Grease Incompatibility

[wrcsixeight]

I just loaded some Redline cv-2 into my grease gun.

The previous tube was Napa Multi purpose wheel bearing and chassis grease.

On the Napa tube it says to worry about incompatibility problems with greases of different soap bases.

I was intending the CV-2 for my Newish Steering components and U joints, but am getting ready to repack my bearings too.

I bought a tub of Valvoline Synpower vv986 for the wheel bearings,

But nothing is set in stone.

What is the consensus of topping off the ball joints, idler arms, U joints and Tierods with the CV-2 on top of the Napa multipurpose grease, and whatever they were lubed with from the factory?

 

[Boomer]

http://www.finalube.com/reference_material/grease_compatibility_chart.htm

This is a chart that will show the compatibility/incompatibility of greases.

 

[Tempest]

When greases are incompatible, they "degel" and revert (to various degrees) back to a liquid. If you are going to change the grease type, relube more often to help push the old grease out.

 

[wrcsixeight]

Thank you for the chart, it's bookmarked. Now to figure out the Ashland and Redline bases.

HOw long would this Degel take to occur? Could I do an experiment or would heat and churning and a significant portion of time be necessary to tell?

 

[Tempest]

Don't know. That is probably highly variable on the greases and conditions. I would imagine that high heat would make it worse as this tends to thin out greases anyway.

 

[wrcsixeight]

Well apparently the Degel takes about a month.

I have red drips of oil hanging from all the vertical zerks and wet spots on the asphalt under them.

The redline cv-2 is red.

 

[Tempest]

Thanks for the info. I would get some more grease in there ASAP.

 

[wrcsixeight]

Yea, I forsee myself greasing the zerks very often from here on out. I wish 2 of the TRE's did not require moving the wheel lock to lock to attach the gun, all the other zerks are easily accessable.

 

[Ken2]

Telephone Redline. They will know if mixing the greases is a problem. Please let us know their answer.

 

[Zero]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
When greases are incompatible, they "degel" and revert (to various degrees) back to a liquid. If you are going to change the grease type, relube more often to help push the old grease out.


It goes just a little further than that; when an aluminum based grease is mixed with a lithium based grease, a chemical reaction starts to occur and it begins to attack (soften) the metal it comes in contact with.

 

[Tempest]

Originally Posted By: Zero
Originally Posted By: Tempest
When greases are incompatible, they "degel" and revert (to various degrees) back to a liquid. If you are going to change the grease type, relube more often to help push the old grease out.


It goes just a little further than that; when an aluminum based grease is mixed with a lithium based grease, a chemical reaction starts to occur and it begins to attack (soften) the metal it comes in contact with.

I've never heard of that one. Can you please provide a link to more information?

 

[Zero]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
Originally Posted By: Zero
Originally Posted By: Tempest
When greases are incompatible, they "degel" and revert (to various degrees) back to a liquid. If you are going to change the grease type, relube more often to help push the old grease out.


It goes just a little further than that; when an aluminum based grease is mixed with a lithium based grease, a chemical reaction starts to occur and it begins to attack (soften) the metal it comes in contact with.

I've never heard of that one. Can you please provide a link to more information?


http://www.tribology-abc.com/abc/grease.htm#top

Hope this helps.

 

[Tempest]

Originally Posted By: Zero
Originally Posted By: Tempest
Originally Posted By: Zero
Originally Posted By: Tempest
When greases are incompatible, they "degel" and revert (to various degrees) back to a liquid. If you are going to change the grease type, relube more often to help push the old grease out.


It goes just a little further than that; when an aluminum based grease is mixed with a lithium based grease, a chemical reaction starts to occur and it begins to attack (soften) the metal it comes in contact with.

I've never heard of that one. Can you please provide a link to more information?


http://www.tribology-abc.com/abc/grease.htm#top

Hope this helps.

I am familiar with all of that. I don't see anything about softening metal?

 

[Zero]

The softening of the metal was an "Engineering" article from NLGI I was given by one of our District Engineers. As well as I can remember, it didn't specify how quickly the metal softened.

If I can find the article, I would be more than happy to scan and email it to you.

It may be possible to do some internet snooping/research or email NLGI with your questions; www.NLGI.org