Hello all. I recently stumbled accross this forum seasrching for some alternatives for grease and was impressed very much with the knowledge you all seem to have. Here is my situation.

I own a small logging company in canada and for the most part most of our equipment can be regularily greased with the greases currently in my aresenal (mostly Chevron Delo but sometimes others as well) however we recently purchased two pieces of machinery that have several pivot points that are extemely difficult to grease regularly. The booms of these units are very high and cannot be reached except with a fall restaint system (installing extensions is not an option). So I guess my situation is that these units will have several main pivot points not being as regularily greased as the other spots.

I'm wondering if someone could recommend for me a grease that will STAY PUT for a very long time. Not that we expect to never grease it again, but realistically it needs to be able to stay in there longer than the current greases we have. If price is not an option what would be the absolute best grease for the following: pins on loaders, heavy weight but very little washout, air temps from -35C to +35C, very little overheating issues.
Is there something I currently own that may work well: Swepco 103 Moly H1 Plus, TRC 880 Crown and Chassis, Petro Can Precision Synthetic, King Oil Magnum Moly, Esso Epic 103, Chemtool HPLG. I can pretty much get all of these in 1's or 2's except the esso and Petro Can which are 1.5 synthetics.


Thanks in advance for your opinions

Hello jb2210,

based on the very little info you've provided, I would suggest a synthetic grease with high based oil viscosity (maybe ~500cSt). Having a solid lube present such as Moly would be good to have as well. For the timken load and water washout property, you should be looking at about >60lb and <2% respectively.

With this guide and compare with your current grease (which I'm not that familiar), I suppose there may be one or two that should work and meet your requirements.

Respectfully, a grease with a 500 cst base oil will not pump into the pins and bushings at temps below -10 C. I've tried it. Realistically you need to look at a different way of applying the grease. Most equipment manufacturers and companies that are now looking seriously at equipment reliability and uptime are using automated systems.

The basic premise of an automated system is to apply a small amount of lube, often. This maintains the volume of lubricant in the bearing that it actually requires as well as addresses issues like you are having. It also allows you to choose a product that will flow easier for cold temp application.

If you want more info let me know and I can put something together for you. If done right, it can be very ecomonical and the improvements in quality of lubrication can be very dramatic.

Dean.

The best grease I have found is manufactured by Chemtool.

I used to handle it on a limited basis but our customers are logging contractors like you and they seem to shy away because of the price.

I mentioned that using The Alph Overbased Calcium sulphonate grease with 5% moly in a grade #1 would reduce inventorys as it is an all season grease, will reduce wear 5 or 10 fold over traditional grease. (We have done test by greasing half of a machine once only in a 24hr period and applying the regular grease 3 times) the alpha grease stayed and did its job.)
Just check it out on Chemtools site, I may be bring more in based on customers requirements.

My suggestion would be one of the following. TRC's 880 Crown and Chassis grease, Moly 880 Crown and Chassis grease or Paragon 3000. The 880 C&C is our most popular, the Moly version is the same as the 880 C&C with 5% by volume of Moly added, for higher temp applications use the Paragon 3000. All three greases are extremely adhesive and cohesive (they stay put). Check the corporate website at www.texasrefinery.com and click on the International Sales link, then click on Canada. TRC has two manufacturing plants in Canada.

The challenge as I see it is that many of the highly tackified lubricants recommended by others are difficult to pump particularly in low temperatures. So while they may stay, ultimately the points will require regreasing.

The task is more apt to get done if the task is easy to do, consequently I have 2 suggestions:

Option 1- remote out the fittings using high pressure hydraulic tubing of at least 1/4-3.8" ID, bringing the lubrication points down to a header block accessible from the ground. Do not plan on using any of the heavily tackified lubricants mentioned as they have generally poor pumpability particularly when they have been sitting in a hose or tube at low temperatures. Use a grease with good pumpability (NLGI # 1/ high Timken OK load rating/ and low base oil viscosity ) and grease more often.

Option 2-already mentioned and the ultimate solution-install an automatic lubrication system that meters lubricant real time to the bearing surfaces in a dynamic state eliminating the man power,increasing safety of personnel and providing the best in bearing life. Here again though pumpability of the lubricant is an important characteristic that is required for success.