Lubrication of the carriage is simple with access to the bearing race, and furthermore allows a wider choice of lubricants to use.

The easiest (and least messy) lubricant is a simple light oil such as “3-in-1 oil” or sewing machine oil. A more advanced lubrication uses a dedicated bearing grease. The two options are detailed further below.

The most important requirement is that the lubricant must not have an additive. These should not be used for linear rails as the additives can interfere with the precise tolerances which linear rails have. The most common additives are as follows:

Polytetrafluorethylene (also known as PTFE or teflon)

Graphite

Molybdenum disulfide

Boron nitride