Did you know a major cause of bearing and equipment downtime is lubrication failure? As a southern California fuel and lubricant supplier, we’ve seen nearly every type of lubrication mistake. We’ve supported our customers through their lubrication failures and helped them avoid making the same mistake again. All of our experience has taught us a few things, and we’d like to share some of our knowledge with you today. Here’s the big lesson: you need to understand grease.

Grease errors are always one of the top lubrication failures. In fact, in the tragic crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 in January 2000, a grease failure was cited as one reason the plane crashed. The investigation revealed that inadequate lubrication of the threads in the horizontal stabilizer caused them to strip away and for the plane to lose control. This dramatic example shows just how crucial proper lubrication and grease knowledge can be.

So what is grease? It’s important to start with the basics. Grease is a solid or semi-fluid lubricant. It is used for lubrication in places where oil won’t work well, like gears, bearings, and other machinery components. Grease is longer-lasting and can also act as a sealant to stop leakage and keep out containments. There are three main properties of grease:

  1. Base Oil: Grease is formed out of mineral oils. Some greases may use synthetic oils as well or a combination of the two.
  2. Thickener: Metallic soaps like lithium, aluminum, clay, sodium, calcium, and polyurea are some of the materials used to create the solid to semi-solid state of grease.
  3. Additives: Like lubricating oils, additives are also added to grease mixes for various purposes. Some of the most commonly used additives include rust inhibitors, extreme pressure, anti-wear, and friction-reducing agents.

Many greases come in a variety of colors. The colors are usually determined by the manufacturer and are used to identify the product. Some manufacturers use different color schemes for their grease products. Many people organize their grease products by color. What are grease lubricants used for? Grease lubricants are best used for lubrication purposes where oil won’t work—for example, a spinning wheel or a set of gears. Lubricating such machinery with oil wouldn’t work. It would simply drip off as the wheel moves. Here are a few of the types of machinery that work well with grease lubricants.

  • Machinery that sits in storage for long periods of time or runs intermittently. Grease doesn’t wear out easily and is great as a long-term lubrication solution.
  • Machinery that operates under extreme conditions like temperature shifts, high pressure, and high or low speeds.
  • Parts of machinery that are not easily accessible for frequent lubrication. Since grease lubricants last a long time, they are ideal for lubricating hard-to-reach machinery or components within motors or equipment.
  • Older components. Older machinery with worn-out components benefits from the thicker substance of grease lubrication. In some cases, grease lubricants may even extend the life of worn-out parts.

What are the benefits of choosing a grease lubricant? These are a few of the characteristics that make it ideal for lubrication.

  • Water resistance. The thick nature of grease makes it less susceptible to contamination and water damage.
  • Pumpability. There are various ways to apply grease, but it works well in grease guns and other nozzle systems, making it easy to apply to machinery.
  • Temperature stability. Most greases are great at withstanding temperature shifts. Check the supplier guide for your grease temperature points. At high temperatures, grease will begin to lose structure and drip, flowing away from the area. Low temperatures cause grease to get too hard, and it may gum up the equipment.

Now that you know what grease is, it’s time to talk about the best way to use it. Here’s a quick guide to the best grease lubrication practices.

  • Choose the right grease. You can’t just use any grease for your lubrication needs. Just like selecting the right oil for your engine, you need to choose the right grease lubricant for your specific needs. To choose the right grease, you need to consider the base oil viscosity, base oil type, thickener type, NLGI grade, and additives. Our lubricant delivery team is highly skilled at recommending lubrication products and can help you find what you need when you place your order.
  • Determine when you need to use it and how often. The best thing to do when using grease lubricants is to determine your lubricant procedure. This is a breakdown of where you need to use the grease on your equipment and how often you need to apply it. Consult your equipment manual and review your mechanical needs while determining your procedures. Keep track of what methods work best for your equipment and which grease works best.
  • Monitor your grease for effectiveness. The best way to make sure your grease is working the way it should is to check. There are a variety of ways you can do this, from spot checks to grease sampling. Regularly inspect your grease for signs of breakdown like hardening, melting, or contamination. You can even get your grease samples tested to make sure they are still performing properly.
  • Learn from your mistakes. Every mechanic can tell you that you’re going to make lubrication mistakes. But the best mechanics learn from their mistakes and don’t repeat them. Keep a detailed history of your lubrication practices so you can avoid past mistakes.

Our final note on grease lubricants is a word on proper storage and handling practices. If you fail to store your grease properly, it will degrade and could be wasted. Follow these tips and other safe storage practices to get the most value out of your grease lubricants.

  • Don’t use old grease. Grease deteriorates over time. Make sure to check your product guidelines for how long a grease lubricant lasts. The National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) recommends testing grease that’s more than a year old before using it.
  • Store in a dry, temperature-controlled space. High or low temperatures can cause grease lubricants to wear down. Water and other contaminants can also affect grease lubricants. Avoid storing grease in areas with direct sunlight or next to a heat source.

Choosing the right grease for your lubricant needs is an important part of equipment maintenance. As a fuel and lubricant supplier, we’ve helped many of our customers choose the right supplies to keep their machinery in good working order for years to come. If you need product recommendations or help with your lubrication needs, give us a call. We’re always here to help!