Whats the best "all-around" grease

[spruce Deere]

Bag Balm?!?! For most of the equipment we run, JD, NH, Cat, Komatsu, Power punch is THE grease.

 

[DieselPower]

Just learned something, I've been using lithium (wally world). Will switch to molly.

Thanks,
Joel

Moly isn't a grease base, just a additive. If you are currently using a Lithium based grease then the easiest thing to do is to look for a good Moly fortified Lithium grease. Most general purpose greases are offered with or without Moly, the better ones will have a 5% Moly content (something Caterpillar spec's in their equipment).

 

[DieselPower]

Why not? With the first shot of grease you're married for life? For most fittings, grease is purged every day. Most of us grease until we see the same color coming out as going in, but what if some grease is commingled?

jmf

Incompatible grease base's generally tend to get runny when mixed greatly reducing their lubricating properties. The best practice when changing grease base type is to perform a purge regime for a while. Basically what you want to do is lubricate more often then you normally would for a while to speed up the purging process.

Even if you grease the first time with a new base grease until you see nothing but fresh grease there will probably still be a considerable amount of old grease left. Simple pin and bushing applications will be the easiest to purge, sealed units like tie rod ends take longer because they have a built in reservoir, roller type bearings like rod ends also have a built in reservoir and take longer to purge.

 

[Skyco]

Great.......

Well, I'm glad I put my foot in my mouth here - glad you chimed in - so looks like I will go to one gun after all....

If it was me I'd go back to the dealer, tell him to pull his WSM (Work Shop Manual) show him it says MOLY grease and nicely insist he swap out what he sold you for MOLY.

BTW I use the MOLY cause they spec it but I don't like it, messy stuff, stains clothes even worse than regular grease...I'm one of those guys that gets it on me if I approach within 5 ft of the tractor, 10 ft if I'm wearing nicer clothes..

 

[jmfox]

Before everyone throws away their Moly grease consider this. From what I have found, molybdenum disulfide are particles added to grease to prevent metal to metal contact at high pressures. These abrasives detract from normal lubrication to provide some protection when lubrication has been hammered away. (It has been found that molybdenum particles may also interfere with other anti-wear additives.) Think of them as body guards whose only purpose is to jump in front of a bullet. We need them for to protect our high officials, but it just doesn't happen that often. Yet, we do need protection and their are other additives that provide the same service without the downside. Since moly was typically the only additive that assured extreme protection, it became synonymous where EP protection was required. Moly is no longer the only way to upgrade grease to EP standards. I use Lucas X-tra. It provides EP protection with no Moly. This means they have accomplished expreme pressure protection with another additive package (that they wish to keep secret), to hopefully enhance lubrication that Moly undermines. Hopefully the additive Lucas uses is less destructive than moly under normal lubrication conditions, and as good in extreme pressure events, but I can only trust their compliance with heavy equipment manufacturers specs and their reputation.

As for mixing greases I found the problem is in the thickners, particluarly with aluminum and lithium based thickners. The mixture could result in hardness.

jmf

 

[Happyman]

...I'm one of those guys that gets it on me if I approach within 5 ft of the tractor, 10 ft if I'm wearing nicer clothes..

Amen to that brother. I swear the grease jumps off my tractor and onto my clothes when I'm not looking. It took over a year, and lot's of ruined clothes, before I learned.

 

[RadarTech]

Amen to that brother. I swear the grease jumps off my tractor and onto my clothes when I'm not looking. It took over a year, and lot's of ruined clothes, before I learned.

I'm glad it's not just me!!!
I over greased the pivot points on my tractor right in front of the control lever.
And low and behold, it told me as soon as the loader was lifted over half way up, it "spit" on me.. DANG where did that come from!!

Still not sure how I over greased it, but a spitting pivot has to be an indicator!

Anyway, at the end of that day I took the time to wipe off all the bulges of grease I saw...


Later,
J

 

[DieselPower]

Before everyone throws away their Moly grease consider this. From what I have found, molybdenum disulfide are particles added to grease to prevent metal to metal contact at high pressures. These abrasives detract from normal lubrication to provide some protection when lubrication has been hammered away. (It has been found that molybdenum particles may also interfere with other anti-wear additives.) Think of them as body guards whose only purpose is to jump in front of a bullet. We need them for to protect our high officials, but it just doesn't happen that often. Yet, we do need protection and their are other additives that provide the same service without the downside. Since moly was typically the only additive that assured extreme protection, it became synonymous where EP protection was required. Moly is no longer the only way to upgrade grease to EP standards. I use Lucas X-tra. It provides EP protection with no Moly. This means they have accomplished expreme pressure protection with another additive package (that they wish to keep secret), to hopefully enhance lubrication that Moly undermines. Hopefully the additive Lucas uses is less destructive than moly under normal lubrication conditions, and as good in extreme pressure events, but I can only trust their compliance with heavy equipment manufacturers specs and their reputation.

As for mixing greases I found the problem is in the thickners, particluarly with aluminum and lithium based thickners. The mixture could result in hardness.

jmf

I'm not sure where you heard Molybdenum Disulfide is abrasive but it isn't. Moly disulfide is a naturally mined material. Most of the lubricant grade material used in the United States is mined at the Henderson & Climax mines in Colorado, is of very high quality. MoS2 oxidizes very slowly in atmospheres up to 600° F. In these low temperature ranges it oxidizes more slowly than tungsten disulfide (WS2). In dry oxygen free atmospheres it functions as a lubricant up to 1300° F. The oxidation products of MoS2 is molybdenum trioxide (MoO2) and sulfur dioxide. MoS2 is hydroscopic and causes many of the friction problems in standard atmosphere. MoO2 is itself a lubricant in dry atmospheres. MoO2 is of itself not abrasive, but attracts moisture vapor contamination. A good Moly grease formulation will have a suitable additive package and be a water resistant grease to help combat the hydroscopic nature of Moly. Moly has weak van der Waals forces between the basal planes. The bonds between the sulfur layers are weaker than the bonds between the molybdenum layers. The covalent bonds of both are strong in the basal plane. Friction decreases as load and surface speed increase. In its operating range MoS2 has superior load bearing and surface speed performance values to graphite or tungsten disulfide.

 

[phyxer]

Soooooo Mr. Diesel Power, on my lil ole tractor, is there any reason not to use a Lithium based grease with 3% Moly on ALL of my grease zerks to include Tractor, FEL, MMM, Rotary Tiller and all the PTO shafts and such? I intend to use Mystik JT-6 with 3% Moly. On a side note, folks weren't kidding when they said you were the lubrication expert! Thank you very much.

Troy

 

[jmfox]

Okay, so it is a lubricant in dry oxygen free environments. But sometimes our equipment needs to work in environments where there is air. Moly and Tungsten disulfide are good EP additives, but much research has been dedicated to cut down the anti-lubrication affects of moly rust.

jmf

BTW, if you want to read the whole article that contains the excerpt below, click here.

I'm not sure where you heard Molybdenum Disulfide is abrasive but it isn't. Moly disulfide is a naturally mined material. Most of the lubricant grade material used in the United States is mined at the Henderson & Climax mines in Colorado, is of very high quality. MoS2 oxidizes very slowly in atmospheres up to 600ï½° F. In these low temperature ranges it oxidizes more slowly than tungsten disulfide (WS2). In dry oxygen free atmospheres it functions as a lubricant up to 1300ï½° F. The oxidation products of MoS2 is molybdenum trioxide (MoO2) and sulfur dioxide. MoS2 is hydroscopic and causes many of the friction problems in standard atmosphere. MoO2 is itself a lubricant in dry atmospheres. MoO2 is of itself not abrasive, but attracts moisture vapor contamination. A good Moly grease formulation will have a suitable additive package and be a water resistant grease to help combat the hydroscopic nature of Moly. Moly has weak van der Waals forces between the basal planes. The bonds between the sulfur layers are weaker than the bonds between the molybdenum layers. The covalent bonds of both are strong in the basal plane. Friction decreases as load and surface speed increase. In its operating range MoS2 has superior load bearing and surface speed performance values to graphite or tungsten disulfide.