Grease Gun Grease - Which One?

[In The Doghouse]

My grease gun usage is mostly the bearings on the Kabota riding mower and the suspension of the old Camaro. Occasionally something else will need greased.

What is my best selection of grease? Harbour Freight offers three choices. No more than I use I don't mind buying the "premium" option, but is it needed?

Harbour Freight Gease

 

[CJM8515]

your red standard grease will be fine

 

[In The Doghouse]

Thank you. After posting this I remembered that some years ago, at work, they discarded a 5-gallon bucket of Mobilux 2 grease. It somehow followed me home and has never been opened.
Can I refill my grease gun from this bucket? Is it as simple as spooning it from the bucket to the opened grease gun? I would believe air pockets might be of concern. I doubt I can **** the thick grease from the bucket using the old-fashioned method because it's too thick.

 

[dutchgray]

If you want to use up a bucket of grease in a modern grease gun, I would take a used grease cartridge from the gun, plunge it into the grease bucket to fill it, clean it off a bit and stick it in the grease gun. However grease is cheap enough I just buy boxes of cartridges in the standard EP2.

Something special grade I do have a few cans of grease for odd things and use the small pistol grip guns for that, filling by plunging the gun body in or with a spatula, both methods rather messy.

 

[M.Brane]

Any grease is better than no grease, but Moly based grease is not recommended for things that roll. It's too slippery, and can cause balls/rollers to slide instead of roll potentially flat spotting them.

 

[baldy343]

When I was working on equipment the last few years we used Mystik JT6 on everything. Like literally everything that did or didn't have grease zerks.

It works great, is easy to judge age on greased items (it fades in the sun), and doesn't stain your clothes as bad as dark grease.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I use marine grease in everything, why not.

 

[Sumboodie]

Any grease is better than no grease, but Moly based grease is not recommended for things that roll. It's too slippery, and can cause balls/rollers to slide instead of roll potentially flat spotting them.

Mostly advised not suitable for high speed bearings.

CV axleshaft grease is usually moly for example.

 

[PWC Repair]

I don't know that it's the right thing to do, but..........I mix blue marine grease with tacky red to make a purplish mix. It's never let me down on ANYTHING. The ones I use are both lithium based.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I keep a few tubes of Lucas Red N Tacky on hand all the time for the grease guns. And some smaller squeeze tubes of SuperLube food grade for things in the house.

 

[Schurkey]

Any grease is better than no grease, but Moly based grease is not recommended for things that roll. It's too slippery, and can cause balls/rollers to slide instead of roll potentially flat spotting them.

Ford recommended Moly-based grease for wheel bearings. I keep a tub of Valvoline "Ford-Lincoln-Mercury" grease on hand.

• Lubricates at temperatures ranging from 0°F to 375°F
• NLGI GC-LB Grade #2 Lithium Complex EP Grease
• Appropriate for use where Ford M1C75B NLGI GC-LB is recommended
• Designed for use in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles that specify a NLGI GC-LB grease

But mostly I'm using Valvoline "Red" multi-vehicle (GM/Chrysler) grease.

• Formulated to provide extreme pressure and high temperature protection
• Lubricates at temperatures ranging from 0°F to 375°F
• NLGI #2 Grade GC-LB Lithium Complex EP Grease
• Suitable for use where GM Part #1051344, Chrysler MS-3701 are recommended

There's hundreds of grease formulations. For automotive use, you're looking for one that's rated "LB" AND "GC". LB is for ball joints and similar, GC is for wheel bearings. The most-common viscosity is NLGI #2. Lower numbers are thinner (down to 000) and higher numbers are stiffer/harder (up to 5)

Be really careful mixing greases. The classic problem is using a clay- (dirt-) based grease and then mixing with a soap-based grease. The soap predictably interacts with the dirt. There's lots of charts on The Internet showing potential interactions among the various kinds of grease. Here's an example:



Bulk loading of a grease-gun typically requires flipping the rubber seal around compared to cartridge-loading a grease-gun. But that wouldn't be an issue if you're merely re-filling a cartridge.

 

[Notgrownup]

I use red n tacky

 

[sk farmer]

i use a nlgi2 lithium complex grease. don't care what the brand or color, multiple boxes per year, sometimes several tubes a day. that said....... i may grease, loader bucket pins, ball joints, roller bearings, taper bearings, ball joints and 2 pieces of steel that slide together with the same gun in a 10-minute span 20 miles from the shop.

should i be more application specific? maybe, but time and inconvenience prevent me from carrying multiple guns to multiple locations and then insuring they are used in the correct location by multiple people. i can't say i have ever had a grease caused malfunction so i must not be a mile off. damaged seals or improper adjustment yes. grease no

 

[M.Brane]

Mostly advised not suitable for high speed bearings.

CV axleshaft grease is usually moly for example.

True that, but CVs don't really roll they just move back & forth.

Ford recommended Moly-based grease for wheel bearings. I keep a tub of Valvoline "Ford-Lincoln-Mercury" grease on hand.

• Lubricates at temperatures ranging from 0°F to 375°F
• NLGI GC-LB Grade #2 Lithium Complex EP Grease
• Appropriate for use where Ford M1C75B NLGI GC-LB is recommended
• Designed for use in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles that specify a NLGI GC-LB grease

But mostly I'm using Valvoline "Red" multi-vehicle (GM/Chrysler) grease.

• Formulated to provide extreme pressure and high temperature protection
• Lubricates at temperatures ranging from 0°F to 375°F
• NLGI #2 Grade GC-LB Lithium Complex EP Grease
• Suitable for use where GM Part #1051344, Chrysler MS-3701 are recommended

There's hundreds of grease formulations. For automotive use, you're looking for one that's rated "LB" AND "GC". LB is for ball joints and similar, GC is for wheel bearings. The most-common viscosity is NLGI #2. Lower numbers are thinner (down to 000) and higher numbers are stiffer/harder (up to 5)

Be really careful mixing greases. The classic problem is using a clay- (dirt-) based grease and then mixing with a soap-based grease. The soap predictably interacts with the dirt. There's lots of charts on The Internet showing potential interactions among the various kinds of grease. Here's an example:



Bulk loading of a grease-gun typically requires flipping the rubber seal around compared to cartridge-loading a grease-gun. But that wouldn't be an issue if you're merely re-filling a cartridge.

That's quite fascinating, but Ford also spec'd Gold coolant for 6.0s, and we all know how that worked out. Nobody's perfect.

 

[Schurkey]

Ford couldn't engineer a decent oil-pan drain plug in the '60s and '70s; they couldn't design a proper spark-plug in the '80s and '90s.

Now you know why I go through way more "red" grease than "gray".

 

[Rinspeed]

I keep a few tubes of Lucas Red N Tacky on hand all the time for the grease guns. And some smaller squeeze tubes of SuperLube food grade for things in the house.

I used to use a lot of Red N Tacky until a friend suggested I try Mystik JT6. Mystik is as good or better and it's much cheaper. Mystik is also the largest OEM of grease in the US. I have a tub of SuperLube as well and that is good stuff, use all the time for a lube that comes in contact with rubber/seals and for electrical connections.

 

[PhantomEB]

Mobil EP2 for me. Only need one spare tube kicking around the shop.

 

[Sumboodie]

Mobil EP2 for me. Only need one spare tube kicking around the shop.

1 tube?

You never grease anything?

I often go through 3-4 tubes at a go greasing stuff.

 

[jblnut]

Whatever moly based and white lithium based stuff John Deere has is what we use. I go through 11-13 cases a year total. I feel it’s worth the money.

 

[PhantomEB]

1 tube?

You never grease anything?

I often go through 3-4 tubes at a go greasing stuff.

depends on the project.

 

[Sumboodie]

Stocked up a bit.

 

[ecotec]

Valvoline or Lucas red grease for the large and medium grease guns.

SuperLube for the tiny grease guns.

 

[Shoreline_]

I use Castrol Contractor Special for generic chassis grease, Mobil Polyrex for electric motors, and anything that specifically says wheel bearing grease for wheel bearings.

I run an alemite electric grease gun or an LocknLube dual pressure hand pump grease gun.

 

[AEAdam]

I went down a grease rabbit hole a few months ago. Asked my friends at work and really read a lot about grease, what it's made from, and how it works.

Here's where I ended up:

None of my applications require anything special. I've switched to Mobil 1 because it comes in tubs and tubes and I can buy it everywhere and it's cheap. Like other general purpose greases (e.g. Mobilux EP0, EP1, EP2 (those are the corresponding NLGI numbers btw)), Mobil 1 works well in just about everything. Its great for wheel bearings, I have it in my milling machine, it works well in greased joints.

Internet mythology about Mobil 1 is that it separates and leaks out of any container. Tho I haven't experienced that, I think that's true but not really a problem. In any application where there is motion, I think it doesn't do that.

FWIW, in aviation, we use MIL PRF 81322. Mobil 28 is one example that meets that spec. Mobil 28 is good, but not sure its better than Mobil 1 and sure isn't as cheap or available.

 

[vssjim]

Any grease is better than no grease, but Moly based grease is not recommended for things that roll. It's too slippery, and can cause balls/rollers to slide instead of roll potentially flat spotting them.

What I always found odd about the moly for roller bearings was not recommended was when ford started using disc brakes they had bearing and spindle trouble and ford disc brake grease was a moly grease GM disc brake grease was conventional smooth brownish standard looking grease never figured that out

 

[vssjim]

Ford couldn't engineer a decent oil-pan drain plug in the '60s and '70s; they couldn't design a proper spark-plug in the '80s and '90s.

Now you know why I go through way more "red" grease than "gray".

Back in that era we used to change them out with GM Chevy drain plugs and they would last the ford stuff was made of butter

 

[Torque&Recoil]

Internet mythology about Mobil 1 is that it separates and leaks out of any container. Tho I haven't experienced that, I think that's true but not really a problem. In any application where there is motion, I think it doesn't do that.

I have experienced that separation problem with Mobil 1 grease. I store my grease guns in a bucket. After a while, I ended up with red oil in the bottom of bucket, and white thickener coming out of the grease gun. I will use ANY grease other than Mobil 1.

 

[Schurkey]

I use Castrol Contractor Special for generic chassis grease, Mobil Polyrex for electric motors, and anything that specifically says wheel bearing grease for wheel bearings.

There's the easy solution for that, at least in automotive applications (I don't know about electric motors, or aviation, or SpaceX rockets):
"L"-rated grease is for "chassis" applications--ball joints, tie rod ends, U-joints, and so forth. "LA" would be very light-duty, "LB" is the current "best" standard, although rumors of new higher/better standards are in the air.

"G"-rated grease is for wheel bearing applications. "GA" and "GB" are older, lower-performance specs, the current best spec is "GC". Again, there's rumors of a newer/better spec coming soon.

So any grease that's got both ratings--and that's REALLY common--would be suitable for pretty-much any of your (automotive) applications.

Thus my earlier recommendation for an "LB" AND "GC" spec'd grease.

I run an alemite electric grease gun or an LocknLube dual pressure hand pump grease gun.

I don't know about the LockNLube grease gun--but their grease coupler that locks-onto a grease zerk is "how did I live without that" wonderful.

Amazon.com

 

[Rinspeed]

I don't know about the LockNLube grease gun--but their grease coupler that locks-onto a grease zerk is "how did I live without that" wonderful.

Amazon.com

They also have a 90° coupler adapter that is very handy for getting into tight spots.



Adapter

 

[Shoreline_]

There's the easy solution for that, at least in automotive applications (I don't know about electric motors, or aviation, or SpaceX rockets):
"L"-rated grease is for "chassis" applications--ball joints, tie rod ends, U-joints, and so forth. "LA" would be very light-duty, "LB" is the current "best" standard, although rumors of new higher/better standards are in the air.

"G"-rated grease is for wheel bearing applications. "GA" and "GB" are older, lower-performance specs, the current best spec is "GC". Again, there's rumors of a newer/better spec coming soon.

So any grease that's got both ratings--and that's REALLY common--would be suitable for pretty-much any of your (automotive) applications.

Thus my earlier recommendation for an "LB" AND "GC" spec'd grease.


I don't know about the LockNLube grease gun--but their grease coupler that locks-onto a grease zerk is "how did I live without that" wonderful.

Amazon.com

Well thankfully none of my applications are that critical.

I meant I have a Legacy dual pressure manual grease gun with a locknlube adapter.

 

[Sbusmech]

When I was working on equipment the last few years we used Mystik JT6 on everything. Like literally everything that did or didn't have grease zerks.

It works great, is easy to judge age on greased items (it fades in the sun), and doesn't stain your clothes as bad as dark grease.

I concur, used this stuff on a lot of AG and construction equipment, but kept a tube of Mobile 1 synthetic grease in it's own gun for my personal stuff.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I went down a grease rabbet hole a few months ago. Asked my friends at work and really read a lot about grease, what it's made from, and how it works.

Here's where I ended up:

None of my applications require anything special. I've switched to Mobil 1 because it comes in tubs and tubes and I can buy it everywhere and it's cheap. Like other general purpose greases (e.g. Mobilux EP0, EP1, EP2 (those are the corresponding NLGI numbers btw)), Mobil 1 works well in just about everything. Its great for wheel bearings, I have it in my milling machine, it works well in greased joints.

Internet mythology about Mobil 1 is that it separates and leaks out of any container. Tho I haven't experienced that, I think that's true but not really a problem. In any application where there is motion, I think it doesn't do that.

FWIW, in aviation, we use MIL PRF 81322. Mobil 28 is one example that meets that spec. Mobil 28 is good, but not sure its better than Mobil 1 and sure isn't as cheap or available.

If I may ask, what milling machine do you grease? Some have zerk fittings, but some of them are not for grease. Bridgeport series 1 knee mill being one of them.

 

[nh_yota]

Heavy Duty Crimson Grease - Valvoline™ Global

Valvoline's CRIMSON™ Grease (Red Lithium 12-Hydroxy) is a tacky, extreme pressure, lithium soap grease designed specifically for the commercial fleet environment. Formulated to stand up to a range of extreme operating environments & conditions. CRIMSON Grease provides excellent pumpability...

www.valvolineglobal.com

 

[AEAdam]

If I may ask, what milling machine do you grease? Some have zerk fittings, but some of them are not for grease. Bridgeport series 1 knee mill being one of them.

Right you are about the zerks.

Yes, its my Series I Bridgeport and the grease is in the back gears. When I rebuilt the head, I switched all the bearings out to precision sealed bearings. So the grease is actually lubricating the gears. Now that grease was NLGI 1, so I used Mobil EP-1 for that. Wherever NLGI 2 was required, I switched from Lubriplate to Mobil 1. IIRC, power downfeed was NLGI2 and just general purpose greasing of components I used NLGI 2 for.

Just for nothing - all new bearings throughout the head, careful reassembly and adjustment, and despite the mill being almost 60 yrs old, resulted in a VERY quiet, cool running head.

And this is a good case in point. In 1967, lithium greases were the good stuff. And Bridgeports were designed as total loss systems. The bearings I removed were very old technology, not really angular contact bearings. The ones I put in were modern ABEC 7 angular contact bearings. There was no "break in" period, no over heating etc.

I looked over all the "4 ball" tests and Lubriplate (high quality lithium grease) didn't really fare well against the synthetics, IIRC.

 

[Stick-man]

When I was in business I had a Graco Eagle pneumatic drum pump with a 30 foot hose and Shell red grease. It served me well for many years.
Now, I just bought a Milwaukee cordless which has been great. As far as manual I will only buy Lincoln or Alemite. For wheel bearings I like the metal tube (hose) with Lucas Extra Heavy Duty (green) grease. For my boats I use Lucas Marine, and for everything else I use CAT grease, because it is surprisingly really inexpensive.

 

[All]

Bulk loading of a grease-gun typically requires flipping the rubber seal around compared to cartridge-loading a grease-gun.

Which way is which?

To clarify the question, using a cereal bowl as a metaphor for the circumferential seal surrounding the plunger, should the bottom of the cereal bowl face the pump head when using cartridges, such that the "walls" and "lip edge" of the cereal bowl shaped seal be directed toward the plunger T handle at the bottom/back of the gun?