Does GC-LB indicate quality?

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I am looking for a new grease to replace Lucas Red-N-Tacky for wheel bearings and u-joints. Apparently Red-N-Tacky isn't that great of a grease. The manual for my truck says to use a "GC-LB" number 2 grease. However, it seems like everything at the parts store is rated GC-LB. Is it just a really easy standard to meet or are any of these greases acceptable?
 
GC-LB means that the required grease is rated for disc brake wheel bearings and has nothing to do with the quality of the grease. Greases can be researched by checking the lubricant suppliers websites and looking at the product information pages. If you stick with a GC-LB #2 grease from one of the major refiners, you will get a grease that will work for your applications.
 
Thanks for the reply! Do you have an opinion on Lucas Red-N-Tacky? I don't like it because it separated in my grease gun, but I have read on here that it isn't ideal for wheel bearings.
 
Originally Posted By: 46Harry
GC-LB means that the required grease is rated for disc brake wheel bearings and has nothing to do with the quality of the grease.

GC-LB denotes that it's acceptable for both chassis (LB) and wheel-bearing usage (GC). Additionally, ASTM D4950 sets out performance specifications:

Chassis: LA, LB
Wheel Bearing: GA, GB, GC

So a GC-LB grease has achieved the highest performance level, and is of higher quality than a lower-performing product.

Originally Posted By: mct75
Apparently Red-N-Tacky isn't that great of a grease.

Based on what data?
What applications are you using grease for?
 
I have read here that the tackifiers make it more useful for exposed gears on farm equipment and it is too thick for wheel bearings. My application is wheel bearings and u-joints on a Toyota Land Cruiser. The Land Cruiser folks love Valvoline Palladium for the CV joints, but wheel bearings are still debated on.
 
There was a post on MUD by one user who killed his front needle bearings by Palladium. Just one documented AFAIR. You may look and double check your manual in case it mandates NLGI consistency grade 1 for yours. I don't know which Cruiser you have. 80 series is less picky and most use NLGI #2, dealers use 'regular' MP grease from BG with no ill effects for their 30k service on the 100 series. Personally I use Chevron Delo ESI. It's LB only, exceeds EP requirements for GC, except for the low temperature floor. It's on MB-Approval 265.1 list, and I use it in everything in my Cruisers: U-joints, sliders and front wheels. If you want to stick to Toyota specs for the #1, Mobil XHP1 is a good extended service grease, that I also used with success, before standardizing everything on one grease.
Officially Chevron Specialist told me I could use Delo EP 2 in both sliders and U-joints and had no recommendation for the front wheel. Even though they have Delo EP 1.
I am not recommending anything, just sharing. Both previous 100s had over a million miles combined; if one is in cold climate, I would be hesitant to use the #2 in the front. Alabama is different..

P.S. last time a checked Palladium had a heavier ISO VG for its base oil and it wasn't a high temp bearing grease.
 
that was meant to be Mobil Mobilgrease XHP221 (not easy to get a single cartridge), Amsoil, Lubrication Engineers and Schaeffers may be easier to get in this case
 
Many good greases out there, even the Lucas for the most part. GC-LB applications are not exactly high tech or new specs. The problem with the Lucas greases is that they aren't really any better than the cheaper alternatives. Of course, I shouldn't be talking as I pay the extra for the valvoline Synpower instead of some of their other offerings. I like the mild moly content with the temp range to accomodate disc brake wheel bearings.
 
It is a Land Cruiser 80 series, FJ80. I recently rebuilt the front axle and put new grease in everything. FWIW the spindles have bushings and not needle bearings.

I used Valvoline "ford-lincoln-mercury moly-fortified multipurpose grease" in the Birfield CV joints, and the Lucas red-n-tacky in the wheel bearings and U-joints. I'm just paranoid that I didn't use good greases and it will [censored] out.
 
Thanks to Ramblejam for the alphabet soup explanation.

Red'n Tacky is not bad or [censored] grease. There are "better" ones and none are best for everything, although some are close. Weeping in the gun or oil separation happens with many greases and some say it is a necessary trait of good grease. It is a PIA in my humble opinion. What good can the lubricating oil do if it has leaked out all over the tool shelf or has soaked the case carton of tube? I shum Mobil One due to that trait, maybe missing an excellent grease in doing so.

prs
 
I have service vehicles and farm equipment I have to maintain, I sent several grease samples off to blackstone, Valvoline Cerulean came back with the best leaching properties. I have had zero failures since using it exclusively.
 
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