Grease shortage

[Lubehead]

Mixing greases in a 30 point automatic greaser is greaser suicide.

This is because different thickeners are chemically reactive with each other. They don't corrode the bearing surface, but instead they can react to clump up, harden and cake. When they do, they take up space and while they do their clumping they dump their oil content. Basically if you use incompatible greases the bearing space becomes filled up with dirt and no room for oil. You can see it easy enough if you take the joint apart. You end up scraping out this dry crud. Usually the first clue you have to incompatibility is that the zerk seems to be jammed or stuck or shut or not accepting grease.

Hay Dude- Not necessarily suicide-there is a method one can use that eliminates any perceived risk. A system reservoir can be purged and depending on the system type (series progressive,dualline (unlikely on AG equipment)or single line parallel, components can be greased manually to purge oil grease out.

rScotty-most grease incompatibility issues manifest themselves with the coupling between the oil and thickener effectively breaking which results in thinner grease;.ie. a reduction in the NLGI grade as measured by higher penetration numbers. Hardening can occur but it's not as prevalent. When hardening does occur, the oil has separated from the thickener. Dirt is not formed (how did it get in the system?) the hardened product is thickener.

Hay Dude- the Krone lubrication pump is most likely a Beka or possibly a Groeneveld unit. We have adapters that allow filling via our GTP ( Grease Transfer Pump) which can be modified with a longer hose allowing more efficient ( and reduced cost) to refill the pump.

A rudimentary but effective method can be used to give one a sense of any incompatibility issues one may encounter. While not as technical or scientific as that described in Rich Wurzbach's excellent paper (where the grease would be subject to penetrometer testing), I have found the method to be reliably used as a screening tool:

Mix 3 batches of the greases in question in small +/- 8 oz metal or glass containers in the following ratios- 25/75; 50/50 and 75/25. Let sit for 24 hours and observe any changes n consistency (softer or harder). If there is no substantial change, heat the mixtures to 200-250F for 1-4 hours and occasionally mix them. Observe any changes. If the greases soften, then over lubricate temporarily ( increase the lubrication pump on time),to purge the system.

In my experience any comparability issues that create problems are seen when personnel are not aware that the lubricants may not be compatible. Knowing there could be incompatibility going in increases awareness of what should be done to successfully transition from one grease to another.

Lastly, and I don't want this to be a commercial pitch; we have excellent lubricants one could transition to that will provide the desired performance and results.

 

[Hay Dude]

Thats why I’m not taking any chances.
You’d be surprised how many “experts” think it’s ok to mix greases. Sure, you can mix some greases, but in a very complex automatic greaser that lubricates very costly bearings I depend on for a living? No way.

 

[Steve is the oil guy]

I am a rep for TEXAS REFINERY....

OUR PARAGON 3000 Mixes with any grease. Water Washout is .5 ...
if i can help you out feel free to get a hold of me. I will FED EX it to you quickly.

STEVE IS THE OIL GUY
810 772 0202

 

[thbarstow]

I don't know that answer. Polyurea is the thickener in the John Deere HD Polyurea Grease that carries the oil like a sponge carries water. And we've discussed before that Lucas Green seems to use the same chemistry as the JD Poly...so those two should be as interchangeable as greases get.

Just for some background so others can follow this grease problem :

Greases are basically oil soaked into a thickener like water into a sponge. Several substances are used as thickeners. Polyurea is a popular powder thickener because it is a reliable synthetic. Other greases use either a soap or a clay based thickener. Soaps and clays both are built around light metal molecules mostly of lithium, calcium, barium.

The oil used in the thickener is not the problem. All the oils are compatible. The problem is that when incompatible greases get together they harden and at the same time they expel their oil

This is because different thickeners are chemically reactive with each other. They don't corrode the bearing surface, but instead they can react to clump up, harden and cake. When they do, they take up space and while they do their clumping they dump their oil content. Basically if you use incompatible greases the bearing space becomes filled up with dirt and no room for oil. You can see it easy enough if you take the joint apart. You end up scraping out this dry crud. Usually the first clue you have to incompatibility is that the zerk seems to nbe jammed or stuck or shut or not accepting grease.

Hay Dude, I don't have an answer. JD SD Polyurea (and Lucas) advertise as being a new style shear stabilized poly urea - they used to be conventional but changed - and shear stable is way better than the old conventional poly....but I'd still stay away from calcium and lithium based greases anyway. Even the JD products.

Frankly I'd find the genuine JD/Lucas or skip a couple of lube cycles. Maybe rig up a zerk injector to pump in some 80/90 in critical joints until I could get some genuine. This sucks....

Some literature - some if a bit deep - is attached. The RP report is valuable because it compares different manufacturer's compatibility charts instead of comparing compatibility directly.
The other one is heavy on chemistry... read at your peril...
rScotty

Thank you for this information. I was unaware of what caused incompatibility issues.

 

[jasontdi]

It has everything to do with the huge fire that wiped out the grease plant outside Rockford, IL. They supplied over 20% of the US market. That was over a year ago but they aren't back online.

 

[bartjoebob]

So here we go again. Polyurea grease in MY area sold out ”indefinitely”.
No John Deere Green polyurea or Lucas green polyurea grease anywhere.
Checked everywhere, box stores, hardware stores, farm stores, tractor dealers. Nothing, zip, nada.

I have 2 automatic greasers I have to keep loaded with grease or Hay Dude makes no hay.

So the question is, what type of grease mixes with polyurea grease without clogging issues?
Things are getting desperate.

Try online

Amazon.com : polyurea grease

 

[manzer7]

So here we go again. Polyurea grease in MY area sold out ”indefinitely”.
No John Deere Green polyurea or Lucas green polyurea grease anywhere.
Checked everywhere, box stores, hardware stores, farm stores, tractor dealers. Nothing, zip, nada.

I have 2 automatic greasers I have to keep loaded with grease or Hay Dude makes no hay.

So the question is, what type of grease mixes with polyurea grease without clogging issues?
Things are getting desperate.

Check out TRC (Texas Refinery Corp) the best grease for EVERYTHING ! It stays on and is just-about waterproof. I use it everywhere. Try the 880 C&C or the Paragon 3000 ! Since 1922 !!

 

[oneal hicks]

Amsoil synthetic is hard to beat.

 

[acarr1]

So here we go again. Polyurea grease in MY area sold out ”indefinitely”.
No John Deere Green polyurea or Lucas green polyurea grease anywhere.
Checked everywhere, box stores, hardware stores, farm stores, tractor dealers. Nothing, zip, nada.

I have 2 automatic greasers I have to keep loaded with grease or Hay Dude makes no hay.

So the question is, what type of grease mixes with polyurea grease without clogging issues?
Things are getting desperate.

FYI. The reason for the shortage is that the Lucas manufacturing plant for that particular grease burned down. I’m a dealer and we haven’t been able to get any for almost a year. No idea when it’ll be available again. I know it doesn’t help but thought you’d like to know the why.

 

[DKing1941]

So here we go again. Polyurea grease in MY area sold out ”indefinitely”.
No John Deere Green polyurea or Lucas green polyurea grease anywhere.
Checked everywhere, box stores, hardware stores, farm stores, tractor dealers. Nothing, zip, nada.

I have 2 automatic greasers I have to keep loaded with grease or Hay Dude makes no hay.

So the question is, what type of grease mixes with polyurea grease without clogging issues?
Things are getting desperate.

Gee, do you suppose making our nation energy independent again just might solve most of our petroleum products problems - both availability and cost?