Grease

[rickpaulos]

Not the movie.

About 12 years ago our local bike coop got a 25 pound bag of used grease. The local printer (large scale) routinely changed out the grease in their big printing press that was used for countless newspapers. It was great stuff. No signs of any contamination. We ran out a couple years ago so I've been trying out other auto greases. IMO the bike industry sells grease but there is no way the bike companies refine or engineer any grease formulas. I'm sure it's bought from the major refineries and just repackaged for bike shop sales. Here are 3 brands of auto products I've tried out.

Mystik Clear. This is very sticky stuff. So sticky some of the bike coop volunteers refuse to touch it with their bare fingers. If you drop a part, it will grab any filth nearby so you have start over.

Valvoline Multi-Vehicle red. Also very sticky, nearly as bad as the Mystik clear. Good for 1-piece cranks and coaster hubs and cheap bike headsets.

Lucas X-TR Heavy Duty Grease green. Pretty nice. Similar to Phil Wood grease but creamier. Perhaps the Phil has more air in it due to the repackaging into squeeze tubes. My local Autozone only has it in tubes. Guess I could just shoot it into the empty tub I have.

Decades ago when I worked in bike shops the standard was Campagnolo white lithium grease. Well after pulling campy hubs, bbs and headsets apart after years, it was a yellow glue. No more. Phil Wood grease was then the preferred grease. Phil Wood sold an injector kit for some bearings so it had to be free of lumps.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I use the hardware store brand white grease. It has good enough water resistance, not too sticky, smooth enough that I was able to use a BBQ injector to squeeze it into tight spaces.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I am a big fan of Lucas products in general, but I was really sold when I found out that several of my companies locations had switched from using Timken grease on some of the equipment to using Lucas products. We are talking high force, high yield equipment running 24/5 in most cases.

 

[Kevin B]

I got a tub of this from Amazon and really like it. The temp. thing is overkill but at $5 it was their best deal. $7.99 now.

 

[Wayne]

I am a big fan of Lucas products in general, but I was really sold when I found out that several of my companies locations had switched from using Timken grease on some of the equipment to using Lucas products. We are talking high force, high yield equipment running 24/5 in most cases.

View attachment 282279

This is the type grease I use at work. Very good for all applications. Does not dry out or get runny.

White lithium grease is usually for sliding parts. As stated it dries out, which is okay for sliding parts, it stays put. Not the best for ball or roller bearings.

 

[GeePig]

I use this grease, I found it here on the farm when we bought it, for use on wagon and agricultural bearings, and the inevitable bicycles.

 

[Kevin B]

Not the movie.

About 12 years ago our local bike coop got a 25 pound bag of used grease. The local printer (large scale) routinely changed out the grease in their big printing press that was used for countless newspapers. It was great stuff. No signs of any contamination. We ran out a couple years ago so I've been trying out other auto greases. IMO the bike industry sells grease but there is no way the bike companies refine or engineer any grease formulas. I'm sure it's bought from the major refineries and just repackaged for bike shop sales. Here are 3 brands of auto products I've tried out.

Mystik Clear. This is very sticky stuff. So sticky some of the bike coop volunteers refuse to touch it with their bare fingers. If you drop a part, it will grab any filth nearby so you have start over.

Valvoline Multi-Vehicle red. Also very sticky, nearly as bad as the Mystik clear. Good for 1-piece cranks and coaster hubs and cheap bike headsets.

Lucas X-TR Heavy Duty Grease green. Pretty nice. Similar to Phil Wood grease but creamier. Perhaps the Phil has more air in it due to the repackaging into squeeze tubes. My local Autozone only has it in tubes. Guess I could just shoot it into the empty tub I have.

Decades ago when I worked in bike shops the standard was Campagnolo white lithium grease. Well after pulling campy hubs, bbs and headsets apart after years, it was a yellow glue. No more. Phil Wood grease was then the preferred grease. Phil Wood sold an injector kit for some bearings so it had to be free of lumps.

"Not the movie"

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

Same as rick, I used Campy grease then Phil for decades.

I've been using Quicksilver marine grease 2-4-C with PTFE in a tube purchased at my local chain auto parts store. It has a terrible smell but is working well.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Same as rick, I used Campy grease then Phil for decades.

I've been using Quicksilver marine grease 2-4-C with PTFE in a tube purchased at my local chain auto parts store. It has a terrible smell but is working well.

View attachment 282320

Smells like death (even worse when it gets burnt) but does work well

 

[Bike from the Dead]

I use Park Tool Polylube 1000 bicycle grease, as it's what my favorite LBS carries, and the small nozzle helps me get grease in spots I couldn't reach otherwise, but I'm having trouble with the last tube I bought.

For some reason, I just can't get any of it to come out of the tube without pressing all my weight down on it, and even then it only oozes out a minuscule amount. It's far from empty, and the nozzle is cut open wider than I ever needed to on my previous grease tubes, but I still could only get enough grease out to coat a thin layer on the bearing cups before I inserted them into the frame. The grease itself doesn't feel any different than before, as it spreads the same as I'm used to, but I just can't make any progress greasing my bearings and other components when I need to literally stand on the tube just to get anything to come out!

Does anybody here know what's wrong with my tube of Park Tool grease? I'd hate to go out and buy another tube of grease when I still have enough left to build at least 2 more bikes.

 

[rickpaulos]

You might have sucked a ball bearing in when applying grease to a hub. Try a spoke to clear the nozzle.

Visited 4 stores today, my local auto stores are only carrying grease in 12 oz tubes for grease guns. At least I can see what the grease looks and feels like. It's not sealed up like some 1 pound tubs I've bought before. Lucas Oil (not the same as Lucas) is still in business despite shutting down their California operations. All made in Indiana now.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

You might have sucked a ball bearing in when applying grease to a hub. Try a spoke to clear the nozzle.

It was like this from the moment I got it. No ball bearings sucked in at all. I stuck a wire down in it to see if that would fix it, but no luck so far. I'll just try again tomorrow and see if I get a different result.

 

[twojs.bike]

It was like this from the moment I got it. No ball bearings sucked in at all. I stuck a wire down in it to see if that would fix it, but no luck so far. I'll just try again tomorrow and see if I get a different result.

Funny you mention this. I use the same park tool grease except I buy it in a tub. I have the same issue you describe when i fill my handheld grease gun with it. I have to unscrew the nozzle and degrease the nozzle to get it work. Then a few days later the same issue. I was thinking my gun was faulty but maybe it is the grease. I will fill the gun with different grease next time.

I keep a small artist paint brush in the tub of grease. Life changing shop hack. I can grease most things with the brush and not get my hands greasy.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Funny you mention this. I use the same park tool grease except I buy it in a tub. I have the same issue you describe when i fill my handheld grease gun with it. I have to unscrew the nozzle and degrease the nozzle to get it work. Then a few days later the same issue. I was thinking my gun was faulty but maybe it is the grease. I will fill the gun with different grease next time.

I keep a small artist paint brush in the tub of grease. Life changing shop hack. I can grease most things with the brush and not get my hands greasy.

I might have to try that at some point.

 

[Da Gas Man]

Suppository perhaps?

 

[clamdigger]

Good topic,thanks. When I first learned how to pack car wheel bearings back in the 60's working in a gas station and only saw drum brakes, the tub specifically said wheel bearing grease. So I now use Castrol "wheel bearing grease" NLGI#2 Lithium complex grease. I find that it migrates less and has the look and viscosity of dark petroleum jelly. When I discovered Lucas Red & Tacky it was marketed as formulated for boat trailer wheel bearings that get submerged in water, so that it doesn't wash out. I find that to to have higher rolling resistance. I use Lucas X-TRA Heavy Duty Grease ( the blue sheen thinner high temp grease) in the hub of coaster brakes for the heat . With this method I do not get the growling sound often reported in low gear of my Bendix Red Band 2 speed kickback hubs.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

Suppository perhaps?

Well I have been joking that it could use a laxative!

 

[ratcycle]

I use for everything bike related is Pro gold epx grease and rock and roll red devil

 

[us56456712]

I go to the hardware store and buy a tub of trailer axle bearing grease. No Walmart here, which is always the cheapest place to buy automotive fluids.

 

[rickpaulos]

Today's find.

Mystic #2 blue jt6 marine multi purpose grease. $5.99 per 16 ounce tub at Farm & Fleet. Temp rating of 250F which is fine for bikes. Marine grade is more waterproof which is what we want for bikes. No where near as sticky and obnoxious as the Mystic clear General Purpose Grease, green tub, in post 1.

I was reading up on rebuilding Honda automatic transmissions and some rebuilders use a grease called Assemblee Goo that dissolves out the first time you run the engine. Talk about low temps.

Phil Wood is now $17 per 3 ounce tube.

Park Tool $10 per 4 oz tube.

Parking Tool $9 per tube (chinese knock off) "Parking Tool Grease 50ml Door Hinge Oil Waterproof for Bicycle apposite"

I looked up the Amalee blue grease. $12 per tub plus another $12 shipping. No thanks. The best deal was to buy a 12 pack for $77. I don't think I'd ever use that much.

Its a matter of what local stores stock something suitable at the time. The trend now seems to be grease in cartridges (less for more) and most stores are only carrying 1 brand. Most are running $8 to $12 for 12 ounces.