Kroil vs Superzilla vs PB Blaster vs Liquid Wrench: Which One?
Once you buy an RV, you will find that you have many decisions to make. Even with something as simple as penetrating oils. There are always products competing with each other to get your hard-earned dollars and you have to decide which one is best for your RV.
Each of these products is penetrating oil competitors but one may stand out above the rest. Most likely, you may not see a difference between these products as they all do the same thing. One just may do it better though
To learn all about these products, and learn which one may be better than the other, just continue to read our article. It makes the comparison so you have all the facts to make a great purchasing decision. Take some time to get this information so you have the best option in your RV.
Kroil vs Superzilla vs PB Blaster
What is Penetrating Oil?
While the name tells you what this oil does, it does not tell you everything about this type of oil many mechanics use. This oil is usually made from the following products- are made of a mixture of methyl silicone, zine dialkyl thiophsphate, polymethacryalate, tert-dibutyl-p-cresol, alkyl succinic acid, lower alkylbenzenes, and lower alkanols.
Plus, the viscosity level is kept low so it is a free-flowing oil that can penetrate into the narrowest of spaces to help lubricate a stuck bolt, screw, or nut.
It is best to use this oil before those pieces of hardware get stuck in their positions. This oil lubricates and helps fight corrosion. Their lubrication and penetration capabilities make sure you can loosen any bolt or screw, etc., easily.
Types Of Penetrating Oil
While they may have some similar ingredients, not all penetrating oil products are exactly the same. There are at least 3 types of this product available and you can pick which type suits your duties the best.
1. Water-Soluble or Emulsion Penetrating Oil- this is a water-based penetrating oil that can also be diluted if the need arises. It is for those tasks that have materials that can be damaged if you use a penetrating oil with harsh chemicals inside.
2. Synthetic or Semi-Synthetic Penetrating Oil- made from polyglycerol, silicone, diesters, esters, or a combination of water and synthetic fluid. This is a more expensive option to use, but it acts as a coolant and as a fire-resistant product.
3. Straight Oil- this is the type you are probably most familiar with. It is made from different petroleum products as well as esters, fats, and vegetable oils. Not to mention chlorine, sulfur, & phosphorus and it is great for lubrication needs.
The Benefits Of Penetrating Oil
As every mechanic knows, there is always that one or more bolts or screws that simply refuse to budge. Those bolts and screws make simple repair tasks ten times worse than they should be.
That is why most mechanics have some type of penetrating oil somewhere around their shop. This product does make repair life easier. Here are some more benefits that come with using penetrating oil:
1. Lubrication- once you put some of the penetrating oil on those stubborn bolts and screws, they start to loosen up and make it easier to remove them. It does that by removing friction.
2. Cleaning agent- these products are said to remove tars, greases, rust, and adhesives and they work as a solvent to help loosen that bolt, etc.
3. Corrosion-resistance- these products are designed to remove moisture away from metals. That helps protect those metal objects from rust and corrosion.
4. Noise reduction- they take the squeak and other noises out of hinges, suspensions, biker chains, and other moving metal parts.
All of the products we will be discussing in this article will be penetrating oils. They are all designed for the same purpose. Which one does the job best still remains to be seen.
Which is Better PB Blaster or Superzilla?
When it comes to rust removal; and lubrication, it seems that Superzilla does an adequate job when compared to PB Blaster. It also works slower and may be more time-consuming than its competitor.
However, Superzilla brings some extra benefits like cleansing and stain removal while PB Blaster does not have those extras in it. Superzilla also has low VOC and is more sustainable than PB Blaster. But where PB Blaster wins is in the price category.
It is more affordable than Superzilla. If you are on a time schedule, then you may want to reach for the PB Blaster option as it will do the job you want quickly. Superzilla just takes its time and may put you behind schedule if you are not careful.
It also seems that Superzilla does not penetrate that deeply and it wears off quicker than PB Blaster. PB Blaster also acts as a metal protector keeping rust away once it is sprayed on the metal piece.
Another weakness of Superzilla is that it is not meant to be used on all surfaces. While it is very versatile and handles a lot of other duties, it just cannot be applied to every surface.
The biggest difference between these two products is that Superzilla is made from plant-based ingredients while PB Blaster is made from the standard complex carbons most penetrating oils use.
With the low VOC levels, Superzilla is seen as a lower polluting product than PB Blaster. Prices for Superzilla can reach as high as $177 but can be as low as $7 while PB Blaster usually is sold in the $20 range.
Superzilla vs PB Blaster
If you are worried about pollution and climate change, then you may prefer to use Superzilla over PB Blaster. Its ingredients are designed to lubricate as well as loosen bolts and screws but it may not be as effective or as quick as PB Blaster or other penetrating oils.
The two main issues you have to overcome are this product's slow working nature and its price. You are paying a lot of money to not pollute as much. One plus not already mentioned is that Superzilla does not leave stains.
In fact, it will help remove any stains you get. PB Blaster is dedicated to lubricating metals. That is basically what all penetrating oils are supposed to do. Its limited applications should not be seen as a drawback but more of a positive.
It focuses on its intended purpose and does not get distracted from doing its job. If you want an all-around product that does many jobs, then you want Superzilla on your workbench.
However, if you just need a product that lubricates and loosens metals, then you want one of the top penetrating oil brands, PB Blaster. The job you need to do will determine which one of these two products you will use.
When it comes to lubricating, metals, etc., then PB Blaster is better than Superzilla.
Superzilla vs Kroil
You have already read about Superzilla and how it works and is made. Kroil is made by Kano Labs out of Nashville, TN, and is a standard penetrating oil type that does come with some harsh chemicals.
The company does put warnings on its label and this product is very flammable. It is said to be very effective at loosening bolts and screws but not as good at preventing rust, etc.
It is also good at lessening corrosion and helps loosen nuts, bolts, screws, and more pieces of metal hardware. It does its job well but it may not be the best product out there.
An added benefit is that it does do some cleaning. One of the drawbacks to this product is that it may evaporate too quickly for some tough applications. The ingredients used to make this penetrating oil option are: Severely Hydrotreated Petroleum Distillates, LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, Diisobutyl Ketone, Carbon Dioxide Propellant, and more.
It is probably faster working than Superzilla but not as fast as PB Blaster. Yet, it does penetrate to 1 millionth-inch spaces, dissolving and preventing rust without attacking the metal. The oil displaces water, dissolved gum, and dried grease and provides lubrication.
It looks to be more effective than Supervilla but not as sustainable.
Superzilla vs Liquid Wrench
Liquid Wrench is a well-known brand having been in the automotive business since 1941. That is over 82 years of penetrating oil experience and it is one of the best products you can use.
It penetrates very well and it is a very effective bolt, etc., loosener as well as lubricant. This product can be used as a cleaner and where it tops Supervilla is that it contains no VOCs at all. Supervilla is said to be low on VOCs but not free of them like Liquid Wrench.
Liquid Wrench also works faster than Superzilla. Then its lower viscosity levels make Liquid Wrench free-flowing and able to penetrate a lot further than Superzilla.
The biggest drawback to using and buying Liquid Wrench is its small size. If you have big jobs you may have to buy several cans of it whereas you can buy larger sizes of Superzilla to keep you in penetrating oil fluid for some time.
One thing to note here. We checked several top best lists that rate different penetrating oils. They all had one thing in common, Superzilla was not on any of them. That does say something but not everything about this product.
It does say that Superzilla has no respect from the automotive community and reviewers and that it may not be as good as some people claim.
Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster?
The most important comparison between these two top penetrating oil brands is price. Liquid Wrench wins this battle hands down as it is less than half the price of PB Blaster for the same-sized bottle.
At one location PB Blaster sells for $10 for an 11-ounce can while Liquid Wrench only sells for $4 for the same size. That makes a big difference between these two products. You save when you use Liquid Wrench and still get the same results.
PB Blaster has not been around as long as Liquid Wrench but the company brags that it has been the best-selling penetrating oil since 1957. What that means is that PB Blaster should work as advertised.
But Liquid Wrench is no slouch as it contains no VOCs and cuts through grease. It is safe to use on many other surfaces where PB Blaster cannot go. Another difference between these two products is that Liquid Wrench does not smell as bad as PB Blaster does.
That may give it an edge if you have a sensitive nose. It is hard to tell which one of these penetrating oil brands is better. Their products both do the job well and your bolts or screws are loosened fairly quickly.
If there was a race for the best, these two products would be running neck and neck.
Is Kroil Better Than PB Blaster?
Some people will think so as they have had a very good experience when using Kroil. But in tests comparing these two brands, it seems that PB Blaster is better than Kroil.
PB Blaster is supposed to be more effective in protecting against rust and most effective when loosening bolts, etc. Both are equal when it comes to dealing with corrosion. And both can be used for multiple applications.
However, according to the many top best review websites on the internet, Kroil has made the top spot far more than PB Blaster has. In fact, the latter product has never won the top spot in many of these lists.
One area that PB Blaster also tops Kril is in price. It is cheaper than Kroil by about 5 dollars when adjusted for can size. Kroil is sold in 16.5-ounce cans for $30 while PB Blaster is sold in 11-ounce cans for $20.
As to performance, PB Blaster probably tops Kroil but that would not be a very big edge as both products perform quite well. If they loosen those rusted, etc., bolts and screws, then they both are doing their job.
Both are supposed to work quickly so you are not going to lose much time unlike when you use Superzilla. The actual winner to this question will depend on the result you get from using one or the other penetrating oils.
Is Superzilla a Legit Product?
This was one of the questions we came across as we did our research for this article. Some people do question if this penetrating oil is nothing but a scam. That accusation is based mostly on the fact it is a plant-based product.
Another reason some people do not consider it a legitimate penetrating oil product is that it is a great cleaner. There are a lot of owners who praise this product for its cleaning ability and not so much for its penetrating capabilities.
That may make it a product with multiple purposes and not a true penetrating oil even though it will work to clean rust and loosen metal parts. That is why people are questioning this product and may explain why it is not showing up on the top best lists for penetrating oils.
Cleaning may be its forte and you should go to a true penetrating oil to loosen those stuck bolts and noisy hinges, etc. Click Superzilla vs WD40 to read more about Superzilla.
Things To Know When Using Penetrating Oil
1. Heat can be useful- while the penetrating oils are flammable and you should use heat sparingly, this is a good way to help the oil penetrate into tough situations. Just do not use heat when plastic and your fuel tank are nearby.
2. Wire brushes are essential- to help any penetrating oil work better, use a wire brush and clean up as much rust and corrosion as you can first. Once you are done then apply the oil. This should help it work faster and better.
3. Use time- while some of these penetrating oils work fairly quickly, there is nothing wrong with giving them time to work. Saturate the problem bolt, etc., the night before and let it work while you sleep.
4. Do more than one application- a few hours after the first application, add some more penetrating oil to the problem bolt, etc. The more oil you use, the better your chances of freeing that stuck bolt, etc.
5. These products are not miracle workers- some bolts, etc., are too far gone for these products to work. Get ready to use some other method to remove those bolts, etc.
Some Additional Words
To answer the question, the best penetrating oil brand will be the one that does the job for you. All except Superzilla are superior products and should work equally well.
Since they all work well it is hard to say one is better than the other. In looking at the facts though cost wise Liquid Wrench is best and PB Blaster may be the best overall. But the competitors may challenge that ruling.
