Grease & lube recommendations
Thread Starter
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Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,406
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Coast of Florida
Grease & lube recommendations
I'm planning to lube my auto-lock hub per GUZZLE's PAGE
I'm looking for a recommendation on the following:
1. Parts cleaner solvent safe for nylon & neoprene rubber
2. All purpose white grease
3. Good quality axle grease
4. Grease for the bearing
I know many of you are either A) mechanics by trade, or b) awesome "shade tree" mechanics. I've got plenty of confidence in my mechanical skills, but whenever I can get advice from those more knowledgeable, I gladly take it.
Stores I have near me:
NAPA
Checker Auto
Advanced Auto Parts
I plan to do ball-joints soon, as well as changing the front diff fluid too. I already have:
Permatex Black Hi-Temp RTV silicone sealant
Permatex Hi-Temp RTV copper sealant
NAPA Syl-Glide
Just in case those were going to be listed. Thanks all!!
I'm looking for a recommendation on the following:
1. Parts cleaner solvent safe for nylon & neoprene rubber
2. All purpose white grease
3. Good quality axle grease
4. Grease for the bearing
I know many of you are either A) mechanics by trade, or b) awesome "shade tree" mechanics. I've got plenty of confidence in my mechanical skills, but whenever I can get advice from those more knowledgeable, I gladly take it.
Stores I have near me:
NAPA
Checker Auto
Advanced Auto Parts
I plan to do ball-joints soon, as well as changing the front diff fluid too. I already have:
Permatex Black Hi-Temp RTV silicone sealant
Permatex Hi-Temp RTV copper sealant
NAPA Syl-Glide
Just in case those were going to be listed. Thanks all!!
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,220
Likes: 0
From: VA
Ill give ya a bump. Im interested in this too. My autohub is stuck between lock and auto but is in lock when wheel turns. I would like to know what kinda lube that wont make it swell anymore or lube it just enough for me to get it to auto!
Im sure any cleaner will probably work on everything but rubber on the very end of the hub. I would spray the cleaner on a towel and then wipe whatever you need to that you cant take out.
Im sure any cleaner will probably work on everything but rubber on the very end of the hub. I would spray the cleaner on a towel and then wipe whatever you need to that you cant take out.
Thread Starter
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Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,406
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Coast of Florida
I ordered some stuff from Guzzle and asked him about the cleaner. Mineral spirits was his answer, with a recommendation to stay away from any water-based cleaner. I mentioned Simple Green but will be getting some mineral spirits post-haste! Now to sort out the grease issue...
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,220
Likes: 0
From: VA
Thats interesting. I have my drivers side hub sitting on my bench right now. Figured Id go out tomorrow and just see what brands of bearing grease (for the needle bearing)they have since Ive gotta replace that knuckle seal soon. Ive got a gallon or so of mineral sprits sitting in the barn somewhere. Never wouldve thought of that. I might have to email Guzzle myself to see if he knows exactly what to spray in there to free it up, even if just for a few seconds!
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,413
Likes: 1
From: Columbia, MO
From what I know about grease, most all of the greases available at the auto parts stores are going to be almost exactly the same. The differences are literally mainly going to be just their color.
Without going into too much detail (confidentiality agreements), I've been in a grease manufacturing facility that made 20-30 different kinds of grease, many of which I've seen in the stores before. I asked him directly about the differences, and was told as far as performance, there is none. There are small tweaks to each brand's formulation that allow them to be branded differently, but none of it affects performance. And the colors of the grease...it's just that, a color only. The facility just added coloring to the amber colored grease mix to reach the desired color. That kind of amazed me that they're all pretty much the same.
That's for most, not all, of the grease you'll find in a store though. They're most likely a lithium complex based grease, which is water soluble. Grease is just oil with a thickener in it. That lithium complex is the thickener. I'm not a fan of it, due to it's water solubility. I prefer an aluminum complex, although I've rarely seen it in the stores. I don't know of many companies that make it, but I do know of are Sta-Lube by CRC (don't know where to get it), Bel-Ray Waterproof (I have a tub I got at a motorcycle dealer), and most of Schaeffer's greases. If you just read on the container, it will tell you whether it's thickener is...just look for aluminum complex, not lithium complex.
Some will have moly in it (which is good), but not enough to actually do anything but add the gray color and allow them to put moly on the label, usually less than 1%, from what I was told at the manufacturing facility. However, it it has less than 1.5% and there's not enough moly to really do anything in the grease. CAT has specs for some of their greases requiring one to have 3% and another to have 5%. I'm not sure that anything over 3% really does help, but CAT has spent money on research and thinks it does, so there must be something to it. I am a firm believer that the 3% does a lot of good though.
Here are some greases that are aluminum complex base, although only one has moly in it. Back when I was racing bikes, I looked for an aluminum complex grease that had moly in it, and could never find any. Only in the last year or so was I made aware of the Schaeffer's grease, which is both. Unless you've got a Schaeffer's retailer around you, there may not be much luck in finding any quickly. If that's the case, I would go with one of the other two listed below, which you might have some luck finding locally.
Find Marine Grease 14 oz and other Grease Guns & Lubricants at Aubuchon Hardware
BEL-RAY WATERPROOF GREASE
Schaeffer Mfg. | Moly Ultra 800 EP High and Low Temperature Grease
Just my two cents. Probably not worth much.
Without going into too much detail (confidentiality agreements), I've been in a grease manufacturing facility that made 20-30 different kinds of grease, many of which I've seen in the stores before. I asked him directly about the differences, and was told as far as performance, there is none. There are small tweaks to each brand's formulation that allow them to be branded differently, but none of it affects performance. And the colors of the grease...it's just that, a color only. The facility just added coloring to the amber colored grease mix to reach the desired color. That kind of amazed me that they're all pretty much the same.
That's for most, not all, of the grease you'll find in a store though. They're most likely a lithium complex based grease, which is water soluble. Grease is just oil with a thickener in it. That lithium complex is the thickener. I'm not a fan of it, due to it's water solubility. I prefer an aluminum complex, although I've rarely seen it in the stores. I don't know of many companies that make it, but I do know of are Sta-Lube by CRC (don't know where to get it), Bel-Ray Waterproof (I have a tub I got at a motorcycle dealer), and most of Schaeffer's greases. If you just read on the container, it will tell you whether it's thickener is...just look for aluminum complex, not lithium complex.
Some will have moly in it (which is good), but not enough to actually do anything but add the gray color and allow them to put moly on the label, usually less than 1%, from what I was told at the manufacturing facility. However, it it has less than 1.5% and there's not enough moly to really do anything in the grease. CAT has specs for some of their greases requiring one to have 3% and another to have 5%. I'm not sure that anything over 3% really does help, but CAT has spent money on research and thinks it does, so there must be something to it. I am a firm believer that the 3% does a lot of good though.
Here are some greases that are aluminum complex base, although only one has moly in it. Back when I was racing bikes, I looked for an aluminum complex grease that had moly in it, and could never find any. Only in the last year or so was I made aware of the Schaeffer's grease, which is both. Unless you've got a Schaeffer's retailer around you, there may not be much luck in finding any quickly. If that's the case, I would go with one of the other two listed below, which you might have some luck finding locally.
Find Marine Grease 14 oz and other Grease Guns & Lubricants at Aubuchon Hardware
BEL-RAY WATERPROOF GREASE
Schaeffer Mfg. | Moly Ultra 800 EP High and Low Temperature Grease
Just my two cents. Probably not worth much.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,413
Likes: 1
From: Columbia, MO
When I get a chance, I scan the 7.3 section and poke my head in if I think I might have something to add. No time for the OT though. I'm still around, just been busy.
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Thread Starter
|
Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,406
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Coast of Florida
From what I know about grease, most all of the greases available at the auto parts stores are going to be almost exactly the same. The differences are literally mainly going to be just their color.
Without going into too much detail (confidentiality agreements), I've been in a grease manufacturing facility that made 20-30 different kinds of grease, many of which I've seen in the stores before. I asked him directly about the differences, and was told as far as performance, there is none. There are small tweaks to each brand's formulation that allow them to be branded differently, but none of it affects performance. And the colors of the grease...it's just that, a color only. The facility just added coloring to the amber colored grease mix to reach the desired color. That kind of amazed me that they're all pretty much the same.
That's for most, not all, of the grease you'll find in a store though. They're most likely a lithium complex based grease, which is water soluble. Grease is just oil with a thickener in it. That lithium complex is the thickener. I'm not a fan of it, due to it's water solubility. I prefer an aluminum complex, although I've rarely seen it in the stores. I don't know of many companies that make it, but I do know of are Sta-Lube by CRC (don't know where to get it), Bel-Ray Waterproof (I have a tub I got at a motorcycle dealer), and most of Schaeffer's greases. If you just read on the container, it will tell you whether it's thickener is...just look for aluminum complex, not lithium complex.
Some will have moly in it (which is good), but not enough to actually do anything but add the gray color and allow them to put moly on the label, usually less than 1%, from what I was told at the manufacturing facility. However, it it has less than 1.5% and there's not enough moly to really do anything in the grease. CAT has specs for some of their greases requiring one to have 3% and another to have 5%. I'm not sure that anything over 3% really does help, but CAT has spent money on research and thinks it does, so there must be something to it. I am a firm believer that the 3% does a lot of good though.
Here are some greases that are aluminum complex base, although only one has moly in it. Back when I was racing bikes, I looked for an aluminum complex grease that had moly in it, and could never find any. Only in the last year or so was I made aware of the Schaeffer's grease, which is both. Unless you've got a Schaeffer's retailer around you, there may not be much luck in finding any quickly. If that's the case, I would go with one of the other two listed below, which you might have some luck finding locally.
Find Marine Grease 14 oz and other Grease Guns & Lubricants at Aubuchon Hardware
BEL-RAY WATERPROOF GREASE
Schaeffer Mfg. | Moly Ultra 800 EP High and Low Temperature Grease
Just my two cents. Probably not worth much.
Without going into too much detail (confidentiality agreements), I've been in a grease manufacturing facility that made 20-30 different kinds of grease, many of which I've seen in the stores before. I asked him directly about the differences, and was told as far as performance, there is none. There are small tweaks to each brand's formulation that allow them to be branded differently, but none of it affects performance. And the colors of the grease...it's just that, a color only. The facility just added coloring to the amber colored grease mix to reach the desired color. That kind of amazed me that they're all pretty much the same.
That's for most, not all, of the grease you'll find in a store though. They're most likely a lithium complex based grease, which is water soluble. Grease is just oil with a thickener in it. That lithium complex is the thickener. I'm not a fan of it, due to it's water solubility. I prefer an aluminum complex, although I've rarely seen it in the stores. I don't know of many companies that make it, but I do know of are Sta-Lube by CRC (don't know where to get it), Bel-Ray Waterproof (I have a tub I got at a motorcycle dealer), and most of Schaeffer's greases. If you just read on the container, it will tell you whether it's thickener is...just look for aluminum complex, not lithium complex.
Some will have moly in it (which is good), but not enough to actually do anything but add the gray color and allow them to put moly on the label, usually less than 1%, from what I was told at the manufacturing facility. However, it it has less than 1.5% and there's not enough moly to really do anything in the grease. CAT has specs for some of their greases requiring one to have 3% and another to have 5%. I'm not sure that anything over 3% really does help, but CAT has spent money on research and thinks it does, so there must be something to it. I am a firm believer that the 3% does a lot of good though.
Here are some greases that are aluminum complex base, although only one has moly in it. Back when I was racing bikes, I looked for an aluminum complex grease that had moly in it, and could never find any. Only in the last year or so was I made aware of the Schaeffer's grease, which is both. Unless you've got a Schaeffer's retailer around you, there may not be much luck in finding any quickly. If that's the case, I would go with one of the other two listed below, which you might have some luck finding locally.
Find Marine Grease 14 oz and other Grease Guns & Lubricants at Aubuchon Hardware
BEL-RAY WATERPROOF GREASE
Schaeffer Mfg. | Moly Ultra 800 EP High and Low Temperature Grease
Just my two cents. Probably not worth much.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 1
I used WD40 on the auto/man selector. I allowed it to seep into the internals with it vertical. Then rotated it to allow it to coat the internals. That was 18 months ago still working. The wd40 hasn't damaged the rubber, at least not yet.
Thread Starter
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Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,406
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Coast of Florida
I also just got back from a local motorcycle shop and picked up both a tub & grease gun tube of the Bel-Ray Waterproof grease. Looks like I'm set to get (monkey)wrenchin'!!!
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,220
Likes: 0
From: VA
Ive got one more bag to put on and then Im off to parts store to get my stuff together as well!
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,413
Likes: 1
From: Columbia, MO
I had to run by NAPA this morning for some filters and checked out their greases. Also found this one, it's aluminum complex, says it has moly, but I don't know how much Moly...the grease wasn't very dark at all, indicating not much. However, it's another option.
I also saw one that didn't list the thickener, and found out via online search that it's lithium as well, so no go, but it had 3% moly which is what had me looking at it. Valvoline Palladium is the grease, but once I found out it's a lithium complex, I dismissed it. Sta-Lube's "Moly" grease is the same way. Has the moly, but the wrong complex.
I also saw one that didn't list the thickener, and found out via online search that it's lithium as well, so no go, but it had 3% moly which is what had me looking at it. Valvoline Palladium is the grease, but once I found out it's a lithium complex, I dismissed it. Sta-Lube's "Moly" grease is the same way. Has the moly, but the wrong complex.
Thread Starter
|
Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,406
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Coast of Florida
I'm not sure what part of VA you're in, but there's likely to be a Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, or Kawasaki motorcycle/atv dealer close to you with the Bel-Ray stuff. I picked up the tub AND tube for ~$13 locally.
What part of VA are you in now anyway? I'm originally a Maryland boy, so I've probably been through it. I miss the forests back there.... *sigh*
And Jeremy, if I could rep you again for the info, I most definitely would. Little things like this grease info seem trivial, but I'm **** about things, and I'm incredibly grateful for it.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,220
Likes: 0
From: VA
Im from Prince George, VA (not Pince Georges!). We have a couple "Honda Houses" around. A buddy of mine I graduated with...his family owns a local motorcycle shop which is closer than the Honda places. Ill check with him and see what he has.
I work as a contractor for a lady up in Maryland right now.
I couldnt find any aluminum based grease today! Granted I only went into Advanced but oh well. Ive gotta find that DuPont Teflon spray lube too to loosen up my hub selector as well. They sell it at Lowes for sure.
I work as a contractor for a lady up in Maryland right now.
I couldnt find any aluminum based grease today! Granted I only went into Advanced but oh well. Ive gotta find that DuPont Teflon spray lube too to loosen up my hub selector as well. They sell it at Lowes for sure.