Grease water resistance NLGI grade dependent?

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berlyn

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Hello fellow Bitogers,

is there a correlation between the two?

Second question would be:
if a grease contains solid lubricants (graphite, MoS2, etc) do they function after the grease is removed due to water spray off?

Thank you for your kind feedback,
 
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Water resistance is not as dependent on the grade as with the type of soap thickener used.

I don't believe additives remain on a surface if the grease is washed off.
 
Hello Kestas,

Thank you.
Which would you use on a pivot ball joint preferably? Lithium, aluminum, calcium or clay thickener? These are the ones in my stash at this moment.

Thanks
 
Hi Kestas

This ball joint actually connects the shift petal of a motorcycle to the gear selection shaft. Actually very close to the engine, it could reach 100C easily. Open to the environment, close to the ground, it is being sprayed every time it rains. . actually the load is so slow it can be considered as static. First time I disassemble d it it had traces of graphite. Probably Honda used a Moly- graphite grease. But with what thickener and which NLGI grade? .The most important thing: in order to disassemble it to regrease it, the center stand must be removed. That is 3 hours of work for a simple regreasing...
 
Yes, assembly paste should have high levels of additives for boundary lubrication.

I suggested antiseize because it is also used in brake hardware and steering stops where there is not a lot of movement and sees open, high wash conditions.
 
Hi Smoky,

well never thought about it and sounds like a very good idea. What I have available is motorcycle chain lube, that I am not sure it has extreme pressure properties although it should have of course. Do you have a favorite one that contains solid lubricants?
thanks a lot for your feedback,
 
Water washout resistance is definitely influenced by thickener type, NLGI grade, base oil type, base oil viscosity and additives.

Some of the best water washout resistance, and other performances, can be seen in blended greases such as mixed soaps where one soap is the primary thickener and the second is a texture or consistency modifier or where a base oil is mixed with a polymer.

Considering that this pivot ball joint is potentially exposed to water and dirt, have you considered a dry film lubricant that will be impervious to water and won't attract dust?
 
Hi RDMgr,

I searched among the brands available in Greece, what I have found is WS2 or MoS2 but both of them come in a paste consistency, no dry powder. Teflon would not be an option as the pivot is too small due to lack of space and I don't know a product which carries even this in a dry form. Do WS2 and MoS2 get washed away after exposure to humid or wet environments?
Thank you for your feedback!
 
Most retail dry film lubricants will be sold in aerosol cans. Moly, graphite, WS2 in a binder will last longer than powder. If you use powder some will burnish onto the surfaces but will require frequent reapplication compared to the binder type. These products are not unique to the US. You may have to check industrial supply shops.

If you can't use or find the dry film, I would try a light oil. It won't attract dirt. Any dirt that may find its way into the joint will be cleaned by the next application. Oil should be available in aero cans everywhere.
 
Back in the 80's when I had my boat, I applied a coating of Super Lube to the threads on the prop shaft. After a full day out on the water, and over 40 gallons of fuel later, it was still there when I got it back home. It's the hardest grease I've ever had to try and wash off my hands and skin after getting it on.
 
Hi Trav,

thank you for your answer. I looked into it, if you see the SDS, ZDDP is between 1% and 2.5%. Not every chain spray is fortified this way, I learned it the hard way. Should not attract dirt too,

Schoenen Abend
 
Chain life with this one was about 25K Km vs 10-12K with Castrol and dry lubes with mostly high speed riding, the wheel and front sprocket case stayed pretty clean with no clumpy grease buildup. The nice thing is it is very thin when first applied so it creeps in everywhere it should, after about 10 min it has firmed up.
For the joints you are referring to I have found nothing better, it get right into the ball and socket.
 
Water resistance has more to do with the base oil and thickener. Typically, Al-Complex and Ca-Complex/sulfonate do better in water washout than Li or clay-based greases. Shimano uses an Ca-based Eni(Autol Top 2000) grease for that reason alone in bike parts. Supposedly, Motorex Fett 2000 is the same. Ca-Complex/Ca-sulfonate greases also have inherent extreme pressure properties with them.

I think Honda called for Moly 60 paste for that area. Most greases with MoS2 have 3-5% moly in them.
 
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