This is my first post, need some help choosing an appropriate grease for my 2008 subaru legacy inner CV joint. Did some searching and saw that the inner and outer(rzeppa) uses two different types of grease. Also what grease would you recommend?
Tripod (inner CV joint ) grease ?
- Thread starter kd409
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The few times that I've repacked a CV joint the grease came with the new boot kit. What is the Subaru recommendation in the FSM?
Having a few Audi(s) in the inventory..they too have a tripod inner CV. Audi uses a different grease part number for the inner tripod CVs.
And having disassembled a few Audi inner CV tripods.. the grease was very different than the gray/black outer CV joints. It was more fluid and cream colored.
What I can tell..it is a Polyurea Grease with very little moly..due to the small rollers in the tripod.
I use John Deere Multi-Purpose SD Polyurea Grease on tripods..available at JD or on the web. Not too expensive.
And having disassembled a few Audi inner CV tripods.. the grease was very different than the gray/black outer CV joints. It was more fluid and cream colored.
What I can tell..it is a Polyurea Grease with very little moly..due to the small rollers in the tripod.
I use John Deere Multi-Purpose SD Polyurea Grease on tripods..available at JD or on the web. Not too expensive.
Originally Posted By: kd409
the boot isnt damage grease is just coming out from the clamp on the axle shaft through centrifugal force. just want to know if to use normal black CV grease or bearing grease.
I had a driveshaft once that had a slightly loose clamp on the shaft, loose enough that it oozed a small amount of grease. What I didn't know was that it must have been leaking water in as well (possibly pumping water in as the joint flexed) and the joint failed relatively quickly. It was full of water on dissection and the metal corroded.
the boot isnt damage grease is just coming out from the clamp on the axle shaft through centrifugal force. just want to know if to use normal black CV grease or bearing grease.
I had a driveshaft once that had a slightly loose clamp on the shaft, loose enough that it oozed a small amount of grease. What I didn't know was that it must have been leaking water in as well (possibly pumping water in as the joint flexed) and the joint failed relatively quickly. It was full of water on dissection and the metal corroded.
Originally Posted By: kd409
the boot isnt damage grease is just coming out from the clamp on the axle shaft through centrifugal force. just want to know if to use normal black CV grease or bearing grease.
Ask Subaru parts dept. I use Redline CV grease but that's on new or totally cleaned joints, it may or may not be compatible with whats in there now, you must use a compatible grease so you may have to buy a boot kit to get it.
The inner boot is easy enough to do on these cars.
the boot isnt damage grease is just coming out from the clamp on the axle shaft through centrifugal force. just want to know if to use normal black CV grease or bearing grease.
Ask Subaru parts dept. I use Redline CV grease but that's on new or totally cleaned joints, it may or may not be compatible with whats in there now, you must use a compatible grease so you may have to buy a boot kit to get it.
The inner boot is easy enough to do on these cars.
Ever get this figured out? Tripod joints dont like moly or other solid EP additives like the outboard joints. GKN who makes many of these joints has a lube available. See link below.
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=6130
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=6130
The aftermarket boot kits always include the same moly grease for inner and outer CV's. Would this be bad for the inner tripod joint (needle bearings) then? And how is this grease different than a standard NLGI GC-LB moly wheel bearing grease?
Originally Posted By: nobb
The aftermarket boot kits always include the same moly grease for inner and outer CV's. Would this be bad for the inner tripod joint (needle bearings) then? And how is this grease different than a standard NLGI GC-LB moly wheel bearing grease?
I noticed that too..GKN boot kits had the same dark moly grease in the kits for both outer and inner (tripod) joints. It seems different from wheel bearing grease..it has graphite in it and perhaps thinner..I don't know exactly. I would not use the CV grease on wheel bearing except in an emergency.
When I do tripods I use John Deere Polyurea Grease. I do not disassemble the needle bearings. I clean the housing and inner tripod and repack.
The aftermarket boot kits always include the same moly grease for inner and outer CV's. Would this be bad for the inner tripod joint (needle bearings) then? And how is this grease different than a standard NLGI GC-LB moly wheel bearing grease?
I noticed that too..GKN boot kits had the same dark moly grease in the kits for both outer and inner (tripod) joints. It seems different from wheel bearing grease..it has graphite in it and perhaps thinner..I don't know exactly. I would not use the CV grease on wheel bearing except in an emergency.
When I do tripods I use John Deere Polyurea Grease. I do not disassemble the needle bearings. I clean the housing and inner tripod and repack.
Kestas
Staff member
CV joint grease needs to contain a lot of antiwear additives. The CV joint experiences sliding motion, micromotion, and fretting, and needs a lube that protects under these conditions. It also needs to be resistant to heat for inner CV joints for FWD cars, where they operate close to a heat source.
The application is also sensitive to viscosity. It needs to maintain a fine balance. Too high a viscosity and the lube won't creep into the surfaces where lubricant is needed... too low a viscosity and it'll run out. And the lube needs to be shear stable because it can get sheared down rather quickly in application.
I don't have a specific grease in mind. I just know enough to use a CV joint-specific grease.
The application is also sensitive to viscosity. It needs to maintain a fine balance. Too high a viscosity and the lube won't creep into the surfaces where lubricant is needed... too low a viscosity and it'll run out. And the lube needs to be shear stable because it can get sheared down rather quickly in application.
I don't have a specific grease in mind. I just know enough to use a CV joint-specific grease.
I'm liking the JD cornhead grease, wouldn't mind running that in my cv joints.
This is one reason I like Valvoline Durablend. It mentions being compatible with CV joints.
However, I just use whatever the replacement CV boot includes, so I don't know how well that actually works.
However, I just use whatever the replacement CV boot includes, so I don't know how well that actually works.
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Are you using the SD or Corn Head grease?
Both are available at my local JD dealer and I'm on the hunt for a close matching grease to what my Toyota has originally