Modern grease longevity in application vs 30 years ago

[FerragamoNakamichi]

I'm re-lubing my 28 year old windshield wiper mechanism. The original grease that MB used at the time is gone/destroyed from the nylon gears, so at 28 years it's long overdue. I'm going to use Mercedes Gleitpaste, which is a $100 per 500 gram jar on eBay.

1. How long can I expect a modern Gleitpaste to last and perform in said windshield wiper mechanism?

2. What alternatives would you recommend for said application? How long can they be expected to last and perform?

 

[Lubener]

Myself, I would never spend that kind of money for such a small quantity of grease. I am not convinced it is any better or longer lasting than a well selected "other" grease. Lubriplate is what I use for such an application.

 

[Pelican]

I'm with Lubener, way too expensive and no doubt an excellent grease, but one can find other excellent greases for a LOT less $
and even if they are slightly inferior lube more often. The ONLY thing would be if in the mechanism there are parts made from something that requires this special grease.

 

[FerragamoNakamichi]

Myself, I would never spend that kind of money for such a small quantity of grease. I am not convinced it is any better or longer lasting than a well selected "other" grease. Lubriplate is what I use for such an application.

I have some leftover from a sunroof job. Mercedes specs Gleitpaste for it, so that's what I went with. What specific Lubriplate product would you use? How long will last and perform?

I'm with Lubener, way too expensive and no doubt an excellent grease, but one can find other excellent greases for a LOT less $
and even if they are slightly inferior lube more often. The ONLY thing would be if in the mechanism there are parts made from something that requires this special grease.

What specific product would you use on nylon gears? How long do you think it will last and perform?
Lubricating the mechanism more often is not a very attractive option, as the wiper mechanism needs to be completely extracted and then completely disassembled. It's a quite complex design from the 80s

 

[Spectre694]

If you have some leftover use it up. I'd be very surprised if it didn't last a number of years in those motors it is a very high quality grease.

Since your asking for alternatives though my choice would be Super-lube also a very high quality grease but cheaper and easier to find. GM specs it for their sunroofs.

 

[vwmaniaman]

SuperLube in a tube is enough for that job.

 

[RooflessVW]

You're using the correct grease; don't second guess it.

I'm always skeptical when people recommend an alternative that is "good enough" while simultaneously providing nothing to support their claim.

 

[Lubener]

You're using the correct grease; don't second guess it.

I'm always skeptical when people recommend an alternative that is "good enough" while simultaneously providing nothing to support their claim.

A lot of people cannot justify paying $100 for a can of grease. I have used Lubriplate on the metal and nylon gears I have encountered in the doors and wipers of my vehicles and never had a problem afterward. I believe the words Mercedes Benz on the can has much to do with the high cost, not the product.

 

[RooflessVW]

A lot of people cannot justify paying $100 for a can of grease. I have used Lubriplate on the metal and nylon gears I have encountered in the doors of my vehicles and never had a problem afterward. I believe the words Mercedes Benz on the can has much to do with the high cost, not the product.

But he already has it. It's paid for.

Why recommend something different if you don't know that it will be any better?

 

[Lubener]

But he already has it. It's paid for.

Why recommend something different if you don't know that it will be any better?

He quoted" I'm going to use Mercedes Gleitpaste, which is a $100 per 500 gram jar on eBay."
From that, it doesn't sound like he bought it yet. If he bought it already, why is he asking for opinions? Do you actually know if the grease he mentioned will actually work better? I had good results with what I suggested, if he wants to use the M.B. grease, that's up to him to decide, not you..

 

[FerragamoNakamichi]

If you have some leftover use it up. I'd be very surprised if it didn't last a number of years in those motors it is a very high quality grease.

Since your asking for alternatives though my choice would be Super-lube also a very high quality grease but cheaper and easier to find. GM specs it for their sunroofs.

Which one? All brands seem to have several "multi-use" greases, and super-lube is no exception

SuperLube in a tube is enough for that job.

Which one. Their site shows several variants... Thanks

You're using the correct grease; don't second guess it.

I'm always skeptical when people recommend an alternative that is "good enough" while simultaneously providing nothing to support their claim.

Oh, I'm not second-guessing Gleitpaste . Just was wondering how long it will last vs original grease which all spent after 28 years, and, secondly, was wondering, if I hadn't Gleitpaste on hand, what would have been a more than adequate alternative

 

[RooflessVW]

If I opened that wiper gearbox my instinct would be to use Mobilith SHC 100, as it is what I have on hand that I feel would be most appropriate.

How is the gearbox sealed?

 

[Spectre694]

Which one? All brands seem to have several "multi-use" greases, and super-lube is no exception

You'd want this one. It's the multipurpose nlgi2 with syncolon. You don't need ep or silicon for this application.

Harbor freight carries it in a 3oz tube.

 

[Dave9]

You're using the correct grease; don't second guess it.

I'm always skeptical when people recommend an alternative that is "good enough" while simultaneously providing nothing to support their claim.

... and I'm always skeptical when people pay a premium for what's normally a commodity item with no evidence that it's any better, and is not specified for lubing nylon gears!

Why recommend something different if you don't know that it will be any better?

Because if he didn't already have that grease leftover, it could easily be a waste of money. The flip side is you have no evidence that it works any better on nylon gears than grease costing a fraction as much, and it could easily be worse than some.

Are you aware that it's made by 3M and has same ingredients (except a dye color) as other products like their P55 dielectric grease? Yeah, I'd use any brand of silicone dielectric grease that's fairly tacky for nylon gears and not think twice about using some special high priced goop instead, unless I already had it which is the case here... but I never would have bought it for a sunroof either. Extremely expensive greases may be warranted for extreme applications. Sliding a sunroof or moving wipers back and forth, just aren't that extreme.

 

[Spectre694]

... and I'm always skeptical when people pay a premium for what's normally a commodity item with no evidence that it's any better, and is not specified for lubing nylon gears!



Because if he didn't already have that grease leftover, it could easily be a waste of money. The flip side is you have no evidence that it works any better on nylon gears than grease costing a fraction as much, and it could easily be worse than some.

Are you aware that it's made by 3M and has same ingredients (except a dye color) as other products like their P55 dielectric grease? Yeah, I'd use any brand of silicone dielectric grease that's fairly tacky for nylon gears and not think twice about using some special high priced goop instead, unless I already had it which is the case here... but I never would have bought it for a sunroof either. Extremely expensive greases may be warranted for extreme applications. Sliding a sunroof or moving wipers back and forth, just aren't that extreme.

Not getting in this argument just making a clarification.

Your thinking of the Mercedes silikonpaste. Gleitpaste is a different grease and is not a silicone based product. Gleitpaste has a soap thickener and is actually klueber GLY 151.

The special oil they use is Krytox GPL105 and that is a PFPE oil.

 

[RooflessVW]

Not getting in this argument just making a clarification.

Your thinking of the Mercedes silikonpaste. Gleitpaste is a different grease and is not a silicone based product. Gleitpaste has a soap thickener and is actually klueber GLY 151.

The special oil they use is Krytox GPL105 and that is a PFPE oil.

Been a long time since I've seen Klueber mentioned.

They made the grease for the G-Lader. Same as Gleitpaste, you'd typically get it in film canisters from resellers due to the cost.

 

[Spectre694]

Been a long time since I've seen Klueber mentioned.

They made the grease for the G-Lader. Same as Gleitpaste, you'd typically get it in film canisters from resellers due to the cost.

Yep they're still around mostly lubes for high end industrial and still very very expensive.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I’m with everyone else I would not spend that much on grease ever. Of course it’s your car so you can use it but I would find an alternative grease.

 

[FerragamoNakamichi]

Not getting in this argument just making a clarification.

Your thinking of the Mercedes silikonpaste. Gleitpaste is a different grease and is not a silicone based product. Gleitpaste has a soap thickener and is actually klueber GLY 151.

The special oil they use is Krytox GPL105 and that is a PFPE oil.

Been a long time since I've seen Klueber mentioned.

They made the grease for the G-Lader. Same as Gleitpaste, you'd typically get it in film canisters from resellers due to the cost.

Don't you guys feel lonely in America, sometimes? :

I’m with everyone else I would not spend that much on grease ever. Of course it’s your car so you can use it but I would find an alternative grease.

1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle with 1971 Body Valvoline VR1 20W-50, no oil filter of course
1989 Mazda B2200 2.2 I4 Castrol GTX 10W-40, Bosch 3323 and Napa Platinum Filter
1990 Mazda B2200 2.2 I4 Castrol GTX 10W-40, Castrol GTX 20W-50, Pennzoil Conventional 10W-40, Valvoline VR1 20W-50, Filter undecided yet.
1994 Ford Econoline E150 5.8 V8 Pennzoil Conventional 10W-40, Motorcraft FL1A
2001 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 I6 Pennzoil Conventional 10W-30, Wix and Bosch filter.
2004 Toyota Camry 2.4 I4 Valvoline 5W-30 High Mileage and Castrol GTX Ultraclean 5W-30 Synthetic Blend Purolator or OEM filter
2008 Ford Escape 3.0 V6 Valvoline 5W-20 High Mileage, Motorcraft FL820S
2017 Toyota Camry 2.5 I4 Mobil 1 0W-20, Mobil 1 Filter

 

[FerragamoNakamichi]

How is the gearbox sealed?

It's a 2 aluminum covers sandwich. Then that sandwich sits on a shaft, that's connected to an aluminum "base". That base is connected via a convoluted "lever" to a motor. There is also a one-piece seal that's, almost permanently integrated. It's a mono-wiper design: