Grease for Open/Unsealed Bearings - Recommendations?

[Carlostrece]

My 3 wheel mobility scooter head tube bearings are unsealed, open bearings of adjustable type like bicycle headtube bearings, but much lower to the ground because the front tire diameter is 9 inches. I avoid gravel roads and stay on pavement as much as possible to reduce exposure to dust. I occasionally get caught in rain storms and rain water gets into the headtube bearings.

The headtube bearings last 3-4 years using cheap Fram grease in a small can that a neighbor gave me years ago. My scooter is souped up and 65% faster than stock. I have upgraded batteries that allow me to drive 6+ miles round trips in city (on shoulder of roads, sidewalks, going up/down handicapped access ramps).

The roads and sidewalks are often quite bumpy for the 9 inch diameter front tire. The tire is foam filled (not pneumatic). So lots of hard bumps and hits cause frequent shock loads for the tiny BB size bearings.

The tackier the grease the better for staying put in the unsealed, open bearings which get frequent shock loads. Needs to hold up in rainy/wet circumstances. Op temp range 25F-110F. If possible, I'd like the bearings with good grease to last 8+ years. Cheap grease has only lasts 3-4 years.

What would be the best grease to use next time (when I replace the bearings again)? Conventional or synthetic base oil? What type thickener and additives? What brand/model of grease?

 

[facility1]

easy found is mystk grease high temp (red), you can get at Walmart at a decent price they have either can or tube.

 

[ripcord]

Polyurea grease would be a good choice as it tends to not dry out as fast. It's one of the most waterproof types as well.

 

[ls1mike]

I run Lucas Red N Tacky in all of my trailer bearings. It has always worked well.

 

[Carlostrece]

Thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like some good ideas.

For anyone who just started reading here... I'm looking for a grease that does not dry out, not separate, is very tacky so it stays in open bearings, tolerates occasional rain water, and tolerates frequent shock loads on BB size bearings when I hit bumps at 65% faster than stock speed (souped up scooter).

There is some dust exposure. I dry to avoid dusty unpaved roads, but sometimes dust is unavoidable. The front tire is 9 inches diameter. So the headtube and its open bearings are only 12-14 inches above the ground. i.e. - close the road where dust flys around.

The good news it's a low speed application because the steering column is turned slowly, and there's no heat.

 

[Nessism1]

Some sort of marine bearing grease would work. Designed to tolerate water, and medium thick. Most auto parts stores sell it.

 

[Carlostrece]

Polyurea grease would be a good choice as it tends to not dry out as fast. It's one of the most waterproof types as well.

Any particular brand? Where to buy?

 

[Carlostrece]

Some sort of marine bearing grease would work. Designed to tolerate water, and medium thick. Most auto parts stores sell it.

How is marine wheel bearing grease for not drying out, and for not separating?

Why isn't marine grease used in everything?

 

[crashz]

I like Amsoil grease and love Texas Refinery 880 Crown and Chassis. But any fresh grease is better than old grease or compromised grease.

Since your rig is a hot rod, what about tapping the head tube withe a grease fitting? Then you could occasionally pump fresh grease into the tube and it would evacuate the old dirty grease.

 

[Zee09]

Burger King ripped me off yesterday. Can you help me here

 

[crashz]

My advice still applies. Replace with clean, untainted grease!

 

[Nessism1]

How is marine wheel bearing grease for not drying out, and for not separating?

Why isn't marine grease used in everything?

Sorry, I'm not a grease expert. What I do know is that marine grease is designed to not wash out if it gets wet. I suspect there are some added features to make this a reality, and not all greases need such provisions.

Going to back pedal a little too, and recommend this stuff. It's designed for bicycle applications, it resists water, and seems like a good option for a bicycle style headset like yours.

 

[Carlostrece]

Sorry, I'm not a grease expert. What I do know is that marine grease is designed to not wash out if it gets wet. I suspect there are some added features to make this a reality, and not all greases need such provisions.

Going to back pedal a little too, and recommend this stuff. It's designed for bicycle applications, it resists water, and seems like a good option for a bicycle style headset like yours.

View attachment 306616

Interesting. That's now two people recommending poly-urea grease.

 

[Carlostrece]

Since your rig is a hot rod, what about tapping the head tube with a grease fitting? Then you could occasionally pump fresh grease into the tube and it would evacuate the old dirty grease.

That's an interesting idea. I'll ask my cousin look into the feasability of doing that. He's the one who'd do it.

 

[Carlostrece]

Burger King ripped me off yesterday. Can you help me here

I'll do what I can.

 

[Carlostrece]

Here's some history:

In stock form, my scooter's original head tube bearings had only a little motor oil on them from the manufacturer. That didn't last long. The bearings were dry at 1.5 years, destroyed at 2 years.

2nd set of bearings got Crisco vegetable shortening (veggie gease) because a neighbor gave me the Crisco for free (and nothing else was available at the time). The bearings lasted 3 years.

3rd set of bearings got Fram wheel bearing grease because a neighbor gave it to me for free (and nothing else was available at the time). Those bearings are 3 years old now. The headtube started getting loose a month ago (worn bearings). So my cousin tightened the headtube adjustment nut to remove the slack in the worn bearings. Working well again (after tightening adjustment nut). I expect them to last 1-2 more years for a total of 4-5 years.

4th set of (future) bearings will get the best grease I can buy for the application. Whatever that is? Hopefully then the bearings will last 8+ years using the best available grease for the application.

 

[Carlostrece]

I might also have a zirc fitting added.

I'm also wondering if I can buy higher quality bearings balls? The OEM bearings balls are cheap Chinesium that aren't as smooth and round as I'd like, and probably not as hardened as much as they could/should be.

Maybe I could go to a local bike shop and buy high quality ball bearings of appropriate size. I can't get quality ball bearings from a mobility scooter store. Not even from a mobility scooter repair or parts store, but maybe from a bicycle shop that sells and repairs highend bikes?

 

[boom10ful]

Thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like some good ideas.

For anyone who just started reading here... I'm looking for a grease that does not dry out, not separate, is very tacky so it stays in open bearings, tolerates occasional rain water, and tolerates frequent shock loads on BB size bearings when I hit bumps at 65% faster than stock speed (souped up scooter).

There is some dust exposure. I dry to avoid dusty unpaved roads, but sometimes dust is unavoidable. The front tire is 9 inches diameter. So the headtube and its open bearings are only 12-14 inches above the ground. i.e. - close the road where dust flys around.

The good news it's a low speed application because the steering column is turned slowly, and there's no heat.

We use Fuchs Renolit Pep-2 grease at work and that stuff is super robust. It is very hard to get rid of once it's on your skin and hair too it doesn't dry out like other greases and we use it on wheel bearings to ball joints and king pins.

 

[Sceptichymist]

From what I've seen, most marine greases are either lithium complex thickeners with added polymers for water resistance, or calcium sulfonate thickeners that have some inherent water resistance. The lithium thickeners would probably be stickier, but the calcium sulfonate will probably have less oil bleed and may not dry out as much. Either style might be worth trying. Marine greases tend to be more expensive, which may be why they're not as widely used. It shouldn't be horrible though, maybe $10/tube at big box stores.

Polyurea would probably also work as ripcord said.

If temperature is not a concern, then it probably doesn't matter if you use mineral or synthetic base oil.

 

[blain450]

It's been a while since I went down the "grease" rabbit hole. I came out the other side with Lucas X-TRA Heavy Duty.
From what I remember, it boiled down to chemistry and heavy equipment maintenance testimonials from the interwebs.
If memory serves, the candidates were X-TRA Heavy Duty, Red N Tacky, CAT Extreme Application 1 or 2.