On Sun, 13 Nov 2011 08:30:07 -0800, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:

The car holder for my GPS navigation system uses a ball-and-socket joint. It
holds the unit without any slipping -- but no matter how much I fuss with
it, I can never get it into exactly the position I want. There's simply too
much friction, both static and moving.

I've tried silicone spray lube, but it doesn't do much good. I've thought of
lithium grease, but... Nah.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.
I use this stuff for locks and clockwork indicators called "TRI-FLOW".
I know that Teflon oils seem to be all hype but the stuff actually
works better than any other oil I've used for locks. Doesn't gum up
the locks and penetrates well. Maybe it will also help with the static
friction problem you have. Stiction is a problem with some mechanical
measuring instruments I use in the machine shop because they get oil
on them and gum up. Clock oil doesn't work as well as Tri-Flow does
for these tools. I think it's because the solvent in the stuff allows
it to penetrate better and the residue left behind isn't very tacky.
Eric