Grease Compatibility Hell

[KennK]

In my younger years buying grease for my tractors was easy. They recommend use of "NLGI grade number 2 rating". I'd head to the store, buy a tube that lists that rating, and use it.

In the last few years I learned about this thing called grease compatability. Huh. OK, to be safe I'll just stick to using Lucas Xtra Heavy Duty grease to be safe. Then over the last year Lucas Xtra HD grease has become almost impossible to find in online stores. I read about a manufacturing plant fire causing the shortage, and about Covid causing to grease industry to switch to lithium based grease.

There seems to be plenty of Lucas Red N Tacky available online, but it is lithium based, and from what I've read I fear that using that on my tractors will damage them.

These days I'm mostly greasing front end loader joints, steering joints, and mower spindles. So far I haven't greased wheel bearings - I have others do that.

I'm down to a handful of Lucas Xtra HD tubes left. How do I safely switch to using a lithium base grease???

 

[Locoweed]

Been using Lucas Red N Tacky for 13 years - 1800 hours without any issues.

 

[CaptPat]

Red N Tacky for me as well.

 

[5030]

Been my experience that there are only 2 grease types, cheap clay based grease that clogs up Alemite fittings (Zerk) and hardens and is difficult to remove the excess and synthetic based base grease that provides much improved boundary lubrication.

Myself, I use and have used for years, Lubrication Engineers synthetic grease I purchase in 150 pound open head drums which are compatible with my ARO pneumatic greaser and I also fill my lever guns from it and I carry a lever gun in each implement too box.

All my lever guns have clear Polycarbonate barrels so I can easily see how much grease is in each one and refill them accordingly. I use quality Plews lever guns only. Never use grease cartridges, too messy and always a PITA to load. I much prefer bulk loading utilizing my air greaser.

Lubrication Engineers Teflon fortified synthetic grease is extremely tacky abd don't rub off ground engaging implements like hay mowers and shredders or your hands if you get it on them...lol

It's not cheap by a long shot and only comes in 150 pound, open headed drums. A 150 pound drum lasts me about 3 years of greasing all my implements and tractors. I buy it through my jobber as they don't sell retail.

Never used Lucas grease, no need to. LE grease handles all my greasing needs, no issue and that includes wheel bearings as well.

Not too impressed with Lucas oil products anyway. They seem to be overpriced for what you get. JMO.

I buy all my lube oil and transmission (tractor) lubricants in 55 gallon drums which makes it convenient for me plus, the used lubricants go back in the empty drum and my jobber takes the used lubricants back so no worry about disposing of used lubricants, ever.

For me, it works fine and I don't have to deal with taking 5 gallons at a time to Auto Zone or Tractor Supply and depositing it in their 'used oil' tank that may or may not be full, depending on if the local 'Safety Clean' truck has emptied it. Besides, buying oil in 55 gallon drums, the price per gallon is appreciably less than buying it by the jug.

Besides the LE grease I use, I run Shell Rotella 5-40 T6 in everything including my vehicles and even the lawnmower and have for years now.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

Google grease comparability chart


Many are not compatible but it's based on the soap/base material

Iirc polyeurea cannot be mixed with lithium and there's a list so on

90% consumers buy over the counter shouldn't be an issue.

You can purge the grease simply by pumping the new until no trace of the old remains for most applications.

 

[John0829]

I would just switch to Red & Tacky, both are Polyurea based so there should be no problems with compatibility. Here is a chart from Amsoil that shows which grease bases will or will not work together.

 

[Fixastuff]

400lbs of Lucas red n tacky?

I can get one of these on sale from a supplier for $980. It’s a heck of a deal but what do I do once I have it? I mainly grease machinery and have only used cartridges. I almost always grease on job sites, machines are not home often enough to grease from big tub in garage. I’m not the...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[KennK]

From Lucas Oil's website:
"Lucas Red “N” Tacky Grease is a high-quality smooth, tacky, red, lithium complex grease fortified with rust and oxidation inhibitors."

 

[Fixastuff]

From Lucas Oil's website:
"Lucas Red “N” Tacky Grease is a high-quality smooth, tacky, red, lithium complex grease fortified with rust and oxidation inhibitors."

sorry. I think it might be worth thinking about switching to something more readily available.

 

[5030]

If it's properly greased, it ain't gonna rust anyway...lol