New Kubota spreader requires polyurea grease

sixdogs · Mar 13, 2017

Just an FYI here for those who follow trends in grease.

Recently, I purchased a Kubota badged fertilizer spreader. It's actually a Vicon and since Kubota now owns them, it's orange and says Kubota. They are the best spreaders made for the small farm or large yard. Anyway, in looking at the owner's manual, I notice the requirement of polyurea grease for this product.I have never seen this for this type of grease before. I have a VS500, which is a VS400 with a hopper extension.

http://www.kubota.com/product/Spreaders/VSModels.aspx?

In a way, I'm not surprised. Kubota seems to be going down to two levels of grease; the lithium-moly blend and now polyurea and no more. The plain old lithium grease seems to be mentioned less and less. Personally, I suspect this is an industry trend. Any thoughts on this?

vsteel · Mar 14, 2017

I am guessing that it simplifies production and I am betting the other greases work better. John Deere uses Polyurea on (I think) everything that comes out of the factory.

sixdogs · Mar 14, 2017

vsteel said:
I am guessing that it simplifies production and I am betting the other greases work better. John Deere uses Polyurea on (I think) everything that comes out of the factory.

Vicon comes from oversees--Holland?--. Why are other greases better?

vsteel · Mar 16, 2017

sixdogs said:
Vicon comes from oversees--Holland?--. Why are other greases better?

I am meaning that the standard lithium probably doesn't work as well as the lithium moly and the polyurea which is why so many are going to them.

The production comment was from having less different containers, simplified processes on the line, less documentation, less confusion. I used John Deere as an example as they are a global company. I see more and more people using

sixdogs · Mar 16, 2017

My local JD dealer that is a huge construction dealer, told me that the trend among big construction operators is towards polyurea and in a big way. I couldn't understand it at first bit after using poly am sold on the application for loaders and backhoes and anything that can develop "slop". The grease is othick, stays put and really tightens up the behavior of my loaders and backhoe. Deere now calls poly their "best" grease on a good-better-best category.

mcfarmall · Mar 16, 2017

Interesting. We typically use Exxon-Mobil Polyrex grease in electric motors ONLY in our manufacturing facility. Everything else is a standard lithium complex grease (Ronex MP). I'll have to dig up the textbook from my Noria lubrication training I went to in 2013 and do some research on it.