Re: pop up cleats?
I agree with Mischief Managed. I would think that grease/lube would probably be counterproductive. It would get dirty and get affected by the weather.......as well as getting on your ropes etc. Depending on the manufacturer, you might want to try a blast of compressed air down around the vertical shafts, sometimes the lower casting drain hole can get plugged and dirt can build up on the uprights. Good luck.
Kev.