Grease Lubrication Basics

Just like motor oil, grease comes in different types, quality levels, and viscosity grades. Depending on the area and application you need it for you may have a wide variety of grease types to choose from. Grease can be classified by use, by viscosity, or by composition. Learn more about this effective lubricant used on moving parts where oil is not a good candidate.

Lubrication for Other Parts of Your Vehicle or Machinery

When it comes to vehicle lubrication motor oil is the most well-known product but it certainly isn´t the only one. Yes, motor oil is essential for the engine because it protects it against friction but there are also other parts of your vehicle that need friction protection. Parts such as the chassis and ball joints don´t have a lubrication system like the engine does but they still face regular metal on metal contact that demands lubricant. This is where grease comes in.

Where Oil Cannot Work, Grease Does

Grease provides lubrication to areas where the parts rub against one another or face friction but where the oil would easily leak and not lubricate efficiently. Areas such as the chassis, ball joints, U-joints, and other vehicle parts or machinery sections where metal on metal contact is frequent, require a lubricant that can stay put. Grease does exactly that, it allows the parts to have enough slippery protection to not wear out and to be able to still move with ease.

Grease Composition

Grease is composed of two main elements. One is the base oil which is the lubricant. The second is the thickener which is what creates the goopy but slippery consistency that allows the grease to coat the parts that require protection. Soaps are the most common thickener for grease but there are a few varieties that are used to enhance the performance of the lubricant. Lithium or lithium complex based soaps and aluminum, as well as calcium soaps, are all types of soaps that are common in today´s market. However, when it comes to really improving the lubrication coverage complex thickeners are used. These type of thickeners are much better at protecting the moving parts under extreme heat or more demanding conditions.

3 Types of Grease Classifications

• By use. This usually refers to the type of application that will be given to the grease. Some are named by the actual purpose of the grease such as AMSOIL´s DOMINATOR® Synthetic Racing Grease which as the name states is grease for racing applications. Others such as Synthetic Water Resistant Grease is ideal for areas where water protection is required such as in the case of watercrafts and boats. There are also classifications such as EP (extreme pressure) and MP (multi-purpose). EP grease is used in cases where there is a very demanding workload or high pressure in the area and MP is used for most applications where there isn´t a specific demanding need. AMSOIL´s Synthetic Multi-Purpose Grease NLGI #2 is ideal for providing rust protection, friction reduction and improving the performance of different areas such as the wheel bearings. Contact Factory Direct Oil Inc today to find out more about the different types of greases and which is best for the specific application you need.
• Viscosity. Another important aspect and the one that distinguishes grease the most is the thickness of grease. The NLGI consistency number, sometimes referred to as the NLGI grade is what classifies how thin or thick it can get 000 is the thinnest type of grease which resembles a consistency of cooking oil while the thickest is a NLGI of 6 which can be a very hard grease which has a similar aspect to that of cheddar cheese. Learn more about grease thickness testing in the Machinery Lubrication post, here. 
• Composition. As we already mentioned one of the two components that make up grease is the base oil. However, there are different base oils that are used. Usually, there are two main base oils that are used: mineral (conventional) oil base and synthetic. Grease that has a more mineral base oil can only provide so much coverage before it thins out. This means it needs regular replacement and it isn´t exactly ideal for high pressure or intense temperature conditions. Synthetic grease, on the other hand, performs superbly under more demanding conditions and is great at delivering consistent friction protection in any area where it is required.

Synthetic Grease and Lubrication for Your Synthetic Oil Change in Chesapeake, VA

No matter what type of grease you require at AMSOIL you will find the right lubricant. They carry the most reliable synthetic lubricants on the market and provide unbeatable friction protection. Contact Factory Direct Oil Inc at (757) 377-5823 and get a hold of the top synthetic lubricants today.