Recommended John Deere Grease

[JMER817]

Coming up on my first 10hr lube job on my JD 4120 with 300CX loader. In the manual it recommends a John Deere SD Polyurea grease or a HD Lithium Complex grease. Which type are you guys using and why. I believe the Polyurea is the factory lube.

 

[sixdogs]

Does the owner's manual also suggest their lithium/moly blend? I thought they suggested that and the lithium complex and didn't suggest the polyurea at all. The lith/moly blend takes more impact, is stickier and protects a loader better. I use it on my loader and lith complex on the other joints. I no longer use the polyurea.

I'll bet they use the polyuria from the factory because it's green and not real messy. The lith/moly blend tracks everywhere.

 

[arlen4720]

I use the polyurea grease. JD recommends it as the "preferred" grease for most things. It doesn't harden and is highly water resistant.

 

[treetrimmer01]

Get two grease guns, Use JD high temp, extreme pressure on loader pins and bushings only. This grease is black and really messy, but the best I have found for pins & bushings.
Use polyurea on any bearings. There are other brands of grease that are good for bearings but JD polyurea is what I use.
I am sure you will be satisfied.
Don

 

[deere5105]

I have always followed manual instructions and use the JD Polyurea.

 

[DeereMann]

I'm with sixdogs.....use lithium complex with moly for high load, low motion. polyurea was initially developed for electric motor bearings - long life between regreasing (if any) and resistant to water washout (in mills, etc.).

Really not the 'best' for loader work - the mines don't use it, they use lithium with moly. Deere is barking up the wrong tree with this one.

 

[glc24]

The JD moly for the loader (or hoe),and the poly for everything else. I can't find where I read it ,but JD does NOT recommend mixing these. Once you use it,stay with it.

Greg

 

[sixdogs]

The JD moly for the loader (or hoe),and the poly for everything else. I can't find where I read it ,but JD does NOT recommend mixing these. Once you use it,stay with it.

Greg

I researched the mixing of polyurea and other greases a while back and while I found that warning with generic or other brand greases I recall that Deere said mixing with their own greases was OK. If you could find that non-mix info it would be helpful for us to look into it.

Polyurea is their most expensive grease and as I noted, is green in color and not messy. It would not provide the best shock resistance for a loader so I wonder if Deere suggests it on small loader tractors because it IS green and pretty. Most small tractors aren't going to be using their loaders for severe use and want it to look pretty and not greasy.

For bigger Deere tractors, they suggest moly-lith for the loader and lith-coplex for everything else. Polyurea is mentioned only for the axle bearings that are on a 300 hour grease schedule.

I stopped using polyure after my grease search of a couple years ago decided it was not the right grease for my loaders. Suggesting poly for small loaders must be a new thing since my JD790 loader manual suggests lith coplex for mild use and moly-lith for severe use. If anything has changed, I'm all ears.


For those new at this, there are basically three types of grease.

1--lithium complex for everything including car wheel bearings.
2. Lithium with a few percent molybdenum for shock resistance applications. Lith-moly.
3. Polyurea for certain bearing applications that require a thickened grease such as mower gearboxes and certain bearings operated at temperatures outside the normal operating ranges of most equipment.

 

[arlen4720]

For bigger Deere tractors, they suggest moly-lith for the loader and lith-coplex for everything else. Polyurea is mentioned only for the axle bearings that are on a 300 hour grease schedule.

I disagree completely. I'm not sure what you consider a "bigger tractor", but polyurea is listed as the preferred grease for the 400cx, h260,h360,h380,h480 loaders. Your claim that they recommend polyurea grease only on small machines because it is "green and pretty" seems a bit naive to me. I think some of the reason it's recommended is the good water resistance, and wide operating temperature range.

 

[sunnyside360]

I can't find where I read it ,but JD does NOT recommend mixing these. Once you use it,stay with it.

Greg

I saw the same info. It was stated on John Deere Grease Lubricant data sheet (showing all their greases) available at the dealer a few years ago. Pretty sure I still have a copy in my records over in the garage. But, this may have changed. Here it states compatible with most other greases. Trying to find something more current and more specific.
John Deere Multi-Purpose SD Polyurea Gun Grease TY6341

 

[DeereMann]

This is old information. Modern polyurea greases are mixable with lithium greases. Modern polyurea greases are stabilized 'complex' greases, the old version was not. There are many articles about this if you google it.

 

[sunnyside360]

This is old information. Modern polyurea greases are mixable with lithium greases. Modern polyurea greases are stabilized 'complex' greases, the old version was not. There are many articles about this if you google it.

I googled it and some conflicting info out there. Example, here is a long interesting discussion between engineers and chemists who work in the lubrication industry --- some agree and some disagree about polyurea grease compatibility. Benefits of polyurea greases. | LinkedIn

Also, a number of articles refer to The Skinny on Grease Compatibility which shows a chart depicting grease compatibility.

Here is John Deere Lubrication Guide which indicates Multi Purpose SD Polyurea grease is compatible with most other types of grease. https://jdparts.deere.com/partsmkt/document/english/featbene/DKD1801OilGuide.pdf

To answer the op's question, I've used John Deere Multi-Purpose Heavy-Duty Lithium Complex Grease (amber in color) for a long time w/o any issues

 

[deere5105]

Here is what is in manual for JD522/542 loaders.

 

[kcflhrc]

Sounds like there are as many opinions about grease as there is oil. I say go by the manual and you will be fine . Don't over think it.

 

[sixdogs]

After getting involved in this thread I decided to revisit the Deere grease issue and really learned a few things. My primary issue regarding Deere grease was if the old standby of lithium-moly blend was equal or better than the Deere polyurea grease. Long history shows the lith-moly handles shock loads like a loader especially well.

I spoke with an engineer who said the greases were similar regarding their ability to withstand the shock load but that the polyuria was generally better in that the thickeners added made it the first option. He would choose polyurea for shock load and severe sliding load.

OK...so I stopped my my friendly dealer to see what my favorite parts guy had to say. He said the polyurea by far outsells the lith-moly grease and that it is a favorite among the construction people like bulldozers and trac hoes and that would be his preference as well. No two ways about it.

Bottom line is I have decided to switch to polyurea grease for everything I own. Unless the next day or two turns up anything different, that's my plan. Goodbye nasty old lith-moly that I once tracked in the house and goodbye to keeping two greases around. The polyurea does the job better than the others and, gulp, is pretty besides.


Thanks to arlen for helping me with the errors of my ways.

 

[DeereMann]

Sounds like there are as many opinions about grease as there is oil. I say go by the manual and you will be fine . Don't over think it.

Yeah, but we got lithium grease with moly for all the chassis lubrication on all the vehicles. Don't want to carry a bunch of different greases unless really necessary.

 

[DeereMann]

Thanks for update sixdogs. Are you thinking about swithing to polyurea for chassis lube as well? Any concern about lack of dry lube additive (moly, etc.) for such applications?

 

[JMER817]

Thanks sixdog, I was leaning towards going with the polyurea and your research confirms my findings as well.

 

[DeereMann]

I dunno.......looks to me like the two main advtanges of polyurea thickner greases compared to lithium is still just water resistance & longevity. Both of which are not primary requirements of bucket pin or chassis greases. In fact, I would insist on the moly dry lube additive for longest joint life (especially chassis ball joints)..............Mobil Polyrex EP 2

That's why polyurea greases are used in electric motor bearings (long life as many motors run long hours w/o maintenance) and paper mill bearings (wet environment).

:2cents:

 

[sixdogs]

Thanks for update sixdogs. Are you thinking about swithing to polyurea for chassis lube as well? Any concern about lack of dry lube additive (moly, etc.) for such applications?

I have a little more research to double check things but the plan is to use the polyurea for everything. I still have some other greases left so I can run those though implements or whatever. Only have about 15 mixed tubes left and I picked up a 10 pack of polyurea yesterday. As noted earlier, the parts guy I know says polyurea outsells all the other grease combined and by a wide margin.

It didn't used to be this way but things have evolved over the past 10 years or so. I'm sure lith-moly would still be fine for 99% of TBN users and it would be fine for me as well but the cleaner appearance of the poly will keep my stuff looking better.