Contact our experts about choosing the right lubricant, grease or oil for your bearing. If it is impossible to remove previous grease type from the bearings, grease more frequently until all traces of previous grease have been flushed out of the bearing. Bearings of the sealed design will not permit entry of new grease, whereas with shielded bearings grease will be drawn in as the bearing cage assembly rotates. They provide higher speeds and reduced load bearing capacity and. Skf uses cookies on our web site to align the information shown as closely as possible to the visitors preferences and to tailor our web site user experience in general. Ball bearings have the ability to absorb both radial and thrust loads. Sep 12, 2014 wheel bearings are as old and important as the wheel itself thanks to their ability to allow free rotation without the damaging effects of friction and wear. The bearing inner or outer races can stay pressed in place, however. Jan 03, 2018 rollingelement bearings come in the shape of a ball for radial force and are cylindrical for thrust, although ball bearings are often used for applications requiring both. Other special considerations for grease selection include thickener type and. This has some properties from all of the other specialized greases.
It is formulated using a synthetic polyurea ashless organic thickener with additional rust and oxidation inhibitors. How to choose the correct grease popular mechanics. It can be tempting to give the bearings a pump of grease each day, or to pump until grease comes out from under the seals. Drawncup, caged needle bearings are identical to fullcomplement bearings, except that a cage is used. Rollingelement bearings come in the shape of a ball for radial force and are cylindrical for thrust, although ball bearings are often used for applications requiring both. Applying grease with a common grease gun or your fingers isnt always the easiest way of applying the right amount of grease at the right pressure. Is it advisable to mix different types of wheel bearing. With the shielded type of bearing, grease may enter the bearing readily, but dirt is restricted by the close fitting shields. Aug 12, 2019 the reality is that around 90% of ball bearings are best of using grease as a lubricant.
There are several different types of grease as noted above each having many variations and custom formulations, depending on the application. Recommendations in this paragraph are authors personal opinion based on knowledge and experience. Watch this video to learn more from mystik sales manager mark betner. This response focuses on the most common methods for lubricating rolling element bearings in horizontal process pumps and their application considerations include. Other special considerations for grease selection include thickener type and concentration, consistency, dropping point and operating temperature range, worked stability, oxidation stability, wear resistance. The other 10%, you would be better off using a good quality oil instead of the grease.
This type of grease has a high dropping point, approximately 470f, has an ashless structure, excellent water resistance, pumpability and provides superb high temperature bearing life. Sign up to the constructor to ask questions, answer peoples questions, write articles and connect with other people. Bridge bearings types of bearings for bridge structures. Some polyurea greases are very shear sensitive, that is, they will soften in dispensing and harden in the bearings. Running 247 versus sporadic use, or even how often there are starts and stops, will have an impact on how quickly the grease will degrade and how effectively the grease will stay in the key lubrication zones. You may even call it the best grease for wheel bearings. Lubricate ball and roller bearings for highload applications. Greases are simply oils mixed with a thickener to so that they stay inside the bearing. Some polyurea greases are very shear sensitive, that is. Types of greases and their use maints tech sales and service. This is all the grease the bearings will ever need, because the relubrication interval explained below is longer than the expected life of the bearing. The system should be cleaned of all previous grease when making a switch between grease types. The heavier the bearing on the wheel, the greater the resistancethus the name wheel bearing for the component that reduces the friction between parts as the wheel spins.
Remove the bearings, inner and outer, and any shims, lockwashers and clamp nuts. Wheel bearings are as old and important as the wheel itself thanks to their ability to allow free rotation without the damaging effects of friction and wear. Correct lubrication is critical to bearing performance. This grease can also be used for generalpurpose lubrication. White paper on bearing lubrication including the role of bearing lubricant, types of lubricants, lubrication methods, shelf life of bearing lubricants, and common. Some manufacturers, specifically ford, require a molybdenum or moly for protection of the metal. A teflonfortified bicyclespecific grease, such as the teflon grease manufactured by finish line, will repel water, while teflon acts to minimize bearing resistance. Ceramic grease provides similar protection by coating bearings with ceramic particles, dissipating heat and minimizing rust. Today, over 80% of the worlds bearings are lubricated with grease. Optimal hardness for a bicycle bearing grease is nlgi 2, whichever grease type is chosen. When you combine high loads and high pressure, the bearings rolling elements take a lot of punishment this is where high load, extreme pressure skf bearing grease can deliver excellent mechanical stability. Ball bearings can be found in wheels as small as those on roller skates to tires as large as those on automobiles. This grease is formulated specifically to lubricate automotive wheel bearings, which turn at high speed. In this video, paul sollenberger talks about the three different types of grease that ceramicspeed recommends for the maintenance of bearings.
A common mistake when selecting a grease is to confuse the grease consistency with the base oil viscosity. Because the majority of grease lubricated applications are element bearings, one should consider viscosity selection for those applications. Proper grease specification requires all of the components of oil selection and more. In addition, grease for wheel bearings will tolerate the heat created by your brakes, which work by friction. Part ii will focus on the correct grease for the application and some of the key criteria in the selection process, including compatibility, amount to be added and relubrication frequency.
There are two basic types of bearing lubricants readily available. There are many applications where using oil as a lubricant is not practical or possible. The grease is held in place by a plastic, leather, or rubber gasket also called a gland that covers the inside and outside edges of. Detailed information on types of bearing lubrication.
Needle bearings are widely used industrial bearings, having roller bearings of high lengthto diameter ratios. Bridge bearings types of bearings for bridge structures and details. Moly ep grease moly is the short form of molybdenum disulfide while the ep stands for extreme pressure. Often used on foodprocessing equipment, generators, and furnace door hinges, this grease is nsf registered h1 and meets fda 21 cfr 178. The tribologists at ast bearings can help you select the best bearing grease or oil for your application. Because the majority of greaselubricated applications are element bearings, one should consider viscosity selection for those applications. Greases are a type of shearthinning or pseudoplastic fluid, which means. In some, the needles are retained by the cup lips, in others by the grease. The most important property of any lubricant is viscosity. The ideal rate for a wheel bearing grease is two, which feels a lot like soft peanut butter.
Bearings for vertical operation are doubly sealed to prevent grease leakage down shafts. Bushings, also known as plain bearings or sleeve bearings, are designed for use in numerous applications and offer features and benefits unavailable with many rollingelement bearings. Scrub the inside of the bearing cavity with paper towels until youve got as much grease out as possible. Grease consists of a base oil with a thickener added. For more information on our standard oils and greases, please see our lubricant tables. It is our recommendation not to mix greases with different families of thickeners. Lithium soap greasesthe most common worldwidewere introduced in the early 1940s. This white general purpose grease is commonly used in household applications. A lithiumbased grease, whose base oil is mineral oil, is commonly used as. Skf greases also include products that can resist very harsh environments. These types of retainer are often used in high speed, low torque dental bearings. Multipurpose grease this is another type of grease with one or two properties for various types of grease. Jul 01, 2009 getting the most from this lubrication workhorse requires a solid understanding of its composition, properties and applications.
Radial load is the amount of weight put on a wheel. An oilimpregnated phenolic retainer or a synthetic retainer made from a material with a very low coefficient of friction such as torlon do not need continuous external lubrication. I shot a bunch of expensive marinestyle grease into the bearing buddies on my bassboat trailer last fall. Each of these describes a type of grease but there are also many other names and applications. Mag 1 723 hightemp disc brake wheel bearing grease 14 oz. Pack the bearings with an approved type and amount of bearing grease, reseal if necessary, and reapply into the application. A more complex structure can be formed by using a complexing salt. It can also be used to determine if a bearing is the correct choice for use in a given application. Relieving the resistance between the moving parts in a wheel. Lubrication provides a thin film between the contact areas in a bearing to reduce friction, dissipate heat and inhibit corrosion on balls and raceways. It was recommended to me by a marine mechanic as the best product for my trailer. Detailed information on types of bearing lubrication smb bearings.
Different types of greases are typically formulated with three grease. What types of lubrication can be used for pump bearings. I have a foldable trailer and i was thinking about adding some grease to the bearings but i dont know what typebrand of grease was applied initially. Bearing lubrication bearing grease lubrication american roller. First some general guides will be given, then with more specific grease types. For example, ball bearings can allow more time between regrease applications than those of most other bearing designs. This type of bearing supports strong radial loads, but not the axial load. Feb 09, 2017 how do you know which grease you should use. The former is fairly simple to understand, being a freeflowing liquid, while the. Greases are generally more suitable for heavy loads and have the obvious advantage of giving constant lubrication over a long period without maintenance.
Is it advisable to mix different types of wheel bearing grease in trailer bearing question. The outstanding feature of the antifriction bearings is their low starting frictions, which will practical the same while running also. The grease is held in place by a plastic, leather, or rubber gasket also called a gland that covers the inside and outside edges of the bearing race to keep the grease from escaping. Bearing lubrication bearing lubricant methods ast bearings. Special greases and fill percentages are available to meet your application demands. There are many different types of grease for many different uses. Bushings plain bearings are distinguished from rollingelement bearings primarily by the fact that they consist of only one part. This has a very high waterresistance but is not so great at high. This is very good as a wheel bearing grease as it has both a high. Ceramicspeed bearing maintenance grease types youtube.
Jan 20, 2020 in this video, paul sollenberger talks about the three different types of grease that ceramicspeed recommends for the maintenance of bearings. One of the main reasons that grease is a better choice than using an oil is that it will undoubtedly last a longer time than oil. The three main types of classifications are ap grease, mp grease, and ep grease. How to calculate grease quantity and frequency for bearings. Best wheel bearing grease the ultimate guide grease expert. There are many bearing types, which require different lubrication methods. For example, the term car grease is very common and it can refer to different types of greases in general. Rolling bearings, for example, are almost always lubricated with grease. In this article, well define and discuss the individual components so that you are better informed when you are ready to purchase replacement wheel bearings, hubs, seals, and components. Grease was first used by the egyptians on their chariot axles more than 3000 years ago. You can use it in boat trailer bearings, marine equipment, slides, wheel bearings, winches, turnbuckles, shaft log seals and all types of other places. The aptitudes of needle bearings depend of the types of these bearings. That heat can be transmitted to your wheel bearings.
Some greases are formulated for highpressure, metalonmetal applications such as molybdenum grease, also called moly grease whereas others are formulated for high speed use in bearings. Dn factor, also called dn value, is a number that is used to determine the correct base oil viscosity for the lubrication of various types of bearings. P art i of this article provided a basic introduction to grease, with discussions of composition, types, properties and evaluation tests. Grease generally consists of a soap emulsified with mineral or vegetable oil. This renders their application particularly suitable for machinery which has to frequent start, stop and restart.
The characteristic feature of greases is that they possess a high initial viscosity, which upon the application of shear, drops to give the effect of an oillubricated bearing of approximately the same. The two types of antifriction bearing is, ball bearing. For applications exceeding this range, consult ntn. The third portion is the fluid, which can be selected from mineral oils, various types of synthetics, polyglycols or a never. Getting the most from this lubrication workhorse requires a solid understanding of its composition, properties and applications.
Sep 01, 2009 p art i of this article provided a basic introduction to grease, with discussions of composition, types, properties and evaluation tests. Since the bearings are of the antifriction type, wear, adjustments, and need for lubrication are reduced to a minimum. Some bearings use a thick grease for lubrication, which is pushed into the gaps between the bearing surfaces, also known as packing. Often used in electric motors, alternators and in food machinery. It is the type that can be used in various household and automotive settings. We deliver bearings and units, seals, services and lubrication management for industries worldwide. The reality is that around 90% of ball bearings are best of using grease as a lubricant. Mixing incompatible greases leads to grease hardening. Ford grease is a general purpose grease that is fortified with molybdenum disulfide for higherpressure protection and antiwear for disc brake wheel bearings. An advantage of grease lubrication is simplified maintenance, and some. Different types of grease are rated at a viscosity ranging from zero to 6. Surprisingly, too much grease can be bad for a bearing.
How to identify different types of grease lubrication. I shot a bunch of expensive marinestyle grease into the bearing. Some greases are formulated for highpressure, metalonmetal applications such as molybdenum grease, also called moly grease whereas others are formulated for. Save on wheel bearing grease with great deals at advance auto parts.
When a wheel turns, it generates a certain amount of friction. The most commonly used types of grease in the automotive world is. It is recommended in a wide range of automotive, industrial applications and in antifriction bearings operating at high rpms. Applying grease with a common grease gun or your fingers isnt always the easiest way of. Bicycle bearing grease bicycle bearing greases explained. Roller bearings can be tapered to better accommodate radial force, as well, or reduced to needle bearings when space is an issue. Apr 22, 2003 shielded bearings are not sealed bearings. This action takes place automatically, causing neither heating nor binding. For hightemperature components, such as wheel bearings, a hightemperature siliconebased grease is. Grease types for bearings limited mounted ball bearing units.