I have used a product called rubber ease and I used to get it at my local NAPA store, good stuff. It lubes then it drys and goes away?? Last time I looked for some all they had it in was gallon jugs, maybe it was just at that moment in time? I never installed enough gears for customers to be having a gallon of the stuff on hand so I started doing what David does and just using brute force, and needle nose pliers!!