Correct Grease for Hartford Universal Joints (circa 1914)

[29 Chandler]

The bushings on my Hartford Universal Joint failed. Luckily the joint housing contained the the shafts and keep it all together. I would not have known about it had I not been under the car adjusting the brakes. I wiggled the drive shaft just to check it and was surprised it had a lot of play in it. After taking it apart the PO used what looks like wheel bearing grease. Most of the grease was flung to the inside of the outer housing. My 1914 manual says the joints should be refilled with cup grease every 1000 miles. 

 

A couple of friends welded new metal back in and installed new bushings so the universal joint is as good as new now. After doing some research on the Forum I say a suggestion to use Smitty "00" grease. This is a semi fluid grease that I thought would do a better job of keeping the bearings lubricated. Unfortunately after my first drive today all of the grease got thrown out past the seals in the housing. 

 

What type of grease should I use now? Lubriplate Aero with a NLGI ratting of 1 is thicker and available at Restoration Supply.

 

First picture shows the joint without the bearing.

Second picture shows the restored universal joint

Third picture show the fully installed joint with the outer housing that is meant to keep the joint lubricated and clean. The screw on the left is where the grease is inserted.

[Gary_Ash]

Interesting problem!  As you seem to have already done, searching the Forum for "cup grease" brings up a number of threads.  I like the one that Terry Wiegand started back in January 2021:

 

The corn head grease - or Tractor Supply's "cotton picker" grease - is NLGI type 00 grease, supposed to be about like yogurt or applesauce and is thixotropic.  That means it will settle on the bottom of a container, will move readily when pushed on.  It should work OK.  It's great for steering boxes as it tends not to leak out.  The problem with your U-joint seems to be that it leaks the oil/grease out, maybe due to a bad seal or poor sealing surfaces.  Does your second photo show a cork seal that is compressed by the cover slipping over it?  That is a difficult join design to get to work properly as the seal has to be  compressed radially and make good contact all the way around plus seal against the flange.  Can you replace the cork with a nitrile or Viton seal?  Otherwise, maybe an application of modern non-hardening gasket sealer would help.  What seals the other end of the cover, a felt seal?

 

I'm still trying to figure out how lubrication is supposed to get to the bushings.  Drive shaft rotation will fling the oil/grease to the outside, maybe it drips back down every time the car stops.  If the cover was full enough for the bushings to dip into the fluid as the shaft rotates, that would work but requires the cover to stay pretty full.  

 

[edinmass]

I'm very suspect of corn head lubricant............it needs quite a lot of motion to become liquid and properly do its job. I don't think steering boxes is a good use...........I actually watched the video from John Deere explaining it's uses.........and am suspect that with its lack of flow in a steering box it may gaul over time......and certainly not get to bushings and other areas in need of lubrication. It is made to only be used in an encapsulated area..........and a shaft spinning at high rpm with little or no seals is probably not a good place to use it.......Gary, any thoughts?

[Gary_Ash]

Take some applesauce, put it in a covered, see-thru plastic container, see where it settles.  Shake the container to get the applesauce to go all over the inside of the surfaces, then let it sit.  Pretty soon, the applesauce flows to the bottom of the container.  It doesn't need motion to make it flow.  It's the same with NLGI 00 grease in a steering box or U-joint.  The grease will move but will settle and fill the bottom of the steering box or U-joint cover, immersing the critical parts.  A thicker grease will be pushed out of the way by moving parts but not move to settle to the bottom and re-cover the parts.   You can also pour some 00 grease into a cup, tilt and rotate the cup to coat the sides of the cup, then let it sit.  

 

When you ask questions of a physicist, you get to suffer through the experiment and explanation.  Q.E.D.  😁

 

"Super S" NLGI 00 grease from Tractor Supply with plastic cup.

 

A couple of ounces of grease in the cup, tilted for a few seconds.

 

The cup upright with the grease self-leveling.  Note "bathtub ring" above grease glob as grease settles to bottom.

 

 

[edinmass]

Greases

Corn Head Grease Multi-purpose Semi-Fluid Grease

General Description

Corn Head Grease is a high quality multi-purpose, semi-fluid type grease available in an NLGI #0 grade. Although primarily applied in corn head lubrication, this product can be recommended for many applications in agriculture, automotive, construction and industrial environments.

Corn Head Grease is a carefully formulated lithium 12-hydroxystearate grease with oxidation, rust and corrosion inhibitors, extreme pressure (EP) additives for anti-wear and heavy shock loading, and a special polymer to control oil separation during storage. The base oil used is a high viscosity index lubricant which provides excellent stability under various temperature conditions.

Corn Head Grease has superior water tolerance and resists water washout, exhibits good high temperature capabilities and has outstanding mechanical stability by retaining its consistency in hard use.

Features and Benefits

•   Cold Temperature Performance: The high quality base oils used provide excellent cold temperature performance.

•   Reduced Oil Separation: The special polymers reduce the oil separation tendency duringstorage and inactivity.

 Extreme Pressure Performance: The EP additives provide excellent prevention of wear and the capability to withstand heavy shock loading.

 Resists Water Washout: The soap thickener provides excellent resistance to water washout.

[edinmass]

WHITE PAPER

Lubrisense

POLYUREA GREASES

Dr. Carl Kernizan Axel Americas LLC

Application case studies

John Lorimor Axel Americas LLC

201314 TM

POLY = MANY
EDITORIAL, “POLYUREA FOR DUMMIES”.

Polyurea greases are becoming an interesting alternative to more conventional soap-based products as demands increase to be able to tailor different physical and chemical properties towards specific applications. In itself, the word polyurea is derived from two Greek words, πολυ – poly, meaning “many”; and ουρ›ας – oûron, meaning “to urinate” (the latter term referring to the substance urea found in urine, rather than urine itself). The implication of “poly = many” is that there is obviously not just one type of possible polyurea grease but a whole cavalcade of molecular combinations, all with different structures and properties. According to an anonymous source within the lubricants industry, “polyureas are like women; there are many and they are all beautiful”. A veritable dream for any creative grease formulator? In “simplistic” terms, according to Wikipedia, polyurea is a “type of elastomer that is derived from the reaction product of an isocyanate component and a synthetic resin blend component through step growth polymerisation. The isocyanate can be aromatic or aliphatic in nature. It can be monomer, polymer, or any variant reaction of isocyanates. The resin blend may be made up of amine-terminated polymer resins, and/or amine-terminated chain extenders”. Or, in even more casual terms:

isocyanate + amine = polyurea

Polyurea greases are almost always chosen because of their high temperature properties. Art Polishuk,
in his tome, A Brief History of Lubricating Greases, claims that “one of the unique properties of polyurea greases is that they tend to thicken with an increase in temperature. This may contribute to their long performance in bearings at elevated temperatures. Their long bearing life may also be due to the fact that they contain no metals to catalyse oxidation”. Another reason for the choice of a polyurea grease may be for specific rheological properties where some versions exhibit extreme thixotropic behaviour and can be made mechanically instable by design. Polyurea greases represent some 4% of the total worldwide grease production. They are most popular in Japan whereas, in other areas, they have not caught on significantly, most probably due to the health and safety issues concerning the handling of the raw materials.

2 LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14

POLYUREA GREASES, AN OVERVIEW

by Dr. Carl Kernizan, Axel Americas LLC

  

DR. CARL KERNIZAN, is today the Vice President of Business Development & Corporate Strategy at Axel Americas LLC, specializing in technical and business strategies to meet the existing and future market demands in the entire Americas.
He has previously worked as Technical Director of Jesco Resources Inc. (assets acquired by AXEL in 2011), as both Product Manager and Research Chemist in the lubricant additives business, and as Principal Research Tribologist in
the rolling bearing industry. Carl holds a B.S. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the City University of New York and has conducted post-doctoral research at Kansas State University. He has authored over 30 publications including

2 patents and received NLGI’s Clarence E. Earle Award in 1998 and the NLGI Fellow’s Award in 2002.

JOHN J. LORIMOR, is currently Global Technical Director for the AXEL Group with the primary responsibility for the strategic management of AXEL ́s worldwide technical resources. Over the past 20 years, John has held a variety of leadership roles at some of the most well-known names in the grease and additives industry. He received his bachelor degree in Chemical Science from Kansas State University in 1994, and MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2001. He has authored numerous papers on grease related topics, and was recognized with

the NLGI Author Award at its 2010 annual meeting. John is an STLE Certified Lubrication Specialist (C.L.S.®), and was among the first recognized by NLGI as a Certified Lubricating Grease Specialist (CLGS®).

Introduction

The invention and development of polyurea thickened greases is one the most important advances in grease technology since the end of the Second World War. The technology was developed in Japan where it is still an impressive 21% of their grease market. These ashless non-soap greases are generated by the step-growth polymerisation reaction of different isocyanates and amines in various mineral or synthetic base oils. These polyurea thickened greases tend to have high temperature performance, inherent anti oxidative properties and can exhibit either high shear stability or thixotropic behaviours. These properties have recently made them the preferred choice for filled-for-life applica- tions in both bearings and constant velocity joints and have increased their importance in steel plants and electric motors. However, their positioning as multipurpose greases has been limited by the high safety required with the storage and handling of their toxic raw materials and difficulty in their manufacture and packaging. Unlike Japan, the last three industry surveys place them at under 5% of the grease market which classifies them as specialty greases.

Chemistry

Ureas or carbamides are organic compounds with the chemical formula CO—(NH2)2. The molecule has a central carbonyl (C=O) joined by two amine (NH2) functional groups. These compounds are synthesised in the body of many organisms as part of the urea cycle, either from the oxidation of amino acids or from ammonia. They are also commonly used in fertiliser, agriculture, coatings, plastics and the pharmaceutical industry. Commercial production

LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14 3

Penetration of various Thickeners in Select Grease Markets, 2011 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Asia Lithium Aluminum Europe Calcium Other North America Polyurea                          POLYUREA MARKET SHARE (SOURCE: GREASE WEBINAR, KLINE & CO, 2011) of ureas is on the order of 100,000,000 tons per year worldwide. They were first discovered in urine in 1727 by the Dutch scientist Herman Boerhaave and were the first organic compound artificially synthesised, without the involvement of living organisms, by the reaction of inorganic starting materials, by the German chemist Friedrich Wöhler in 1828. The term urea also refers to a class of chemical compounds that are derived from the reaction product of mono or diisocyanates and combinations of aliphatic, alicyclic, or aromatic amines through step-growth polymerisation. This reaction is a type of polymerisation mechanism in which bi-functional or multifunctional monomers react to form first dimers, then trimers, longer oligomers and eventually long chain polymers that are called polyureas. The isocyanates and amines have the general chemical formulations, O=C=N—R—N=C=O and H2N—R’—NH2, respectively. The connecting R and R’ chains in either compounds, preferably

APPLICATION CASE STUDIES by John Lorimor, Axel Americas LLC AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT The agricultural industry is tough on equipment, just ask John Deere. Working in harsh environments and heavy crops, Deere knows down equipment is not an option. Before John Deere puts their reputation on the line with branded grease, it is put through grueling tests to make sure it can combat its toughest enemies, like extreme pressures, severe temperatures, and water – better than other greases. Engineers at John Deere have developed some of the most stringent grease performance standards in order to prevent downtime and extend the life of its customers’ equipment. These standards call for greases that can perform in the myriad of hostile conditions their customers face every day, including hot or cold climates, wet and/or dirty environments, and even protect in the event of infrequent relubrication. Based upon many years of field-proven, hands on experience, for the most severe conditions of agricultural service John Deere recommends polyurea thickened greases. MP SD Polyurea grease is John Deere’s best multi-purpose product, and is ideal for providing top-notch protection in hostile environments.

4 LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14

range from 2 to 20 carbon atoms groups and can be straight or branched chained saturated, unsaturated or aromatic groups. However, in the modern grease industry, the selection is generally limited to three diisocyanates and a series of amines. The three diisocyanates are Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and Toluene diisocyanate (TDI). The amines include monoamines such as aniline, dodecylamine, hexadecylamine, octadecylamine, toluidene, tertiary butyl aniline and fatty amines such as laurylamine, palmitylamine and oleylamine. They also include diamines such as ethylenediamine, dodecanediamine, cyclohexanediamine and phenylenediamine.

POLYUREA REACTION

The general reaction for forming mono, di, and tetraureas can be illustrated by the following: 2 MA + 2 DI + DA ————————> MA – (DI – DA – DI)n MA
MA = Monoamine, DI = Diisocyanate, DA = Diamine and n>2.

Isocyanate and an Amine-terminated (–NH2) resinblend 2 MA + 2 DI + DA MA – (DI – DA – DI)n MA

MA = Monoamine, DI = Diisocyanate, DA = Diamine and n>2.

OCN R NCO + H2N R’ NH2 N R N N R’ N
H H H Hn

 

Diisocyanate Polyamine

Urea

The polyurea thickener has proven itself extremely robust and versatile, providing diverse applications on expensive agricultural equipment outstanding long-term protection from rust corrosion, wear on moving parts, all the while remaining easy to dispense from onboard lubrication systems. Polyurea greases last longer than other greases, the ashless thickener proven to be outstanding in resisting thermal oxidation. John Deere is so confident in the long term life of polyurea grease that it uses the thickener technology extensively in difficult factory fill grease

END USER SEGMENTATION

End user industries, globally

Percentage, 2008

Other 17%

Mining 6%

Steel 10%

General mfg 11%

Automative 33%

Agriculture/ Off-Highway 23%

  

LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14 5

OVERVIEW OF AXEL AMERICAS PRODUCTION FACILITY IN ROSEDALE MISSISSIPPI

applications, such as on the inside bearing of the torque sensing unit on a John Deere combine. Other common grease applications on agricultural equipment include heavily loaded ball and roller bearings, steering racks, U-joints, ball & socket or other articulation joints, pin & bushings and other accessory attachment configurations that require heavy-duty protection. Agricultural harvesting equipment such as John Deere combines are multi-functional, and can be adapted to process row planted crops by the addition of a row unit. In the case of harvesting corn, this row unit is called a corn head. These accessory units contain many moving parts driven by a slow speed gear case in order to deconstruct the stalk and remove the crop. Corn head grease is a polyurea thickened, soft NLGI 0 grade lubricating grease. A hybrid between a fluid gear lubricant and lubricating grease, it functions as a robust gear lubricant when meshed in the interface between two gear sets, such as those in a John Deere combine corn head gear case. However, because it is grease rather than a fluid gear lubricant, it stays in the gear case even when a worn seal would cause a traditional fluid lubricant to leak. This grease property is described as being thixotropic, meaning the grease softens and flows when sheared, then thickens back to its normal consistency to provide a leak proof sealing barrier when the equipment is not running. Corn head grease contains all the necessary additives to resist wear and corrosion, in addition other ingredients assure that corn head grease will not wash away if CORNHEAD (SOURCE: WWW.DEERE.COM)

6 LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14

Polyureas can also be formed by the reaction of isocyanates and water to form a carbamic acid intermediate. This acid quickly decomposes by splitting off carbon dioxide and leaving behind a complex amine. This amine then reacts with another isocyanate group to form the polyurea linkage. This two- step reaction is used in what is commonly called polyurea/urethane foam formation. The reactivity of isocyanates makes them harmful to living tissue. They are toxic and are known to cause asthma in humans, both through inhalation exposure and dermal contact. Precaution should always be taken when handling them. Exposure to diisocyanates can cause different medical conditions. Most common are respiratory problems such as a runny nose, coughing or nose bleed. In the case of the amines, it is difficult to be specific since there are many different types involved. Many of them are, however, quite nasty materials. Aromatic and structurally similar amines comprise one of the major groups of carcinogens known to man. It is therefore of the utmost importance to avoid contact with these materials and great detail should be given to health and safety issues when handling these raw materials. However, in paradox, once they have been fully reacted into finished polyurea compounds, they are no longer harmful or toxic. In fact, some polyurea greases are even approved for use in foodgrade applications where there is risk for incidental contact. Grease Manufacturing Commercial production of polyurea thickened greases usually follows a three step manufacturing process. In the first step, approximately 9 to 20 weight per cent of the selected isocyanates and amines together with about 40 weight per cent of base oils are introduced in a suitable reaction kettle. The reactants can be added either all at once or sequentially for single or double kettle thickener processes, respectively. Once the blend is in the reaction kettle, it is slowly mixed from temperatures ranging from 21°C to 204°C (70°F to 400°F) for
LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14 7

a period sufficient to cause formation of the thickener. Although, the reaction is exothermic, external heating is required to ensure completion and generation of a stable thickener complex. The NLGI grade of the thickener is pre-determined by the amount of base oil introduced at the start of the process. In the second step, suitable liquids and solid additives are added to the hot thickener in the same kettle or to a second or finishing kettle. Portions of the remaining base oils are added to the thickener to achieve the desired viscosity grade and cool it to temperatures suitable for the addition of other performance additives. These additives include anti-oxidants, extreme pressure, anti-wear agents and dyes. In the final step, the fully additivated grease is homogenized to achieve the desired NLGI grade. Homogenisers are preferred over colloid mills since they generate polyurea greases with better texture and can significantly adjust the NLGI grade of the grease. Depending on the starting material and the plant equipment, the finished grease may require additional cooling prior to packaging in a suitable container. Recently, polyurea grease manufacture has been simplified by the use of commercially available polyurea powders. These powders are generated by solvent extraction of the base oil from the polyurea thickener manufactured by the previously explained first step of the manufacturing process. The grease is then manufactured by solubilizing the powder at the desired concentration in base oils at medium temperatures with continuous mixing. Once formed, additional oil and performance additives are added to the thickener to achieve the desired performance requirements. This approach significantly eliminates the risks involved in handling the toxic raw materials but limits the types of polyurea greases that can be generated since this option is controlled by the composition of the powder.

unwanted water is present either as spray or contaminant. Because Corn Head Grease is thixotropic, oxidation resistant, and fully fortified with the proper additives it is the best possible grease for use in corn head gear cases and it also performs well in irrigation system gear cases, golf and turf cutting gear cases, and other gear cases requiring an NLGI 0 grade grease. SEALED FOR LIFE BEARINGS Electric motor and automotive wheel bearings are two demanding sealed for life applications where polyurea greases thrive. Operating temperatures in these applications can frequently reach 150-180°C, significantly stressing conventional grease thickeners. The dropping point test gives an indication of the temperature at which the grease will melt or the oil will separate from the thickener. Due to the high temperatures that can be reached in these bearing applications, grease with a high dropping point is extremely desirable. Polyurea-thickened greases have dropping points of 260°C or higher. One of the most common grease degradation mechanisms is oxidation. Conventional grease thickeners are based upon the metal salt of fatty acids. Metals can have a catalytic effect on oxidation, speeding up grease degradation reactions. Selection of a thickener system which is not formed from metallic components significantly reduces this limiting factor in grease life. Polyurea based greases are completely metal-free, and as such have outstanding resistance to oxidation. High Temperature Grease Life test results give a good indication of a greases ability to operate under extreme conditions. In this type of testing, polyurea greases can offer

8 LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14

THROUGH OUR CUSTOMISED LABELTM STRATEGY, WE BECOME A CHAMPION OF YOUR BRAND, MANUFACTURING GREAT QUALITY INDUSTRIAL LUBRICATING GREASES TIME AND TIME AGAIN, IN YOUR NAME, ON YOUR BEHALF, CUSTOMISED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR CUSTOMERS.

operational lifetimes of up to 50% longer than conventional complex thickeners. This long grease life can extend the life of bearings running at high speeds and high temperatures.

CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINTS (CVJ)

A CVJ is a torque transmitting coupling in which the input and output shafts have the same velocity. They are used in vehicle drivelines to smoothly transmit the energy from the gearbox output shaft to the wheels. In today’s modern car or light truck, the biggest volume of grease is used to lubricate CVJs, and these greases are expected to last for the lifetime of the vehicle.

Polyurea thickened CVJ greases were first introduced in 1978, and due primarily to progressively increasing temperature requirements have grown to become the dominant thickener for

this application. CVJs are complex systems that are tribologically very highly stressed. In the most demanding cases, plunging ball joint temperatures can reach 150–180°C. Under these severe temperature conditions, the high dropping point and oxidative resistance of the polyurea thickener system allow it to survive. One primary advantage of urea thickeners is that the building blocks can be adjusted to modify the performance of the finished grease. One finished grease property that can be imparted is thixotropy. Thixotropy is a shear thinning rheological behavior of certain urea derivatives, and in the case of the CVJ application is very beneficial in contributing to reduced lubricant starvation.

STEEL MILL CONTINUOUS CASTORS

In continuous casting (CC), molten steel is refined by blast furnace processing and then solidified into an intermediate

LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14 9

Polyurea complex greases are produced when calcium based soaps or complexing agents are added to the formed thickener. In addition to the excellent properties of normal polyurea grease, these agents add inherent water resistance, extreme pressure and wear protection properties that increase the multipurpose capabilities of these polyurea complex greases. Application & Properties Diurea greases are the most widely used polyureas in the current grease market. They can be manu- factured either with TDI or MDI isocyanates and are often designated by the specific starting materials. The TDI alkyl aryl polyurea can have dropping points as high as 250°C (482°F), excellent water resistance, low oil separation, uncanny thixotropic behaviour and superior mobility and pumpability. These performance parameters allow them to perform exceptionally well in filled for life ball bearings found in boat trailers, fans, high speed spindles and alternator bearings, respectively. Their thixotropic behav- iour, pumpability and mobility also allow them to be used in agricultural, construction and forestry equipment fitted with automated lubrication dispensing units optimized for multiple contact zones and lubrication points. MDI polyurea greases tend to have excellent work stability and, when additivated with the suitable antioxidants, have replaced TDI greases in constant velocity joints, generator and electric motor bearings. Their superior water resistance has also made them suitable for use in continuous casting segments of steel mills. Tetraurea greases can also be used in electric motor bearings but their selection is less desirable since they tend to harden when exposed to high temperatures or stored over time. Although polyurea thickened greases are widely used in modern lubrication applications, special consideration should be taken with their selection since they tend to have low levels of compatibility with other types of greases including other polyureas.
10 LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14

product called the slab, billet or bloom. This intermediate steel product is then supplied to the rolling mills for finishing. The bearings which support the moving slab combine high loads and elevated temperatures with low rotational speed. This presents difficulties in creating a lubricant film between the bearing’s rollers and raceways. High viscosity base oil greases must be selected to resist corrosion and aid in sealing as a result of continuous exposure to secondary cooling water spray and hard debris contamination.

Polyurea greases have many desirable properties which have made them successful in CC applications. For continuous casters, the most widely used lubrication method is the centralized grease distribution system. These systems pump

a relatively small amount of grease at frequent intervals to the bearing. This frequent cycle keeps the bearing full with fresh grease while also purging old grease and contaminants. Good flow properties are essential for grease to be used in steel plant applications and polyurea grease possess excellent pumpability characteristics, particularly at low shear rate. The thixotropic nature of urea based greases provides an excellent sealing barrier to prevent water and abrasive foreign particles from entering the bearings. In addition, the high dropping point (>260°C) and excellent oxidative stability offered by urea thickened greases provide extended high temperature capability, greatly enhancing high temperature bearing life.

HIGH TEMPERATURE APPLICATION; CONTINUOUS CASTING

LUBRISENSE WHITE PAPER 13-14 11

NEXT ISSUE

The next issue of the LubrisenseTM White Papers will focus on lubricants for heavily loaded applications, especially greases for open gears. Traditionally, such products have contained substantial amounts of solid particles such as graphite and/ or molybdenum disulphide. However, in recent years, doubts have been raised concerning the need for or even the suitability of using such materials in this type of product. We are pleased that Johann-Paul Stemplinger from the Gear Research Centre FZG in Munich Germany has agreed to be

our guest author and will describe wear behavior in grease lubricated gears. In addition, we will present case studies where greases containing no solids have outperformed conventional types of graphited products.

As usual, we encourage reader contribution, feedback and proposals concerning relevant topics for future issues of our White Papers.

Editor Graham Gow / graham.gow@axelch.com

AXEL CHRISTIERNSSON AB

P.O. BOX 2100
SE 449 11 NOL
SWEDEN
TEL +46 (0) 303 33 25 00 FAX +46(0)303332590

AXEL CHRISTIERNSSON BV

1 FEBRUARIWEG 13
4794 SM HEIJNINGEN
THE NETHERLANDS
TEL +31 (0) 167 52 29 80 FAX +31(0)167522271

AXEL FRANCE SAS

46 RUE DE GOISE, BP 8821 FR-79028 NIORT CEDEX 9 FRANCE
TEL +33 (0) 49 77 13 71 FAX +33(0)549739530

AXEL AMERICAS LLC

1440 ERIE
N, KANSAS CITY, MO 64116 PO. BOX 12337
USA
TEL +1 (0) 816 471 4590 FAX +1 (0) 816 471 2240

WWW.AXELCH.COM INFO@AXELCH.COM

A COMPANY IN THE FAIRFORD GROUP

[edinmass]

OK....so from the above, and videos, I am still of the opinion "corn head grease" is different from, and flows differently from regular 'OO' grease, and I will bow to what out talented resident engineer Gary A says...........that said, Gary........is there a difference from "corn Head" to "OO"?

 

 

In my steering boxes, I have been using Lubriplate but it is so thick, we remove the box/cover and spoon it in to get the box full.......as it will not flow into the box with heat in a funnel even after 48 hours.........

Edited October 26, 2021 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Gary_Ash]

Gee, Ed, I'm an engineer and physicist, not an organic chemist, but here's my take on the greases:

 

John Deere "corn head grease" is rated NLGI 0, meaning it is a thicker grease than NLGI 00.  The thickener in the JD product is a polyurea-based soap.  I couldn't find the JD specs for the grease, they just say it's good for their products.

 

Lubriplate wheel bearing grease  in rated NLGI 2, meaning it is a much stiffer grease than NLGI 0 or 00.  The thickener for Lubriplate is a lithium complex.

https://www.lubriplate.com/Products/Grease/Multi-Purpose-Greases/WHEEL-BEARING-LUBRICANT/WHEEL-BEARING-LUBRICANT/

 

The Smitty's "Super S cotton picker spindle grease" sold by Tractor Supply is NLGI 00, has a lithium soap thickener, meets John Deere specs JD-360 and JD-380, whatever those say.  Other companies also offer NLGI 00 grease that meets those JD specs.  Here is a link to the specs at Smitty's:

http://www.smittysinc.net/userfiles/productLiterature/GREASE/SuperS_00_Grease_17.pdf

 

Behind all of this is the fact that grease is made up of a base oil and a thickener, frequently a "soap".  As long as the base oil provides sufficient lubrication properties, it probably doesn't matter too much which thickener is used for universal joints with similar viscosity greases - just don't mix the products.  I have an ancient can of "Sanilac axle grease" which is apparently thickened with Bentonite clay, not sure what it was used for.

 

The 1925 to 1928-1/2 Studebaker service manual says that Mechanics-type U-joints (similar to the Hartford joint) should be filled with "light transmission oil" by taking out the fill and vent plugs and filling with oil.  I would read that as SAE 30-40 weight.  The service manual expected that filling once every six months would be adequate, as long as there are no leaks. As a comparison, the manual recommends filling the steering gear case with "very heavy transmission oil" (SAE 50 ?).  My concern with using Lubriplate wheel bearing grease (or any other thick grease) in old steering boxes is that the follower will eventually wipe the grease off the worm but the grease won't flow enough to relubricate the parts.  Take the cover off a box after some use and see where the grease is and isn't.  Older cars were designed to leak a little oil and grease.  

 

Have we highjacked the thread yet?

 

 

[edinmass]

Gary, my bad.....I used Penrite OO from restoration supply..........my memory is a bit mushy. I agree with something too thick could not flow enough. Lots of people are using corn head as a “modern good for everything” application.......and I have serious reservations about it for anything pre 1950. Since it’s thixotropic it really doesn’t flow well in slow moving applications.

Edited October 26, 2021 by edinmass (see edit history)

[29 Chandler]

Gary and Ed thanks for all your thoughts on this topic. Sorry I am late to the party, living on the West Coast and working all day it takes me longer to catch up.

 

Gary looks like you found the same thread that I found looking up this issue. The universal joints have a 1/4" x 1/8" sealing the fixed base part of the outer cover. I doubt much leaked out of that end as it was a pretty tight seal going back together. The other end that attached to the driveshaft has to move and slide on the smooth metal face connected to the driveshaft. My guess is that is where it is leaking past the seal. One reference I found from 1919 showed this as a hemp gasket which I expect is still on there from day one.

 

My owner's manual specifies "cup grease" while a 1919 version of Dykes says semi-fluid grease. The grease I took out of there and that was not providing much lubrication for the bearings was probably wheel bearing grease NLGI 2. Is obvious now the NLGI 00 grease I tried is too thin, but probably provided great lubrication while it was in there. 

 

I have on order some Lubriplate Aero NGLI 1 that I plan to fill the housing up with.  But in re-reading Terry's thread maybe the corn head grease is the golden ticket. I have a tour coming up in about 10 days so I hope I can get this sorted out before then.

 

I noticed in Terry's thread he removed the pipe plug and installed a Zero fitting to fill the joint housing. Would that have been the way it was done back in the teens (rather with a period fitting of course)? If so I wonder why the pipe plug was used?

[Gary_Ash]

You need one "gozinta" and one "gozouta" fitting to let the grease in and the air out.  These days, it's easier to use a Zerk fitting on the input side, just remove the plug on the output side until grease comes out.

 

Semifluid grease is NLGI 00.  "Cup grease" is undefined without further info, many grades available.

 

The 00 grease may not be too thin, just the seal isn't adequate.

 

 

[Mark Shaw]

16 hours ago, edinmass said:

Since it’s thixotropic it really doesn’t flow well in slow moving applications.

If the cavity is completely filled it will become fluid within the rotating parts.

 

What does thixotropic mean in terms of viscosity?  

Definition - What does Thixotropic mean? A thixotropic fluid is one that takes a fixed time to return to its equilibrium viscosity when subjected to abrupt changes in shear rate. In other words, the liquid becomes less viscous (thinner or flows more easily) when shaken, stirred, agitated or otherwise stressed.

What is Thixotropic? - Definition from Corrosionpedia

www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/2400/thixotropic

 

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by Mark Shaw (see edit history)

[29 Chandler]

I confirmed that all of the grease exited the seal on the top. The one seal that has to move as the drive shaft changes its pitch relative to the joint. The rear seal is also empty, all of the liquid grease exited. I think I am going to refill with the Aero grease (NLGI #1) this weekend after I clean up the underside of the car.

[29 Chandler]

22 hours ago, Gary_Ash said:

You need one "gozinta" and one "gozouta" fitting to let the grease in and the air out.  These days, it's easier to use a Zerk fitting on the input side, just remove the plug on the output side until grease comes out.

 

Semifluid grease is NLGI 00.  "Cup grease" is undefined without further info, many grades available.

 

The 00 grease may not be too thin, just the seal isn't adequate.

 

 

I'm not even going to ask where to order a "gozinta" 🙂

 

Thanks Gary that made me laugh!

[edinmass]

A gozinta is ten times easier to find than a goesouta............