Bearing Grease Question

[Rickochet]

I bought some new hubs for my pontoon trailer. The hubs have races installed and bearings packed and everything pre-greased. My trailer is 90 miles away and I thought this would be an easier change out than doing it in the field. The hubs info said that that they were rated for salt water marine use and do ave a double lip spring grease seal. The only question I have is the grease. It looks like a white lithium grease but is a light green or sage color. It is not semitransparent like the other green and red greases I have used. I want to reinstall the bearing buddies and will want to make sure the grease I use is compatible. Is any marine grease ok to ad. I contacted the vendor and he suggested Stalube Marine Grease but I am not finding any info on it. The hub kit has Waterland Supply Co. of Doral FL and I think that they also make Continental boat trailers. I might try contacting Waterland. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[gm280]

Well Rickochet, you always have the option of washing them clean and select a grease you like and repack them. That way there is no issues with compatibility. But that is just my 2 cents worth. Also, simply installed pre-packed bearings isn't enough. You should try to apply more grease into the hubs as well. So carry your grease gun along too. JMHO!

 

[Rickochet]

No Title

Well Rickochet, you always have the option of washing them clean and select a grease you like and repack them. That way there is no issues with compatibility. But that is just my 2 cents worth. Also, simply installed pre-packed bearings isn't enough. You should try to apply more grease into the hubs as well. So carry your grease gun along too. JMHO!

The reason I asked is because I plan to put Bearing Buddies back on and will need to shoot some extra grease in them. I didn't even think of grease compatibility until I saw the grease used in the hubs and had never seen that color before. I wish now that I had just ordered some with races installed but no grease. I have sent an email to the company on the hub package. Perhaps they can help. A pic of the grease on a stick is attached. It is kind of a sage or moss green.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Alota marine/ water resistant greases are 'bout that color,....

 

[Rickochet]

Ayuh,.... Alota marine/ water resistant greases are 'bout that color,....

I didn't think the picture would help much but posted it anywho. It is actually more of an olive drab. What got my attention is that it is not translucent or semi transparent like most bearing greases I have used and more like a white lith. I just noticed that the box does not say where the parts were made and I am guessing the Waterlands just slapped a label on the closed box and won't have a clue. I may just return them and get some dry units and use my grease of choice.

 

[Bondo]

I may just return them and get some dry units and use my grease of choice.

Ayuh,.... Or just clean 'em, 'n repack 'em,.....

 

[airshot]

Well this may ruffle some feathers out there but....why the concern over grease compatibility? I have been a boater for more than 50 yrs and have used a variety of different greases in my hubs thru various trailers. Now with that said....I do take apart, inspect and freshen the grease at the beginning of each season or in some cases I do it before putting away for the winter. I have never had a compatibility problem with the various greases I have used. I do use good quality grease, never an oddball no name grease, but never found any type of issue or had a bearing failure. Honestly I would not worry about.

 

[Rickochet]

I am worried about it because I don't want to be on the side of a road trying to do a field repair with traffic whizzing by. That is why I bought new hubs. I have heard of instances of incompatible greases liquifying and frying hubs. So easy to prevent if you use the proper grease. My issue is the unknown grease in the hub that has the appearance I have never seen.

 

[Rickochet]

Ayuh,.... Or just clean 'em, 'n repack 'em,.....

Which means knocking the grease seal out and going through the mess of cleaning and repacking. I can return the pre greased for dry ones for less than I paid for the pre-greased ones.

 

[ondarvr]

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/...-compatibility



http://thelubricantstore.com/grease-compatibility-chart

 

[JoshOnt]

Seems like cleaning them and repacking aught to be the quickest way.

 

[H20Rat]

Well this may ruffle some feathers out there but....why the concern over grease compatibility? I have been a boater for more than 50 yrs and have used a variety of different greases in my hubs thru various trailers.

I'm in the same boat! Unless you go digging around, nearly every grease you are going to find at walmart or your local auto parts store are all some form of lithium based grease, which are all compatible with each other.

I keep two grease guns around... One is for the snowmobile suspension, which needs something that doesn't turn to a rock at low temps. The other grease gun is marine grease, that gets used for EVERYTHING else. Trailer bearings, lower until grease points, lawnmower zerks, etc... (and both guns are still technically compatible, both lithium based.) I rarely ever tear a bearing apart, I just try to make sure they have grease in them! (my non-marine trailers have ez-lube hubs, the rest have bearing buddies)

 

[bruceb58]

I'm in the same boat! Unless you go digging around, nearly every grease you are going to find at walmart or your local auto parts store are all some form of lithium based grease, which are all compatible with each other.

The Sta-Lube marine grease I use incompatible with lithium based grease.
http://www.amazon.com/Sta-Lube-Marine-Trailer-Bearings-14-Ounce/dp/B000KKLLPS

 

[Rickochet]

The Sta-Lube marine grease I use incompatible with lithium based grease.
http://www.amazon.com/Sta-Lube-Marin.../dp/B000KKLLPS

I emailed the vendor I bought them from if he knew what kind of grease is in the hub. He didn't say, just quoted me the Sta-Lube part # on their website. The product descriptions I have read for Stalube Marine is blue. The grease in my hubs is green. Can you tell by the pic I posted if the Stalube Marine looks like that? Perhaps I can find some Sta-lube locally and compare to what I have.

 

[JimS123]

Well this may ruffle some feathers out there but....why the concern over grease compatibility? I have been a boater for more than 50 yrs and have used a variety of different greases in my hubs thru various trailers. Now with that said....I do take apart, inspect and freshen the grease at the beginning of each season or in some cases I do it before putting away for the winter. I have never had a compatibility problem with the various greases I have used. I do use good quality grease, never an oddball no name grease, but never found any type of issue or had a bearing failure. Honestly I would not worry about.

That's what I thought too. Then one year just before vacation I added new bearing buddies and repacked with a different brand grease. It turned to water and all ran out 1/2 way to the state park. That hassle on the interstate will never happen again.

Same lithium base, same marine grade, yada, yada.

Now I buy my grease from a reputable business that only sells lubricants. If / when they change brands of MWB grease I clean and start from scratch.

 

[bruceb58]

I emailed the vendor I bought them from if he knew what kind of grease is in the hub. He didn't say, just quoted me the Sta-Lube part # on their website. The product descriptions I have read for Stalube Marine is blue. The grease in my hubs is green. Can you tell by the pic I posted if the Stalube Marine looks like that? Perhaps I can find some Sta-lube locally and compare to what I have.

Yep...kinda bluish green

 

[bruceb58]

In the instructions for Sta-Lube grease, they say to get all traces of incompatible grease out before you use the aluminum complex base. Kinda curious why some people think they know more than the manufacturer of the grease! Makes you shake your head sometimes.

 

[Rickochet]

Things just got serious. The sample of the grease I had on the popsicle stick was stashed in my pen cup until I finished with it. I accidentally bumped the stick and it stuck to my hand and when I lifted my hand the greasy stick fell into a perfectly good mug of beer. This is a bad omen. Unless I get confirmation that this grease is indeed Sta-lube the hubs go back and I get dry ones and some Sta-lube Marine.

 

[airshot]

That's what I thought too. Then one year just before vacation I added new bearing buddies and repacked with a different brand grease. It turned to water and all ran out 1/2 way to the state park. That hassle on the interstate will never happen again.

Same lithium base, same marine grade, yada, yada.

Now I buy my grease from a reputable business that only sells lubricants. If / when they change brands of MWB grease I clean and start from scratch.

Wow... that is something...never heard of anything like that before. Are you sure it was from two different types of grease? I could not tell you how many different types of grease.. (well all marine grade wheel bearing type) I have used and never saw that issue and I have pulled a boat trailer for 51 years.

 

[Rickochet]

Wow... that is something...never heard of anything like that before. Are you sure it was from two different types of grease? I could not tell you how many different types of grease.. (well all marine grade wheel bearing type) I have used and never saw that issue and I have pulled a boat trailer for 51 years.

I have seen this mentioned more than once and the reason I started this thread.