Greasing tractors +/-

[AntiqueIron]

Valvoline synthetic moly grease for everything except high temp bearings. Those get dedicated hi-temp grease.

 

[edgarrian]

Id say location of zerks and how often you grease is the most important aspect of greasing

 

[Lineman North Florida]

for the tractor, i don't obsess about the grease type, just frequency of lube.
i've found over the years that grease hardens & can be a bear to break loose.
so time interval is just as important as hrs on the machine between lubes

as a footnote, i've found Lucas marine grease resists hardening over time & moisture conditions

Agreed 100% I'm still using grease from out of my dads barn that is probably 15 years old, he's been gone for 10 years but he believed in greasing, he would always tell me a nickle's worth of grease will save you a lot of dollars over time. The only downside is it is a given that I am going to get grease on a brand new western shirt if I go near the tractors or skidsteer, lol.

 

[JeepHead]

Just be aware that not all grease can be mixed, and some that are mixed together will have ill effects.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Just be aware that not all grease can be mixed, and some that are mixed together will have ill effects.

I've pumped every different type and variety of grease in zerk fittings on tractors, loaders , skidsteer's and equipment and I have never experienced I'll effects. Not being a smart alleck but what are the ill effects, I'm all about learning. Charlie.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Just be aware that not all grease can be mixed, and some that are mixed together will have ill effects.

Yeah, please do tell. Because I have never been too choosy about my grease. But I will be if I need to.

 

[JeepHead]

Yeah, please do tell. Because I have never been too choosy about my grease. But I will be if I need to.

https://knowhow.napaonline.com/greasy-situation-can-you-mix-grease/

 

[jyoutz]

Lucas HD green polyurea.

 

[masscity]

I use Schaeffer's moly, 238 for FEL and BH. 274 for U-joints etc. I was a conventional-friction crane operator. The company used cheaper soap based grease, if I was using a spare crane, which didn't always get greased enough, some of the zerks and bearing surfaces would dry out.

Then the company started using Kendall Tuf-tac moly, I couldn't believe the difference it made. When I retired I couldn't buy here and couldn't find it online. I read about Schaeffer's grease on this forum and have been using it since.

My belief is use the best grease you can find even if it costs more. That way if you don't get it greased on schedule you're still good.

 

[GrandpaSmurf825]

Grease can go bad. What I mean is the additives that make it flow can separate and it becomes a solid blob. We had literally thousands of machines with pillow block bearings and they were equipped with remote greasers that at the time we thought were the "cat's meow". I don't recall the brand of the greasers but they were spring loaded grease cups that were intended to push grease to the bearings as needed. The problem is that if the machines sat for an extended period and the grease "thickened" the process failed. Once we identified the issue all of the remote greasers were removed and it was back to just remote zerks and daily greasing's (theoretically) to alleviate the problem. The grease in the cups was just a solid blob like putty that wouldn't have flowed down the grease line without significant pressure forcing it. I'm sure many of you have opened a grease tube and saw the liquid sitting on top of the grease. That will separate under the right conditions and then the grease doesn't do it's job. When contained in a bearing or some other sealed cavity it will remix and all is well. In the bearing cup it wasn't able to do that and the results were catastrophic.