Page 15 - Craft Bearing Catalog

Lubrication Lubrication
Bearing Company Inc.

n Grease Compatibility

A significant portion of grease lubrication Grease incompatibility is due to the additives

failures can be attributed to mixing greases and base oil, so when changing from one grease
in a system without taking into consideration system to another, the component should be
compatibility. Different thickener systems can cleaned if at all possible. If this is not possible,
react with each other to modify the physical verify the greases are compatible and make an
and chemical structure resulting in the inability assessment of the application criticality and
to hold or release the base oil. The end result is environment. If the grease thickener and base oil
grease with unknown performance properties is noted to be compatible, purge or flush out as
including load, shear, temperature stability, etc. much of the old grease as possible. It is the end
user’s responsibility to verify the final application
Many factors including environment can
impact this reaction. An example is grease used and product compatibility. Use caution as to not
in a cold climate or a chiller room may have a over grease.
slower reaction rate as compared to a high Compatibility testing is an option, which
temperature application. A high-speed bearing includes heating and holding grease for a
may be very sensitive to slight incompatibility as specific time at assumed operating temperature
compared to a low speed bearing. Refer to the for mixtures of 10:90, 50:50, and 90:10. The grease
grease compatibility table below. is then inspected for visual abnormalities and
can be tested for penetration and four-ball
wear change.

Grease Compatibility Table

LEGEND

Compatible
∆ Borderline Aluminum Complex Barium Soap Bariusm Complex Bentone (Clay) Calcium Stearate Calcium 12 Hydroxy Calcium Complex Calcium Sulfonate Lithium Stearate Lithium 12 Hydroxy Lithium Complex Polyurea Silica Gel Sodium Soap
X Incompatible

Aluminum Complex X X X X X ∆ X X X ∆
Barium Soap X N/A X N/A N/A ∆ ∆ ∆ N/A ∆ N/A X
Barium Complex X N/A X X X X X X X N/A X
Bentone (Clay) X X X X X X X X X ∆ X
Calcium Stearate X N/A X X ∆ X N/A N/A

Calcium 12 Hydroxy N/A ∆ ∆ X N/A N/A
Calcium Complex X ∆ X X X ∆ X X X ∆ X X
Calcium Sulfonate ∆ ∆ X ∆ X ∆ ∆ X ∆ X

Lithium Stearate X ∆ X X X ∆ X X
Lithium 12 Hydroxy X N/A X X ∆ X ∆ X N/A N/A
Lithium Complex ∆ X X X X
Polyurea X N/A X X X X ∆ X X X X N/A X
Silica Gel N/A N/A N/A X ∆ N/A N/A X

Sodium Soap ∆ X X X N/A N/A X X X N/A X X X

Craft Bearing Company, Inc. n Newport News, Virginia n www.craftbearing.com Craft Bearing Company, Inc. n Newport News, Virginia n www.craftbearing.com 13

Craft Bearing 2017 Catalog + Spe13 13 8/14/17 1:51:24 PM