Mobil 1 Synthetic grease

[kamper00]

Any use Mobil 1 Synthetic grease for their axle bearings? I have always used it in the past but I notice that when it sits in the grease gun, grease drips out the end in a very thin liquid. Hate to think it is doing that in the bearings.

[babock]

Originally Posted by kamper00

Any use Mobil 1 Synthetic grease for their axle bearings? I have always used it in the past but I notice that when it sits in the grease gun, grease drips out the end in a very thin liquid. Hate to think it is doing that in the bearings.

I have seen many types of grease do that.

[Iwannacamp]

FWIW an oil man told me in order for grease to lubricate it must "weep" oil...he said the "grease portion" was a carrier for the lubricant. I listened because I didn't know to argue...it's just what he said. I'm bout to Google it

[Iwannacamp]

https://www.google.com/search?ei=FhQ....0.-zpy6SchGq8

[kamper00]

...interesting, I would have never thought. Thanks for the info!

[TonyShope]

I use John Deere high speed gear grease for the head on a combine. It has multiple lubricants within it. I also grease the bearings on my TT every 6 weeks.

Never had an issue with cars or TT.

[babock]

Originally Posted by TonyShope

I also grease the bearings on my TT every 6 weeks.

Out of curiosity, why?

[TGR]

I also use the Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear Lube for my 5th wheel. It has performed well so far.

An important thing to remember is that you must use a compatible grease or completely remove the old grease and then add a quality grease because incompatible greases don't work well together. I chose the Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear Lub because it is mentioned in the Dexter Operation Maintenance Service Manual and was readily available locally.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by TonyShope

I use John Deere high speed gear grease for the head on a combine. It has multiple lubricants within it. I also grease the bearings on my TT every 6 weeks.

Never had an issue with cars or TT.

Do you do this by pulling the hubs and hand packing them or do you simply put a couple of squirts in through the Zerk fittings on the axles?

Since grease is not actually consumed in use then the squirting will, over time, lead to grease being blown past the inner seal. This will contaminate the brake linings with resulting failure of your brakes.

[kurtsont]

That grease is good stuff. I have been using Pennsoil marine grease for years for the bearing in trailers. Too bad I can’t find it any more but I have a few tubs left in my stash.

[SlowrideHD]

I can't help but wonder about the people that grease their trailer axle bearings so frequently. 6 week intervals seems amazingly redundant but hey, it's your horse. Anyway, my point being: how many people grease their car spindle bearings with the same attention? Many vehicles, according to my trusted mechanic, run their entire lives of 10-15 years use and have never had spindle bearings greased and do so without failure.

[TonyShope]

Originally Posted by babock

Out of curiosity, why?

I am very task oriented and have traveled approx 23,000 in a year based upon truck mileage and excluding breakdown times. I also have a newer (12.5 months old TT)

There were unknown issues with it and Forest River has replaced the axles 2 times and created a recall.

So I learned to keep it overly maintained. New axles (last set) have lasted 7 months.

Besides, I am recently retired divorced so it fills the time.

As far as the John Deere Grease it is top rated and I am a farm kid.

Loving life and I keep it in good shape.

[TonyShope]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

Do you do this by pulling the hubs and hand packing them or do you simply put a couple of squirts in through the Zerk fittings on the axles?

Since grease is not actually consumed in use then the squirting will, over time, lead to grease being blown past the inner seal. This will contaminate the brake linings with resulting failure of your brakes.

I pay a Mechanic to pull the wheels and bearing approx every 6 weeks to look for damage etc. He/she then repacks them. I have had axle issues as is posted later before I saw your ?

Thus I am making sure I do not have a failure after 2 sets of axles.

[HDU]

This is not answering the OP's question, however sounds like some may be over greasing if they are not extracting grease every time more is added. The hubs are not meant to be "full" of grease, and it is actually bad for the bearing to be in solid grease.

A substantial air pocket needs to be in the hub for bearings to cool efficiently and correctly, and when grease is added and added so often, the open cavity fills and decreases the cooling ability of the bearing. I have done industrial bearing engineering for more than 30 years, and the rule of thumb is to use the minimal amount of grease to get the job done, and keep the grease clean.

I pack my bearings by hand, and when I am done, you can see a little grease on the rollers, but hardly any, 95% of the grease goes inside the cage and in between the rollers, with a thin smear on the wearing surface of the races. To date, I have never experienced a bearing failure on a multitude of trailer types. Boat trailers I repack every year. RV and utility trailers - every three years unless they are used in dirty environments, then they get repacked once yearly. I am also particular about my grease seals, I change them with a new Chicago Rawhide or a National (Federal Mogul) seal every time I repack the grease. A quality seal is cheap and easy to replace when doing a grease job. Most times, my bearings do not need a repack as they look fine, but I do it any way for insurance.

When it comes to bearings, more grease usually isn't better, unless the bearing is constantly submerged in a liquid, or the environment is explosive where an air gap can allow for a spark to ignite. Correct sizing, clean grease and proper preload is the key to long bearing life.

Peace.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by kurtsont

That grease is good stuff. I have been using Pennsoil marine grease for years for the bearing in trailers. Too bad I can’t find it any more but I have a few tubs left in my stash.

Pennzoil actually does not exist any longer. Another company is simply marketing their oil as Pennzoil, like Chevron is selling Havoline oil as well as Chevron.

I have a small can of Pennzoil Kopr-Kote ( Thread lube, high heat tolerant) left from when I flew for Pennzoil. I thought it too was gone but I saw some on Amazon. Same stuff but under another brand name.

You cannot go wrong with Mobile 1 grease oil and filters either.

[Iwannacamp]

I had a 1993 Dodge W-250 4X4 Dana axles(60/70? i think) and the Chrysler factory service manual said for extreme service to repack the front hubs every DAY!! If you were good... that would be a couple hours a day + the seals and pieces that went along.

[aircommuter]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

I had a 1993 Dodge W-250 4X4 Dana axles(60/70? i think) and the Chrysler factory service manual said for extreme service to repack the front hubs every DAY!! If you were good... that would be a couple hours a day + the seals and pieces that went along.

I have been in the automotive repair business for 54 years, we started using Mobil 1 synthetic products in the 70s, excellent products. To explain why the grease drips oil out of your gun is because you need to release the spring pressure on the gun when not in use. Grease is nothing more than oil in suspension, variations include lithium, and barium which is best for marine because of its resistance to water. There are several suspension compounds for different applications. If you keep squeezing it with the spring and temperatures go up and down it releases the oil.
Synthetic oil is oil that is refined so that most of the molecules are one size, this is what makes it a better lubricant. FYI

[Steveboe]

If you grease through the fittings, you will grease your brakes. The rear seal will not hold it inside.
Your grease gun is much to strong and heat build up will expand the lube. Two strikes against you.
Brakes not so good anymore?
Pull the hubs and wash the mess up!
Been there.

[SlowrideHD]

[QUOTE=Steveboe;1691188]If you grease through the fittings, you will grease your brakes. The rear seal will not hold it inside.
Your grease gun is much to strong and heat build up will expand the lube. Two strikes against you.
Brakes not so good anymore?
Pull the hubs and wash the mess up!
Been there.[/QUOTE
Ha! I've seen youtube videos that show a guy telling how to grease EZ lube axles (and also mentioned on this forum) to add an entire tube of grease to each hub the very first time you grease them! And people wonder why their brakes fail because of grease contamination.....SMH.

[babock]

Originally Posted by HDU

A substantial air pocket needs to be in the hub for bearings to cool efficiently and correctly, and when grease is added and added so often, the open cavity fills and decreases the cooling ability of the bearing. I have done industrial bearing engineering for more than 30 years, and the rule of thumb is to use the minimal amount of grease to get the job done, and keep the grease clean.

The bearings used for trailers are actually rated for a lot higher RPM than what they actually experience with trailers. Because of that, there is no drawback for keeping hubs full. In fact, most hubs that are buddy bearing or EZ-lube are completely full of grease by design.

I have friends that are mechanical engineers that specify bearings and they say the exact same thing.