Chris -

 

I replaced the 17 year old grease in my rod end bearings with new stuff.  I believe it was Aeroshell 7 but I would have to check at the hangar.  The easy way to do this is to screw the female rod end bearing onto a threaded rod (such as a threaded rod end).  Screw it all the way down and the old grease will get pushed out.  Unscrew the threaded rod end and stuff the now-empty hole with new grease.  Note that any grease that is above the witness hole won't help you.  Screw the threaded rod end in again, and the new grease will push out the rest of the old grease.  It will be obvious when you are squishing out new grease.  Withdraw the threaded rod again and pack new grease up to the witness hole.

 

I used a small plastic syringe to put the grease into the rod end.  We get these from farm equipment supply houses or my wife would bring them home from work.  No needle -- just the plastic syringe.  You can stuff the grease into that with a small wooden stir stick from Starbucks.  (Hey, I give them enough money.  They can give me a few stir sticks!)

 

The other comment on LPS 2 is probably appropriate for an annual inspection -- I would not disassemble my pushrods annually.

 

For rudder cables, powdered teflon is reportedly very good.  Check the archives and look for "Fufu duster"

 

- Rob Wolf