AAHHH!!! Got me! Actually, I do remember head gaskets but, I was younger then. Nowadays, it's "Not tonight. My head gasket hurts."

I do high end auto restoration for a hobby LOL (as in, my fingers hurt like hell this morning! But I digress). Rubber care is problematic for a couple of reasons.

Silicone grease that is pure (no petroleum products) can be purchased at Ace Hardware, and it will not degrade real rubber components, which will break down over time when treated with petroleum products. This product is excellent for flexible rubber gaskets, like on automobiles. Used very sparingly, you could use this, but there is a better solution. (Note that a lot of silicone products [with inferior plasticizers and so on] actually spur the degradation of vinyl and rubber because of their ingredients.)

A lot of what you see on a drum set isn't real "rubber" per se. It's more likely to be vinyl or a vinyl derivative. For items like this, and for synthetic rubber, I highly recommend 303 Aerospace Protectant. I've used this for years and I highly recommend it for this application. Easy to use, very stable, lasts a long time. Look no further, in my opinion.

Lastly, avoid WD40 at all costs when it comes to rubber or vinyl: it's simply a very light distillate petrolum-based lubricating oil with stoddard solvent, aka white spirits (and used as a commercial cleaning fluid), which isn't at all friendly to vinyls and rubber. It leaches plasticizers!

Hey, Rick!

Thank you very much for your expertise. I've heard the same thing about WD40 as well as Armorall. Your way seems to be the way to go, at least in my opinion. Thank you very much for your time and knowledge, sir. I appreciate it very much.

Brian

Are these washers red or black?

The washers and gaskets are all black. Thanks, calfskin.

Go to your local hardware shop and buy some Plumbers grease.They make small jars of it so you won't spend a fortune on it Home Depot and Ace would have it.Works well.good Luck,.V

Yep, "plumbers grease" ( which is indeed a silicone grease) would work, but I prefer the word "pure" and buy a silicone grease with that name, which means it doesn't have any petrochemicals in it. Plus, in my area, plumbers grease was only available in a larger size, so I opted for a 1/2 fl oz. jar. Now, the problem with any grease, especially a silicone grease, is its density and heaviness - this stuff is difficult to spread evenly. This is why I prefer a liquid protectant, and the 303 fits the bill perfectly. The grease can leave pieces 'tacky'; 303, if applied properly, doesn't.