment.
They'd heard it fixed squeaking joints.
Best penetrating oil I ever got my hands on was some sort of aircraft hydraulic fluid that was repackaged and sold as penetrating oil. That stuff was like magic so of course you can't get it anymore.
Liquid wrench seems to be about as good as there is out there now. Also works as a tapping fluid for steel and stainless steel. Not as good as the old Carbon Tet based fluids though.