Question Grease

[f_250pstroke02]

What type of grease are the do-it-yourself guys using to lube up the frontend of a 4x4?

 

[DaveBen]

General purpose grease for ball joints and Tie Rod ends. I use wheel Bearing grease for U joints.

Dave

 

[JLDickmon]

I use wheel bearing grease for everything..
that way I only have to buy one product.
make sure you get the high drip point stuff (usually red in color)

 

[iracemine]

I use wheel bearing grease for everything..
that way I only have to buy one product.
make sure you get the high drip point stuff (usually red in color)

hey I got the ford stuff the other day and its black in color. I would like to know what the red stuff is better how. and why is my black grease black? how do you tell when is bad?

 

[dpantazis]

IRM- what does the label say?
only bad grease is when its dried and crusty or not there.

 

[JLDickmon]

hey I got the ford stuff the other day and its black in color. I would like to know what the red stuff is better how. and why is my black grease black? how do you tell when is bad?

The red stuff is STICKY; Clings to everything.. including clothes.. was GM spec wheel bearing grease for quite a while.

Red is red and black is black because of dye the manufacturer put in it.. like the difference between highway diesel and off-road..

just check the specs.. may be right on the tube..
get the highest drop point you can find..

IIRC, the highest shear strength grease is barium. Followed my molybdenum and the lightest is lithium (white grease). Grease starts as an extremely thick liquid lubricant, and then the metallic "soaps" are added for anti-heat, anti-friction, anti-wear and anti-oxidation properties.

Dennis is right, "bad" grease is excessively dry and crusty, grease that has been contaminated with moisture is milky and opaque

Grease that's been overheated in use looks like gorilla snot...

 

[f100cleveland]

I've heard your not supposed to use moly grease in u-joints so I'm sticking to the red stuff.

 

[Bolt]

hey I got the ford stuff the other day and its black in color. I would like to know what the red stuff is better how. and why is my black grease black? how do you tell when is bad?

I think what you are referring to that some others tried to answer but didn't understand the question is that with black grease you can't tell if you've purged all the old grease out when greasing because the color doesn't change. That's why many people prefer a red grease.

I use a red NLGI-2 Chevron grease on almost everything, drivelines, equipment and such. We go through 6-8 tubes a week, and have very few failures, and I can't say that they are grease related. Any good grease applied when needed (preferably before) will do the trick.

 

[iracemine]

IRM- what does the label say?
only bad grease is when its dried and crusty or not there.

AutoZone.com | Lubricant/Grease | 14.1oz.(399.728g.)Ford,LincolnandMercuryvehiclesMulti-Purposegreasetube I hope this link works.

and bolt. yeah in my work we can check grease by simply checking color for contaminates, and type/manufacture. but if the people select the red, I think I am just going to toss this stuff and go back and get the red stuff.

thanks guys, I just thought I read some were on here grease dont matter grease is grease. but maybe I just went too far with that. I mean im not going to go by some crazy stuff now just the red stuff.