Grease for excavator

   / Grease for excavator #1  

Ronster

Gold Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2004
Messages
296
Location
CT
Tractor
John Deere 2520, John Deere X739, Kubota U27-4, Kubota RTV 500
I've been using Valvoline multi purpose red grease (# VV615) in everything for years with no problems. Just wondering if a grease with moly would be better for the swing bearing teeth and ball bearing in my u27-4. i would like to here what some other people use in their machines.
 
   / Grease for excavator #3  
I've been using Valvoline multi purpose red grease (# VV615) in everything for years with no problems. Just wondering if a grease with moly would be better for the swing bearing teeth and ball bearing in my u27-4. i would like to here what some other people use in their machines.
I use whatever #2 lithium is on sale at the time I need to restock. Currently, I think I am using the 2 cases I got a deal on from Walmart. I believe the frequency of use is more important than the brand. I tend to over lube all the zerks on the mini excavator to flush out all the dirt and junk in the pins and bushings.....Dan.
 
   / Grease for excavator #4  
What does the owner's manual recommend? (My guess would be an Extreme Pressure (EP) moly grease.)

Be warned: Different greases may be incompatible, and compatibility information from the internet is often contradictory.

A couple of old saws: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "It matters less what grease you use than how often you use it".
If what you are doing for years hasn't created problems, why change? If you do change and there are compatibility problems, frequent, i.e. daily, greasing will help "flush" the old grease.
 
   / Grease for excavator
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I'm sticking with lithium complex EP 2 grease so compatibility should not be an issue, just want to add the 3% moly as I understand it my stay longer in the pins/bushing.
 
   / Grease for excavator #6  
I use Schaeffers 238 which has 5% moly on all pins and bushings also use it on the swing motor pinion and ring teeth. Swing bearing rollers I use either Mobil or Kendall blue. I'm a believer in moly for pins and bushings , it has an affinity for clinging to steel and a very thin film will protect. I've used moly grease on my excavators pins and bushings since new, now has 1250 hrs of mostly pulling tree stumps and few hundred ft of trenching the p&b's hardly show any wear. I do my best to grease at least once a day.
 
   / Grease for excavator #7  
I use the Schaeffer 238 also. I switched over back in 2016 after noticing what I thought to be too much slop in my m59. I used it solely on my m62 I traded for and when I got rid of it last year it was as tight as new. I now use it on my kx040 on all joints. It’s aluminum complex but compatible with lithium complex which is the most popular grease out there. That was verified through Schaeffer and me mixing some up to see if any separation or hardening happened. Don’t want to be stuck to one type of grease. It’s very expensive and the messiest grease I’ve ever used because of its stringyness. Little webs of grease every time you pull the gun away from the grease fittings.
 
   / Grease for excavator
  • Thread Starter
#9  
The more I research the more confusing this gets. The Kuboat U27-4 recommends Shell Alvania EP2 (now called Shell Gadus S2 V220 2) or Mobilux EP2. Neither of these have Molybdenum in their specs. It seems odd that Kubota does not list their own branded grease. I have read where moly is not good for ball bearings, yet the excavator has a swing ball bearing. Just wanting one dedicated grease for the entire machine. Also I read where the Aluminum Complex grease ( Schaeffer & some others) might be better for pins.
Timken Loads, Dropping Points, it goes on and on...........
 
   / Grease for excavator #10  
Just like any lubrication topic, it can be as simple or as complex as one wishes to make it. There are two basic truths.
1. Oil/grease are cheaper than parts.
2. Any grease is better than none.
 
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