Axle Grease...what do I use?

[f5moab]

Originally Posted by NorSnrub

If you are useing zirk, don't pump gun more than 2 or 3 times to prevent grease blow out. It is best to repack by hand.

I pump till grease starts coming out around the nut and on a first pump (new trailer, new seals, etc., it will take usually around 3/4 of a tube. So a lot more than 3 pumps. And never had any problems with a seal blowing out.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by moondog2000

Lucas Red N Tacky is a lithium base grease and lucas Green N tacky has a polyurea base and you do not want to mix them according to the e-mail lucas sent me. I use red n tacky and it works well in everything I own.

This could be true I do not doubt you thats why I make sure that the color coming out is different so I know it's all changed. Never had a problem yet they both meet the specs. (or atleast I thought they did by the label) I don't know why they said that both have the same specs, but green is used more for farm equipment and heavy duty stuff..

[moondog2000]

At 19 yrs old a friend and I sat in a boat with a burned out bearing in the middle of the desert coming back from the Colorado river while the adults went for parts. It was 107 and they took 7 hrs.The only water was an ice chest with a couple inches of water in the bottom. I take no chances with anything. All the bolts on the hitch have locktight and cotter pins,In june before I drive to the GC I pull the caps off the hubs and pump grease till It comes out clean. If there is no metal in the grease and its not burnt and theres no play in the bearings I call it good. I carry a spare drum and a couple pairs of bearings. I also carry 2 spare tires. I have over 40 yrs of towing stuff, Boats, Sand toys and now a travel trailer. Mixing grease is ok as long as they have the same base. I also carry a fluke temp gun and check tires and bearing hubs every pit stop.Green and red have the same specs as far as temp and load but the base is different.Send lucas a e-mail and they will tell you not to mix the greases. you can also check www.nigi.org and www.astm.org for some good info.

[Witch Doctor]

Sorry I'm Still confused, Both the red and green match the specs that they call for. Both say NLGI and GC-CB with a 540 drop temp, I think the service manual from AL-KO recommends any NLGI The difference as it states on Lukas is that the green is heavy Duty. I haven't had a problem in 4 years. In fact I pumped my hubs full with Red n tacky right over the factory water grease that the unit came with, they were never full when I got it new. When I bought the unit I think it was Herk that told me to check because they come low from the factory, I don't have the slightest idea what the factory uses but it like chocolate milk.....

[f5moab]

From AL-KO owner's manual:
Use a high temperature, automotive type wheel bearing grease
produced by a reputable manufacturer. The soap type should be lithium
complex or equivalent. Use NLGI Grade 2 product with a minimum
dropping point of 440o F.

Red is Lithium Complex, Green is Polyurea. Polyurea are NOT compatible with any other type of grease, or that is what I have read and been told.

If removing a hub and bearings and completely cleaning I would imagine it would not make a difference, but pumping via the AL-KO Ultrulube system (looks just like an EZ-Lube system to me), can leave some of the old grease inside.

I used to switch between Royal purple and Mobil 1 and after three years, when I swapped out the brake to self-adjusters, and having used Mobil 1 for the last three pumpings through the Ultrulube system, there was still some purple grease mixed with the red Mobile 1 in there; not much but some.

Will a small amount of red mixed with green or green mixed with red cause a major problem? No Idea!

As for the factory, I would be the axles/hubs were shipped fully assembled from AL-KO and Forest River just slaps them under the trailer, so I would guess that AL-KO would use the exact same oil as they say should be used in their owner's manual. I would guess it is purchased in giant 55 gallon drums, but have no idea who makes it.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by f5moab

From AL-KO owner's manual:
Use a high temperature, automotive type wheel bearing grease
produced by a reputable manufacturer. The soap type should be lithium
complex or equivalent. Use NLGI Grade 2 product with a minimum
dropping point of 440o F.

Red is Lithium Complex, Green is Polyurea. Polyurea are NOT compatible with any other type of grease, or that is what I have read and been told.

If removing a hub and bearings and completely cleaning I would imagine it would not make a difference, but pumping via the AL-KO Ultrulube system (looks just like an EZ-Lube system to me), can leave some of the old grease inside.

I used to switch between Royal purple and Mobil 1 and after three years, when I swapped out the brake to self-adjusters, and having used Mobil 1 for the last three pumpings through the Ultrulube system, there was still some purple grease mixed with the red Mobile 1 in there; not much but some.

Will a small amount of red mixed with green or green mixed with red cause a major problem? No Idea!

As for the factory, I would be the axles/hubs were shipped fully assembled from AL-KO and Forest River just slaps them under the trailer, so I would guess that AL-KO would use the exact same oil as they say should be used in their owner's manual. I would guess it is purchased in giant 55 gallon drums, but have no idea who makes it.

Your right but if you are pumping all new grease in to me it's mute, Will I fill my void with red if I have filled it already with green NO, I will stay with the grease that's been put in. Next time I change grease you just make sure it all comes out with the new color, there is nothing stating it can't be used that I know of. Just make sure you rid one before changing to another grease. Both color greases meet the spec. If I'm wrong please correct me, I never have claimed to be a grease monkey..

[f5moab]

Far from a grease monkey too, just explaining my experience with the Ultrolube system (I believe that is how AL-KO spelled it too). The purple and red was mixed at the bearings. Since I was replacing the entire drum/hub assembly and was thinking of re-using the bearings, I did not check what was inside the hub, just the bearings while cleaning them.
And I had applied at least three applications of the red mobil 1 using the zerk. There was not much purple, more or less small ribbons of it. And I did not worry since the aluminum complex is compatible with lithium complex.
I actually belive Royal Purple was a better grease than Mobil 1, but not by a large enough standard since I had to mail order Royal Purple and could find Mobil 1 a mile away at the auto parts store.
So, I am no expert on the systems, nor the grease. Just review the charts showing what is compatible and what is not. What happens if two non-compatible greases are mixed together is unknown to me.
Good luck....

[Witch Doctor]

What I do not understand they claim on the specks that they both meet the recommended speck, I just make sure the whole other color is out and don't mix them. I do understand the difference which your talking about but really do not understand why you can't use the two without mixing them they both meet the speck they recommend

[Witch Doctor]

Lowe's now sells a 3 pack 2 green and 1 red made for the mini gun, it's easier to store that little grease gun, which would be enough if you ever had to change a bearing on the road, I also carry 4 hole kits of bearings and seals so I'm never stuck in the middle of nowhere

[moondog2000]

A little gun sounds handy to have on a trip.I could grease the load bars and the ball on my hitch and have grease for a bearing should i need it.

[moondog2000]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

What I do not understand they claim on the specks that they both meet the recommended speck, I just make sure the whole other color is out and don't mix them. I do understand the difference which your talking about but really do not understand why you can't use the two without mixing them they both meet the speck they recommend

The specks are the same but red is a lithium base and green is a polyurea base. The two are not compatable. When we recieved our new utility plant we had a noisy bearing on a turbine pump. The contractor responsable for the warranty had some special grease he said. He pumped it in and by the 3rd day the bearing was gone. The grease had turned to liquid and was on the floor.thats when I learned about using the wrong grease.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by moondog2000

The specks are the same but red is a lithium base and green is a polyurea base. The two are not compatable. When we recieved our new utility plant we had a noisy bearing on a turbine pump. The contractor responsable for the warranty had some special grease he said. He pumped it in and by the 3rd day the bearing was gone. The grease had turned to liquid and was on the floor.thats when I learned about using the wrong grease.

I wounder what base of grease the Factory meaning Lippart uses? I know I pumped like 1 and half tubes of tacky red in when I first brought it home, never had a problem, so I guess they would be using a lithium base grease. Two years ago they changed out my hubs with that new brake shoe on them that is supposed to be more aggressive. They gave me sheet on how to break them in. Which was a real pain for about 50 miles going home, By the way I know that these delv. trans. people would not do what the direction said IMO. But I asked the guy from Lippart what kinda of grease was in there prepacked, he said he didn't know they buy it in 50 gal drums. But told me to either change it out with a grease that I like or make sure to add some grease to each hub when I get home. When I got back from Goshen I put Lukas Red in. the stuff that got force out was like a heavy chocolate milk. So what I have learned from this thread is don't mix the red or green but either is okay as long as you get the other out... It might be better just to stick to the Red Tacky 2. I surly do not want a bearing problem...

[18CrewDually]

I'm going to sum up everything in my opinion.
First off, if you aquired a trailer you should pull the wheels, remove inspect the bearings, and clean out the unknown type of grease. For a few dollars a piece I would replace the seals with a double lip seal.
Then use your grease of choice rated for wheel bearing service. I choose Lucas Red "N" Tacky because it's good quality, Walmart sells it so it's easy to get, and the name is hard to forget so you'll always know what's in there and avoid mixing.
Follow up once a year or so with a pump or two from the mechanical grease gun or disassemble and re-pack.
After all, based on everything else Lippert does, do you really think they're using a quality wheel bearing grease? I think not.

[moondog2000]

When i bought my trailer I tried as hard as i could to find out what grease was in the hubs. Got the same answer , they buy it in 50 gal drums. They did not know what the factory used. No answers. I looked in the dust cap and saw green grease I told the dealer the only green grease at napa was lucas. He said that was it and use it. So i pumped about 2 tubes through and called it good.It was the wrong grease but because i flushed the old out I had no problems . I lost a drum due to a brake shoe retaining spring that broke. Then I found out alco does not make my drums anymore so I replaced all 4 drums and brake plates. I asked the mechanic what grease they use and he showed me a 50 gal drum of stay-lube . A young mechanic had paid attention in class and new all about grease and said everywhere he had worked they used lithium base grease. He never had any problems.When I got my trailer home I pumped 2 tubes of lucas red through. When i come back from The grand canyon climbing the Needles grade with the temp running 117 i shoot my hubes with a temp gun every time i stop and they run about 112-115, can't ask for more than that.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by moondog2000

When i bought my trailer I tried as hard as i could to find out what grease was in the hubs. Got the same answer , they buy it in 50 gal drums. They did not know what the factory used. No answers. I looked in the dust cap and saw green grease I told the dealer the only green grease at napa was lucas. He said that was it and use it. So i pumped about 2 tubes through and called it good.It was the wrong grease but because i flushed the old out I had no problems . I lost a drum due to a brake shoe retaining spring that broke. Then I found out alco does not make my drums anymore so I replaced all 4 drums and brake plates. I asked the mechanic what grease they use and he showed me a 50 gal drum of stay-lube . A young mechanic had paid attention in class and new all about grease and said everywhere he had worked they used lithium base grease. He never had any problems.When I got my trailer home I pumped 2 tubes of lucas red through. When i come back from The grand canyon climbing the Needles grade with the temp running 117 i shoot my hubes with a temp gun every time i stop and they run about 112-115, can't ask for more than that.

I called Lucas on this yesterday and what everyone posted is correct about mixing. They told me that the red and green where find to use but not together. They told me just to buy there marine base grease part # 10682. It comes in the 3 oz. size that I wanted to carry with me. They said it is a lithium base grease, with a higher drop point of 550 degrees. Also it is a different color then the tacky Red but is compatible, he said then you can easily see when you have changed it all out. Things you learn on this forum amazing....