Lube for a Reciprocating saw?

[Lorydr]

Should one apply lubricant to the sawzall shaft?

 

[Lucid Moments]

Here is what you need.

 

[jhelrey]

I've never even gave it thought.

 

[shawhite]

I usually rinse mine off under water after I use it(usually full of mud). I have never used lube on the shaft and it’s still going strong after 3 years.

 

[metaldad]

the gear case should be repacked on occasion.
ymmv

 

[MarkH]

Does that lube work on ratchets too?

 

[RTM]

Looking at the old manuals. they say to put Milwaukee Type B grease inside the power head, and then Type A around the large gear. So nothing on your shaft

 

[MarvinBerry]

I've never even gave it thought.

Same.

Have a 20 year old dewalt... bought a cordless Ryobi couple 3 years ago.

Most I do is blow dust out with compressed air when I'm done. Lube..?

 

[neophyte]

Does that lube work on ratchets too?

The lube I’ve seen in Sawzalls looked way too thick for ratchets, but it may vary by brand.

 

[neophyte]

Looking at the old manuals. they say to put Milwaukee Type B grease inside the power head, and then Type A around the large gear. So nothing on your shaft

I miss the days when manuals told you how to repair or maintain your tools in detail.

 

[RTM]

The lube I’ve seen in Sawzalls looked way too thick for ratchets, but it may vary by brand.

I think he was asking about post #2

 

[metaldad]

i generally use mobil poly urea ngli2
why?
because its available to me by the case
in all my power tools.

 

[kelpaso1]

Moly CV joint grease is fine to use in tool gear cases.

 

[Jlarson]

We've used dry molly on the shafts of sawzalls over the years, ours have to get cleaned out fairly often after doing UG or pipe demo.

 

[rlitman]

Moly CV joint grease is fine to use in tool gear cases.

That depends on the bearings. Moly isn't good for ball or roller bearings, and if the gear cases have unshielded bearings in the same grease, you'll need something different.

 

[kelpaso1]

That depends on the bearings. Moly isn't good for ball or roller bearings, and if the gear cases have unshielded bearings in the same grease, you'll need something different.

Show me proof. I cant think of something more demanding on the grease as a CV joint. It is precisely WHY moly grease is used.

 

[rlitman]

Show me proof. I cant think of something more demanding on the grease as a CV joint. It is precisely WHY moly grease is used.

It's not a matter of demanding. CV joints are certainly demanding.

The issue is that above a certain level, moly will plate onto bearings making them out of round and leading to sliding rather than rolling and premature bearing failure. In many gearboxes, the bearings are only shielded on the exterior side, with the cage openly facing the grease in the gearbox, so the grease must be compatible with high speed bearing use, which is quite a different use case than a CV.

CVs are demanding because they are both high speed and sliding with high contact forces (EP). It's similar to a hypoid gear in that way. Note that hypoid gears are so demanding that grease often isn't good enough and oil is required.

To be fair, many greases with limited amounts of moly are considered acceptable for CV as well as bearing use. But high moly greases made for chassis and ball joint use are certainly no good for bearings, and I couldn't say the exact cutoff percentage where moly turns evil.

Notice how the Milwaukee instructions even call out two different greases? They're probably two difference viscosity grades as well.