Mixing grease types

[dnewton3]

My neighbor and I were greasing his mower deck; I was using a Lithium-based lube. I noticed he started to change out his tube in his gun, and it was a Citgo GC-LB polyurea he got at Rural King on some bulk-buy by the case.

I'm fairly sure they are not compatible. What trouble have we created and how do we rectify it?

 

[Tempest]

Bruce has stated that different greases may cause "collapse" of the grease. He stated to just grease more often to help clean out the different types of grease and prevent any wear from the collapse.

 

[1 FMF]

there seem to be 2 types of polyurea grease, polyurea by itself then "polyurea shear stable". What the actual difference is i don't know. but in all the grease compatibility charts i see the "poly" grease is incompatible with everything else while the "poly ss" is compatible with most others including all lithium type greases.

whether it matters depends on the application. If you're greasing a loaded bearing that runs hot and it's a high dollar piece of equipment then err on the safe side. But for a lawn mower deck- i'm guessing just greasing sliding pieces like the handle and mechanism that raises and lowers the cutting deck? you can probably mix every known grease and apply it with no problems, just keep some kind of grease on there to keep it lubed and protected from rusting. The subsequent applications of your poly grease will just push and flush out the old grease and be just fine.
As for the grease gun, pump a fair amount of new grease out to flush out the lithium grease.

 

[bruce381]

Quote:

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Bruce has stated that different greases may cause "collapse" of the grease. He stated to just grease more often to help clean out the different types of grease and prevent any wear from the collapse.

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Correct the word is "de gell"

unless grease added is what type is in always purge old grease.
bruce

 

[Jaybird]

A polyurea is normally used on motor bearings. It also is used lots in sealed bearing housings. Normally a synthetic base, long laster.
Mixed with a lithium or lithium complex it will more than likely cause a change in viscosity, and degrade the lithium based grease's reversability.

No great harm will come of this, especially on a lawnmower bearing.

I would have left the lithium grease in the gun.
The fact that the service gets done at all is probably much more important than the choice of product, with that application.

 

[Steve S]

There is a grease compatibility chart on the home page somewhere .It has been quite a while since I looked it up

 

[remmious]

From what I've seen most are on the fence about mixing polyurea and Lithium but I think you will be ok. Ya, we use polyurea at work on electric motors and a few high speed low load applications but I wouldn't recommend it for a lawn mower or really anything for at home use. A lithium complex is best for most applications and is fairly inexpensive.

 

[BOBISTHEOILGUY]

the chart is located in the first thread. along with alot of other good info about greases. if you do change greases do like suggested and purge out by frequently lubricating the deck. if will eventually take over as the primary grease and the old grease will no longer be a factor.