Why <1% Moly spec for Kubota recommended grease?

[MNVikingsGuy]

I have a bunch of 3% lithium moly grease, but the manual for my new LX3310 + snowblower has a majority of grease points referencing using grease with <1% moly content. Seem like a weird spec. Most moly's are 3% including Kubota's own. I am new to small tractors, what harm could be done by using a 3% mol grease in this case? Obviously if a big deal I will just buy some general purpose HP lithium, but would rather use what I have if I can.

 

[GeoHorn]

You may be misreading the recommendation.... Kubota is recommending a Moly grease which is at a minimum of 1%. The 3% you are using exceeds that so you’re good-to-go.

 

[MNVikingsGuy]

You may be misreading the recommendation.... Kubota is recommending a Moly grease which is at a minimum of 1%. The 3% you are using exceeds that so you’re good-to-go.

Thanks for the reply, but here is a snapshot from the manual:

 

[Oliver]

Interesting, maybe a good question to Email Kubota why their own grease doesn't meet their spec?

 

[PaulR]

I asked my dealer about grease, he said "any grease is better than no grease"....and they call tell right away when people aren't greasing their machines.

 

[Bmyers]

I asked my dealer about grease, he said "any grease is better than no grease"....and they call tell right away when people aren't greasing their machines.

I asked the same question to the service manager. He said modern grease has come along ways and the issue is using it more so than which brand to use.

 

[MNVikingsGuy]

My best guess at this point is they don't want me to use a Moly grease for these parts and are using a very odd way of saying it.

 

[GeoHorn]

OK... I made the mistake of leaping to the conclusion you were discussing your FEL greasing recommendations, since only FEL is suitable for Moly grease.

And THAT is the issue here: Moly grease is suitable for pins, etc.... not bearings or most other points because the Moly is so anti-friction the rollers will slide and be damaged rather than rotate.

Sooo... it appears they are simply warning you to avoid Moly type greases in that particular application. (Sorry for the earlier “leap”.)

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: not bearings or most other points because the Moly is so anti-friction the rollers will slide and be damaged rather than rotate.

hmm.. wonder what 'Moly ' they put in trannies for the past 50+ years.... ?

 

[Oliver]

What grease zerks on our Kubota's supply grease to ball or roller bearings anyway?

 

[sheepfarmer]

These are snowblower parts, so different temp and application expectations. I don’t remember what manual for mine says, will look when I go out in barn later.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I asked my dealer about grease, he said "any grease is better than no grease"....and they call tell right away when people aren't greasing their machines.

Yep, no residual crud around the pivot points.....

 

[SidecarFlip]

Molly want a cracker.................

 

[DeepWoods]

So moly is ok for my FEL and backhoe, but I should not use it on my mid PTO driveshaft on my front mount snowblower?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

well Molyslip says it's OK to use for bearings......

 

[Oliver]

I recall when Harley Davidson advised not to use synthetic oil in their engines because it was so slippery it caused "bearing skate" bearings would slide rather than roll. Of course after HD finally started marketing synthetic oil themself it was ok.....

 

[GreensvilleJay]

actually the synoil dripped out faster than regular oil.......

 

[GeoHorn]

From Nitroonline (a lubricants company): http://www.nitronine.com/different-types-grease-uses/

Greases containing molybdenum disulfide as an additive are used in many heavy-duty, load-bearing, demanding situations such as in construction equipment, railways, farm machinery, etc. Specific everyday uses for molybdenum grease include:

• CV joints
• Ball joints
• Steering linkages
• Pivot pins
• Kingpins
• Worm and helical gears
• Splines
• Pinion gears

As well as just about any other heavily-loaded, low-speed application. It is also serves as a good multi-purpose grease. Its exceptional ability to reduce friction, however, makes it unsuitable for high-speed bearings (such as needle or roller bearings), as the rollers/needles need a small amount of friction in order to rotate a full 360° and perform as they should. Otherwise, they develop flat areas along the length of the rollers/needles and eventually stop rotating, thereby reducing the bearing's performance and resulting in a sooner than expected replacement.

 

[DeepWoods]

From Nitroonline (a lubricants company): http://www.nitronine.com/different-types-grease-uses/

Greases containing molybdenum disulfide as an additive are used in many heavy-duty, load-bearing, demanding situations such as in construction equipment, railways, farm machinery, etc. Specific everyday uses for molybdenum grease include:

• CV joints
• Ball joints
• Steering linkages
• Pivot pins
• Kingpins
• Worm and helical gears
• Splines
• Pinion gears

As well as just about any other heavily-loaded, low-speed application. It is also serves as a good multi-purpose grease. Its exceptional ability to reduce friction, however, makes it unsuitable for high-speed bearings (such as needle or roller bearings), as the rollers/needles need a small amount of friction in order to rotate a full 360° and perform as they should. Otherwise, they develop flat areas along the length of the rollers/needles and eventually stop rotating, thereby reducing the bearing's performance and resulting in a sooner than expected replacement.

So do I need to disassemble and clean the moly out of the u joints, or can I just start using the correct type of grease going forward?

 

[Oliver]

actually the synoil dripped out faster than regular oil.......

LOL so that was the reason!

Interesting info from Nitroonline. I have two grease guns one with Kubota grease which has Moly and the other which has synthetic grease but w/o moly. I've used only the Kubota moly grease on my tractor which is ok but I think I've used it on my Ferris ZTR, including the mower spindles, a few times. I'll make sure not to use the Kubota on it anymore.

So thanks for starting this discussion MNVikingsGuy..