The right grease for your grease gun depends on several factors. And in order for you to obtain the most appropriate grease and lubricant, you must very well consider these factors.

It is important for you to note that using the wrong grease can largely affect your grease gun. In fact, it can even permanently damage the tool. And this is something you would not want, especially if cost weighs heavily on your buying decisions.

Choosing The Right Grease

The truth is – choosing the right grease can be very challenging. Not to mention that the market today is already filled with frauds and dishonest sellers. Hence, the chance of buying a low-quality and wrong grease or lubricant is very much apparent.

But even so, this can still be avoided if you know how to choose the right grease properly. And mind you, this is not a very simple task to do since it will involve a lot of considerations and knowledge about your grease gun and where you would apply the grease.

Even so, here are some of the things you must regard carefully:

Base Oil Viscosity

One of the most important thing that you must consider is the base oil viscosity. In order for you to choose the right grease, you must know what is the proper base oil viscosity that your grease application requires.

The most accurate way to know this is to use speed factors like NDm or DN. NDm is equal to rpm x [(bearing bore + outer diameter)/2]. As for DN, it is equal to rpm x bearing bore. You must also know the operating temperature to determine the minimum viscosity.

Base Oil Type

There are generally two types of base oil. And these are mineral oil and synthetic oil. Both oils can actually be used for any application. But even so, this still comes with restrictions. Essentially, mineral oil type is much more appropriate for any normal grease application. But, if the application would involve extreme temperature ratings, then it is best to choose the synthetic oil type.

Grease Thickener Type

The grease thickener type largely varies on the application of grease. And it has become one of the most important factors to consider when trying to find out the best grease for your best grease gun. This is because the number of thickener types today is quite increasing.

Today, the most common and general thickener type is lithium thickener. But for high-temperature applications, the most preferred are bentonite or clay thickener types.

As for water applications, it is much encouraged to use the aluminum complex thickener.

Performance Properties

Aside from the factors given above, another thing to consider in order to choose the right grease for your grease gun is the actual performance properties of the grease. These include water washout, dropping point, mechanical stability, and pumpability. And these properties will largely play a role in the application.

So, it is essential that you consider first the grease application in order to check whether a certain grease can withstand the application or not.

Final Thoughts

All in all, you would notice that the factors essentially focus on the grease application. So, it is important that you know first where you would apply the grease in order to know the best and most appropriate grease for you.

If you want to know more about choosing the right grease for you, here’s a quick video that you may want to check: