Where is my grease going???

Junkman · Aug 25, 2005

greasing the front end loader is for wear and any high pressure grease will do. The grease for the spindles are for lubrication, and bearings don't usually flush out the old grease when you put the new in. I have seen where two greases mix and form a waxy material that offers no lubrication at all.

Redbug · Aug 25, 2005

EricBX, before you flush out one grease with another, look at the old grease tube and see what it is made of, (what kind of grease). Then check the compatability with your new grease. Here's another good web page of information to learn about about grease types...
http://www.fp10.com/htmls/GREASE.htm
Then print out that compatability chart from above and see that your new grease will mix with the old. I found out through the school of hard knocks about greases, and had to replace bearings and hubs because the mixed greases broke down causing bearing failure.

ericbx1500 · Aug 25, 2005

how does one know what the manufacturer used when filling the spindles or even what your dealer used? Apparently when adding grease to the spindles it's like rolling the dice. i looked at all my different tubes of grease i have and they all meet the NLGI rating of GC-LB #2 grease. i'm assuming these greases are compatible. what do you think junkman /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Junkman · Aug 26, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ................ what do you think junkman /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )</font>

I think that I wish that I never went to this post!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I have no idea what the original grease that was used by the spindle manufacturer was, but I know that it was green in color. I filled mine against my better advise with the grease that I had on hand. I had planned to remove the spindles last winter and clean the bearings and install new grease, but like most things, I never got around to it. I hope to do it this winter, but there is no guarantee. One problem that I see with grease, is that what you purchase today, might not be available next week. For this reason, I am going to purchase a case of 12 tubes to be used exclusively for the MMM. I see this starting to be the same as the discussion about Super UDT vs. UDT. Unfortunately there is a lot of opinions, (mine included) that have some validity, but much of this is only opinion. I know that machinery bearings are closely inspected for wear and are always properly lubricated with the correct lubricant for the type of bearing that is in use. I have also seen a very expensive bearing comparative to its size fail because of improper lubrication. It was a bearing inside another bearing and the total diameter was 3/4" and the cost for the bearing was $90. Today, that bearing is no longer available and proper maintenance it the only thing that will keep that machine working. I don't grease my pivot points as often as recommended, but I do watch bearings to make sure that they are properly lubricated. Even the wrong lubricant is better than no lubricant. When you consider the dynamics of the spindle spinning at 6000 RPM, you realize that lubrication is a must. Add to that the side thrust of the belt turning on a small segment of the belt pulley, and it increases the need for lubrication. A bearing that is left inactive for any length of time also has the grease harden and it looses its ability to perform properly. I have some NOS (new old stock) rear axle bearings for my 1964 Corvair that cannot be used until the old grease is totally cleaned out first. It has hardened to a brittle paste. These bearings haven't been available since the early 1980's and today sell for upward of $200 apiece. PM (preventive maintenance) is always less expensive than repairs, and Murphy's Law states that it will always fail when it is least convenient. I use the Law of Common Sense, if it seems reasonable, then it must be.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ByronBob · Aug 26, 2005

I think that I wish that I never went to this post!!!

I'm glad you did.....I've learned alot from the comments here. I didn't post it for arguments sake. I did it for the vast ocean of knowledge this place has.

In the end though I feel any grease is better than none.

Don_Sullivan · Aug 27, 2005

In my 22 Aug post I mentioned greasing in the "research mode" where I sometimes pull the spindle cups, clean them and set up a light and mirror so I can see the new grease coming out the bottom of the spindle bearings. This is very awkward but worth the trouble because there's no question when some grease is coming through the bearing and what color it is.

I have no desire to fill the spindle cups but they do eventually fill up mostly with grass clippings. The real issue is making sure you're pushing enough new grease in the zerk to clean out the crud in the bearing.

One of these days I'll pop the belt covers off so I can see how much grease is coming out the top of the bearing.

Don