grease that can be safely mixed

[rhondas]

I want to grease the CV axle joints on my car before I repair the boot.
I have the black molybdenum grease , and the red shell wheel bearing thick grease, can I mix them or just get a new cartridge of the black lithium grease. I dont quit get the difference between the white wheel bearing grease the marine boat trailer bearing grease ,and the hi temp wheel bearing grease amber in color , maybe some one can give me some help . I'm sooner or later going to change out the axles but I wanted some grease for this temporary fix for now because IM repairing the boot.

 

[Quest]

If the grease inside your CV boot is not contaminated, granted, there's still some good grease inside, might as well repack with a fresh new boot and then go from there.

It's devastating enough to put incompatible grease into your CV boot, letting alone a partial/incomplete repacking job that has moisture and/or grit in them.

Whenever I perform a repack with a boot, I'd always take apart the joints and then wash away the old grease with solvent, dry thoroughly before repacking with fresh new CV grease (typically, the black pouch typically comes with a CV boot kit works just fine). I don't mix different grease.

Q.

 

[Ken2]

There are three parts to grease:
The base (thickener) which is a "soap", or a clay, or other product.
The oil, either conventional or synthetic.
The additives...moly, teflon, graphite, tackifiers, dye, etc.

It is the base that can be incompatible with other bases. Because you don't know the base of the grease presently in that CV joint, it is only prudent to completely clean it and re-grease it. I think CV joints need moly for the protection to sliding parts--use a grease specifically suitable for CV joints.

Here's an article about grease compatibility. If you search for "grease compatibility" you'll get more articles and charts.
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1865/grease-compatibility

 

[SwedishRider]

Here is a really awesome grease compatibility chart: http://www.amsoil.com/products/grease/greasecompatibilitychart.pdf

 

[Boczech]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
There are three parts to grease:
The base (thickener) which is a "soap", or a clay, or other product.
The oil, either conventional or synthetic.
The additives...moly, teflon, graphite, tackifiers, dye, etc.

It is the base that can be incompatible with other bases. Because you don't know the base of the grease presently in that CV joint, it is only prudent to completely clean it and re-grease it. I think CV joints need moly for the protection to sliding parts--use a grease specifically suitable for CV joints.

Here's an article about grease compatibility. If you search for "grease compatibility" you'll get more articles and charts.
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1865/grease-compatibility


Thanks for sharing that break down on the grease makeup. Very much appreciated !!!

B

 

[camelCase]

Take some of each grease and mix them in a cup. If they stay thick and "greasy", then you're good to go. If they get runny or nasty, then they are incompatible.

 

[rrguy]

Granted its always good to purge out old contaiminated grease, even when adding new same type grease.

Yet, The two main greases not compatible with your common lithium (soap base greases) would be clay (high temp used in boilers etc...) or polyurear used in some electric motors etcc. They are special type ind greases, You are not normally going to run into them in that or application. Incomaptible will either get runny or bound up. Granted you may never be sure what somone put in there before you another reason to remove old grease. Flip side sometimes its not practical getting all that grease out.