Ball Bearing Grease

[9c1]

In the old days we used to use "long fiber" grease on the ball bearings on the front wheels.
I know some old car owners who still have this type of bearing on their cars.
Suggestions for the best grease for this application, please.

 

[RB Shannon]

I've never seen them but sodium soap greases are described as fiberous and had good resistance to mechanical action and heat with dropping points around 325* to 350*F but have poor water resistance,emulsifying small amounts somewhat protecting the bearing but washing out with larger quanities.In their day they were better than the calcium or lime soap greases that dried out when exposed to heat.Whats interesting is that the fibers are inherent and not added,but are part of the thickener.I think I recall seeing that their still popular with the Indian grease manufacturers.I myself use Schaeffer's #221 aluminum complex.If you live in a warmer part of the country #238 would work also.You won't wash this stuff out.

 

[68redlines73]

Interesting topic. It is true that sodium greases can exhibit some of the longest fiber characteristics and are generally fibrous and stringy. Calcium greases form relatively small fibers. Lithium greases contain longer fibers but still much smaller than those of sodium. Lithium complex greases exhibit small fibers. Aluminum complex, organo-clay and polyurea are essentially non-fibrous.

So what's this all mean? For a ball bearing application in a automobile, I'd rather pay attention to applicable performance test procedures rather than just the type of thickener. For a first cut, you might then, instead, consider a grease that lists the NLGI Certification Mark GC-LB as one of the specs (or series of specs in this case) that it passes.

 

[JohnBrowning]

If you are refering to cup and cone bearing ie Timken bearing then yes. I have found that a Moly EP grease is the best. I have found no difference between synthetic base oil or dino base oil. Any lithium based grease fortified with moly should work fine. I have one vechile that has 17 years on the same bearing's and races. It has been run on Moly EP grease from day 1. My Dad used to repack all the bearing every 12 months when i bought the truck from him in 1993 I started doing bearing service every 24,000 mile wich was every 2-3 year for me. You will find that modern day sealed bearing use greases that do not contain a boundry lubricant like moly and this is why most of them fail at 60,000-80,000 miles.

[ May 19, 2003, 10:53 AM: Message edited by: JohnBrowning ]

 

[BOBISTHEOILGUY]

quote:

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You will find that modern day sealed bearing use greases that do not contain a boundry lubricant like moly and this is why most of them fail at 60,000-80,000 miles.

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Actually, it's more on the fact that water washout and lack of service will be the most common failure. I have seen where a moly lithium grease is used, but when run through water, the complex milks up and washes out, and with that, the moly goes shortly there after. So, by using a waterproof grease such as the alum complex, you'll even reduce failure even longer and can extend service times as well. The same grease (in Schaeffers case) can be used in automotive as well as boat tailers with the same results.

Also, most moly fortified type of greases are retailing for over 6.00+ a tube, no matter what complex unlike the schaeffers.

 

[widman]

I like the Chevron Black Pearl EP2. Polyurea, GC-LB, 60 lbs Timken.