HF hammer drill - Lubrication - what and where to buy?

[newbury]

I recently bought a Bauer 1-1/8 in. SDS Variable Speed Pro Rotary Hammer Kit from HF. There are two places to grease, the bit base and a port/container on the top that holds maybe 2 to 4 ounces of grease.. Amazingly HF doesn't sell a chinese grease specifically for it.

I've used the drill for maybe 10 hours and used up all the grease it came with when I just repacked it.

Searching the web for things like hammer drill gear grease turns up tons of references for grease for the bits, very little for the gearbox. About the best I've found are references to Makita hammer grease ($5.40 for 1 oz at Home Depot). From one comment at HD

Be advised one (1) OZ is a small amount. I was mislead by the picture. I need six (6) of these for my hammer drill. Going to an AUTO store with this one ounce bottle. Yup - picture got me

So do you TBN'ers have any good suggestions for an inexpensive, appropriate grease and where to get it?

 

[the old grind]

Sounds like one of those times when 'corn head' grease (quite fluid, that) might be indicated for that gearbox. That it's somehow consumed in use says to me that ease of use is paramount. As for chucks/bits/shanks, lots of guys don't lube them, just keep 'em wiped clean and smooth. Fear of rust or dust accumulation are reasons given to do or not.

Maybe this is a chance to try other than pricey lubes in tiny tubes. ($4/oz? ) Care to try Fluid Film and let us know how well it works, or not??

 

[crashz]

I have an older HF SDS Hammer Drill (Chicago Pneumatic) and I scooped all of the original grease out and used some Texas Refinery (No2 Red) stuff I had lying around. Crisco would be better than the cheap lube that is packed with them.

So far that drill has done probably a combined total of 20 hrs worth of work. Doesn't sound like much until I think of all the small projects its done.

 

[Texasmark]

If bushings, sliding surfaces, or gears Moly grease holds best for me. Probably would use Red #2 as a second choice as I use that for all my zerks and bearings.

 

[kenmac]

I recently bought this drill https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-...Hammer-Drill-with-Hard-Case-HR4510C/100659896 It came with a tube of grease. Perhaps makita sells the type grease you need.
I haven't used up what came with the drill, so I don't know if makita sells the grease or not


EDIT : It appears HD sells the bit grease. Only place my drill uses grease is on the bit

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-...VwUwNCh3kQQkPEAQYASABEgKENfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[mcfarmall]

NLGI #2 grease is too thick for a gearbox. It will squeeze out of the tooth interface and simply stay in place away from where it's needed...it's too thick. You need a NLGI #00 semi-fluid grease as it is thin enough to flow with the gears and keep the teeth lubricated.

The corn head grease is a semi-fluid grease that will work. You will find many sources for the lower "viscosities" of grease as they are widely used in industry. The NLGI #2 grade is the most popular with the general consumer for loader pins, u-joints, lawn mower spindles, wheel bearings, etc..

 

[al3]

I use 00 (corn head) grease to repack old gear-shift lawn tractor transmission when they no longer shift. Appears after 20-30 years the stuff dries out. Thin enough to flow back into gear teeth once displaced.
One readily available source of the stuff in the Midwest are Deere agriculture and industrial/commercial (yellow signs) dealerships. Can buy small quantities (tubes) vs 5 gallon buckets. Picked up my last tube at an industrial place that sold construction/logging stuff, so should be one in your neck of the woods.

 

[sw99]

I use Lucas red and tacky grease in my Chicago Electric version of that drill.

 

[nickfank]

I picked up a "Shieldpro" (cheap chinese) hammer drill and had the same question. Their manual says to use "Shell Rotella 40 grease"... But there's no such thing. Searching the internet turned up lots of info on SDS bit grease, but nothing on gearboxes until I found manual for a Draper hammer drill. That manual just said to use "a general purpose lithium based grease".

Rotella HD is a Lithium grease, so putting those two clues together, I'm guessing that the Chinese translator who wrote the english translation of Rotella HD came up with Rotella 40.

In any case, I plan to use lithium grease in the gearbox and a dab of the same grease on the bit shank.