Wanted, grease tutorial

Home Back

Wanted, grease tutorial

by bbroj on 01 Jul, 2012 06:24
I just took apart the swingarm and cleaned and packed the bearings and reassembled. The book, and lots of folks here, say to use molybdenum disulfide grease. So, I went to the parts store and bought a tub of "Moly" lube. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/MP02/90366/N0417.oap?ck=Search_N0417_-1_-1&pt=N0417&ppt=C0139
After doing the project I looked at the ingredients, no molybdenum disulfide, basically lithium. So what is/are the differences and why choose one over another? Also, I asked the sales guy for "molybdenum disulfide" grease, and not surprisingly he said "we have moly lube" and handed me the tub I eventually went home with. Should I be concerned about the bearings I just lubed (I did thououghly clean them out, there is no mixing of lubes going on)? Where can I find the real thing, is it a bike shop specific item?

Thanks!

Reply #1

by T Cro ® on 01 Jul, 2012 06:41
Wheel bearings as well as steering stem and wheel bearings are well served with "EP2 Wheel Bearing Grease" which is a lithium "soap" based general purpose grease. The drive shaft sliding joint as well as the wheel drive gear is really the only place that you need to use the "Moly" base grease due to the centrifugal forces flinging out the grease.

What you bought and used is fine for what you used it on.

Reply #2

by bbroj on 01 Jul, 2012 06:55
Good to know, thanks. The real "moly" paste I assume is designed to cling better under centrifugal loads?

Reply #3

by T Cro ® on 01 Jul, 2012 07:33
Quote from: bbroj on July 01, 2012, 06:55:12 AM
Good to know, thanks. The real "moly" paste I assume is designed to cling better under centrifugal loads?

Yep and even if the carrier flings out some of the moly remains on the metal where the gears or splines mesh and provides a barrier between metal to metal contact.

Reply #4

by redzgrider on 01 Jul, 2012 08:20
Your question brought my own questions to mind, so I wanted to see if I could find some explanations. Found this via the all knowing Google:
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/798/grease-selection
and have already garnered more knowledge than ever before. Will probably make my next grease purchase occur significatnly sooner (I doubt I'll trust what I have on hand) and significantly more expensive -- though, really, how much can even really, really good grease cost?

You're not logged in

Are you sure?