Noticed a big difference in my brake shoe wear after switching to a different lubricant

I work on the old Otis units in a building downtown, and I was going through brake shoes every 6 months like clockwork. The lining would glaze over and the stops would get rough and jerky. Last year I tried a new synthetic grease on the guide rails instead of the regular stuff I had been using for 20 years. After 8 months I pulled the cover off and the shoes looked almost new, just a light polish on them. The building manager even commented that the ride feels smoother now, no more jolts at the 5th floor. I guess the old grease was just too heavy and gummed things up. Has anyone else tried swapping lubricants and seen a real change in wear like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

oliver_morgan14d ago

Does your buddy ever mess with those old Otis units too? I got a friend who runs a small shop and he swapped grease on a MRL setup a couple years back. He was having the same problem, shoes glazing over every 4 months, thought it was just the heat from the machine room. Switched to a synthetic, went 10 months before he even looked at them again, and they were barely worn. Said the ride got so smooth the tenant on the top floor actually asked if he'd replaced the whole motor.

the_laura14d ago

The other thing nobody’s touching on is the temperature factor. Heavy grease in a dirty machine room, especially one that gets hot in summer, can break down and turn into a sticky paste that holds dust and grit. That grit acts like sandpaper on the shoes and guide rails, wearing them out way faster than normal friction would. Plus if the grease gets too thin from heat, it stops lubricating and the shoes start chattering. Your new synthetic stuff probably stays stable across temperature swings, so the film stays consistent and the shoes just glide instead of grabbing. I’d bet your old grease was turning into a grinding compound after a few months in that machine room heat.

jamie_white23d ago

Jumping off what you said, it really is funny but also kind of frustrating at the same time lol. You spend years doing things one way because it's what you learned or what the guy before you did, and then one small swap changes everything. Like the old grease I was using felt fine in the bucket, but I bet it was breaking down or just not the right match for the new linings they make now. The guide rails probably weren't getting as smooth of a film either, which would make the shoes grab harder and wear out quicker. And the smoother ride the building manager noticed? That's probably because the lift is stopping with less friction and binding now. It's wild how something so small and cheap can save you from swapping out expensive brake shoes twice a year lmao.

jana_fox5023d ago

Isn't it funny how the little stuff like grease or oil can make such a big difference in things?