Favorite Grease

[RVG8tor]

The instructions tell you after you get all the parts ready for final assembly of the aileron bell crank to grease the bad boy with your favorite grease. Since I do not have a favorite grease I thought I would ask the gallery. I do have some white lithium grease I use in the pneumatic squeezer, is this a viable option. This area does not need high temp grease so typical wheel bearing grease seems like overkill. I don't want to put something in that will cause trouble. Thanks is advance.

Mike

[mburch]

I use Aeroshell 22 everywhere on the airframe, but probably anything thick and slippery will work here (but not Crisco).

mcb

[jrvssgl]

I use aero shell 6 as it is a good multi purpose, and is what is used by hartzel for the cs prop. I don't see the need to own more than one grease gun for any single airplane. Anything will work for what you are describing however.

[Jim Percy]

I vote for lubriplate.

[Geico266]

So Crisco is not a good choice?




I use #6 Shell also, or Triflow oil.

[rocketbob]

I use Lubriplate on most things on my RV requiring grease.

The only use for Aeroshell greases is in certified aircraft. The EP grease that you can buy at Walmart is light years ahead of aircraft greases in performance.

Try this test with aeroshell: take the cap off of a tube, and leave it upside down over a paper towel. In a course of a few days the paper towel will become saturated with oil. Now get a good brand of EP grease, such as Amsoil or Lubriplate, and try the same test...

[jrvssgl]

You are correct in saying that there are very good greases besides aeroshell and yes they would be very safe to use on your airframe exclusively.

A point to note however is that greases contain different thickeners, and Base oils. So find a grease you like and stay with it. Intermixing of grease will cause these thickeners and base oils to seperate. Leading to poor grease performance.

I am going to say this so that noone missinterprets the information and starts to grease there Hartzel CS propellor with any old grease.

Hartzel propellors come shipped new from the factory with aeroshell 6 grease installed. Hartzel does not recommend using any other grease than Aeroshell 5 or 6 in the propellor. Aeroshell 5 being OK if you are not flying in very cold temperatures. However do not use Aeroshell 22 as it might cause seal swelling and grease seperation.

Aeroshell 22 is a Synthetic base oil Microgel Thickener, whereas Aeroshell 5 and 6 contain Mineral Base oil with a microgel thickener.

Conclusion -- pretty much any grease can be good grease. Just avoid intermixing greases. Your propellor grease fittings are probably the most important on your aircraft. Grease them proper and according to Hartzel's recomendations.

The Operating temps for Aeroshell 5 -23 - +177
Aeroshell 6 -40 - +121
Aeroshell 22 -65 - +204

[dhammer]

Lubriplate is probably a good grease, but be careful and don't mix it with anything else. Some years ago the company I was with used it on all their jet aircraft then someone decided, and rightly so, to switch to the greases the OEM's recommended. Problem was they got mixed when using grease guns on bearings, rod ends, etc. The two didn't like each other and the Lubriplate turned to something dry and hard like dirt. Many rod ends, disassembled bearings, and thousands of dollars later we were back in business.

Someone said it was a lithium base vs sodium base vs synthetic base problem. I'm not a chemist and don't know, but from there on out we only used the manufacturer's approved greases and none of them were Lubriplate or something else designed for a car or heavy machinery.

Maybe it's the old A&P in me, but I think airplanes operate in different environments than cars. The newer high tech stuff I'm involved with such as Gulfstreams, Challengers etc. use only the latest and best greases because of their severe operating environment. None of them come from Wal-Mart, but heck, RV's are experimental. Experiment away. As for me, for the little bit of grease in an RV I'd use only the best airplane stuff. Good grease is cheaper than good bearings.

Don

[Bob Lewis]

I am at the same point in construction and have the same question. It seems the majority seem to be using Lubriplate. In reading on their site,{ http://www.lubriplate.com/products/greases/aero.html } it is described as lithium Grease, so that brings me back to the original question "Is it proper to use white lithium (yes I know experimental so you CAN use anything)? Is this just white lithium or does it have some special qualities that would make it recommended? I would always want to use the best available, I don't want to pay for marketing the product as "Aero".

Thanks for your answers.

Bob

[dhammer]

Check out http://aeroshelldirect.com/aeroshell_grease.asp

You can pick up any of the Aeroshell greases for less than $20 in a tube. Aeroshell 5 is a great grease for a small aircraft and is $9.23. Why would you not use that? It amazes me where some people want to save a few pennys. Compaire it against the price of the parts you are putting it on.