Cam lobe slow to return position

One lobe on my cam is slow to retract into its original position after I have activated it. Can this be remedied with some cam lube or is there a more serious issue at root here?

Cam cleaner first. Then lube. Don't get lube on surfaces that contact the rock.

Just expanding on what greg said...

Clean it first- i use hot soapy water and a tooth brush

Let it dry

Lube it- Stay away from wd-40, I use a good bike chain lube and it works fine
Wipe off extra lube

I've had an x4 get like that. The stem just needed to be re-centered on the axle.

fruitloop wrote:Lube it- Stay away from wd-40, I use a good bike chain lube and it works fine

Just expanding on what fruitloop said.....
WD-40 is not a lube. WD stands for "water displacer". It was developed as a rust inhibitor for military gear that was going to be stored. While it does displace water with a thin oil, that thin oil will also attract dirt from miles away and likely leave your cam in worse shape than when you started.

Marc801 wrote: WD-40 is not a lube. WD stands for "water displacer". It was developed as a rust inhibitor for military gear that was going to be stored.

I didn't know that.. thanks for the knowledge!

fruitloop wrote: I didn't know that.. thanks for the knowledge!

Clarifying, since the details in my post were from memory......

While the military did (does?) use it for preparing items for storage, it's original intended use is explained in the wiki entry:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40

The problem with using it on cams is that the low viscosity oil attracts dirt and doesn't hang around long. It can lubricate in the short term, but it should be considered more as a protectant than a lube. The wax-based lubes, like Metolius cam lube or a good bike chain lube, are far preferable for mechanical climbing gear.

one can of this will last a lifetime

To expand on what bike chain lube is good to use is a dry lube. There are chain lubes that are great for wet conditions but these are lousy for cam applications. Look for a wax based mountain bike chain lube. BTW the Metolious lube is bike chain lube.

if washing it with a brush, soap and water ... and the wax cam lube doesnt work ...

tri flow usually does the trick, avoid getting it on the slings

even with the hardest gunkiest bootied cams its always done the trick for me

just work it till smooth, let it sit for a bit then wipe it down

one thing about wax based lubes is that when the temps drop to around freezing i find they get very sticky, gunking up the action

WD 40 is fine if thats all you have and its not too dusty ... you can always use it, clear the action, wipe if off then wash the cam again once its smooth ...

Before sea cliff climbing, we recommend spraying the cam heads with Metolius Cam Lube (MCL) or WD 40 lubricant, then wiping off the excess with a rag. After climbing, clean the cams in fresh water, dry them with a towel, and apply MCL or WD 40 to the cam heads. Metolius Cam lube is a wax-based lubricant that coats the metal parts, and keeps the salt water out for a short period of time. WD 40 is an oil-based lubricant that also coats the metal parts, and keeps the salt water from contacting the metal for a short period of time. WD 40 is compatible with the sling material, and will not reduce sling strength, but it is best to keep it away from the sling. We include WD 40, because it is readily available world wide, and MCL, our lubricant of choice, may not be available to you. Be sure to store your gear in a way that it can continue to dry after you have returned home. Avoid storing your gear in damp or humid environments.

If you go to climb in a dry dusty environment, and have been using WD 40, you should replace it with another lubricant that is not oil based. Oil-based lubricants tend to attract dirt and dust. Metolius Cam Lube is a wax based lubricant that tends to repel dirt. If MCL is not available, you can use graphite or Teflon-based lubricants, as these also tend to repel dirt. Be sure to keep the slings away from the lubricants.

metoliusclimbing.com/how-to…

on some dual axle smaller cams the axles can get bent as well ... if ou cant retract it properly anymore than its probably time to retire it ... one of my partners X4 had that issue after a good whipper

also make sure the trigger wires are smooth and not catching ... this can also cause retraction issues

;)

I have found cams that were locked up. Just boil some water and stick the cam in and open and close them a few times and they come out as good as new.

After cleaning and loosening up, I prefer Graphite.
Or I just smash it against the rock until it works again.

Marc801 wrote: Just expanding on what fruitloop said..... WD-40 is not a lube. WD stands for "water displacer". It was developed as a rust inhibitor for military gear that was going to be stored. While it does displace water with a thin oil, that thin oil will also attract dirt from miles away and likely leave your cam in worse shape than when you started.

WD-40 may have been developed as a rust inhibitor for the military, but it was (and is) commercially marketed as a spray lubricant. It is basically machine oil diluted with solvent that makes it sprayable. It might not be the lubricant of choice but it is, in fact, a lubricant.

PRRose wrote: WD-40 may have been developed as a rust inhibitor for the military, but it was (and is) commercially marketed as a spray lubricant. It is basically machine oil diluted with solvent that makes it sprayable. It might not be the lubricant of choice but it is, in fact, a lubricant.

I have used it to put tight rubbery grips onto bike handlebars many times, it dries in less than an hour and the grips do not move afterwards so it definitely is not a machine type oil. It does lubricate a drill bit fairly well (on the fly) when drilling through metal so it has those qualities. Basically its the shit, I've used it for cams in the past with no problems too.

Still, gun lube/cleaner is the cheapest and easiest to use and find in "any town" USA

T Roper wrote: I have used it to put tight rubbery grips onto bike handlebars many times, it dries in less than an hour and the grips do not move afterwards so it definitely is not a machine type oil. It does lubricate a drill bit fairly well (on the fly) when drilling through metal so it has those qualities. Basically its the shit, I've used it for cams in the past with no problems too. Still, gun lube/cleaner is the cheapest and easiest to use and find in "any town" USA

The solvent (or the oil fraction) might be attacking the rubber and making it sticky.

WD-40 is a light oil diluted with a more volatile solvent. When the solvent evaporates, the oil stays behind as a lubricant.

Purple extreme or royal purple is a long lasting bike chain and gun oil (sold under royal purple) it's great for cams in small quantitys. Also anyone who owns a petzl hand drill will like this. If you lube the bit receiver it makes removal of the bit about 2 second operation. About five people I know have the rock peck drill, including myself. all of them where a pain in the ass to change bits until lubed.