Grease Guide: How to Choose the Right Grease

Grease is industry’s most used and least discussed lubricant. Chosen well, it multiplies bearing life. Chosen badly, it is the silent cause of early failures, frequent stops and wasted grease. Most of the problems we see in plants come not from “bad grease” but from the wrong grease in the wrong place.

What is grease?

Grease has three components:

• Base oil (70–95%): The part that actually lubricates. It can be mineral, synthetic (PAO, ester), silicone or PFPE.
• Thickener (5–20%): The structure that holds the oil like a sponge. It largely decides how the grease handles water, heat and mechanical stress.
• Additives: Extreme pressure (EP), anti-wear, rust and oxidation inhibitors, plus solid lubricants such as moly, graphite or PTFE.

Grease types by thickener

Grease type	Strength	Watch out for
Lithium grease	Economical, multi-purpose, widely used	Weakens above about 120°C and under heavy water
Lithium complex grease	Higher temperature capability than lithium	Still limited in very wet, very hot service
Calcium sulfonate grease	Inherent EP, excellent water and corrosion resistance	Check compatibility with other greases
Polyurea grease	Long life, high speed; common in electric motor bearings	Incompatible with some grease types
Calcium grease	Good water resistance, good low-temperature performance	Standard calcium greases have a low temperature limit
Non-melt synthetic-thickened grease	No dropping point, so it won’t run out in heat; very water resistant	Do not mix with other greases

Most HUSKEY greases use non-melt synthetic thickeners developed for tough conditions. They are designed to keep lubricating where lithium and lithium complex greases reach their limits: at high temperature, in heavy water and under heavy load. HUSKEY MP-2 Polyurea Grease is a polyurea grease for high-speed bearings and electric motors.

By base oil: synthetic, silicone and PFPE grease

• Mineral greases are the economical choice for most general applications.
• Synthetic greases work across a wider temperature range, age more slowly and extend relubrication intervals, making one grease possible from the freezer to the oven. Example: HUSKEY HTL-500 (about −59°C to 260°C).
• Silicone greases are compatible with plastics and rubber and resist water and chemicals; used on O-rings, seals, valves and electrical connections. Example: HUSKEY 220-R Silicone Grease.
• PFPE greases are almost chemically inert, for oxygen service, aggressive chemicals and vacuum. Example: HUSKEY PF Series.

NLGI grades: what is an NLGI 2 grease?

The NLGI grade describes grease consistency (stiffness). The higher the number, the stiffer the grease.

NLGI	Consistency	Typical use
000–0	Fluid / very soft	Enclosed gearboxes, centralized lubrication systems
1	Soft	Cold service, centralized systems, long lines
2	Medium, most common	General bearing grease, joints, slides
3	Firm	Vertical shafts, some high-speed bearings

NLGI 2 is the most common industrial consistency. “EP2 grease” usually means an NLGI 2 grease with EP additives.

EP grease and heavy-load grease

EP (extreme pressure) grease contains additives that stop metal surfaces welding together under heavy load and shock. Construction equipment, crushers, presses and slow heavily loaded bearings need a high-pressure grease. Solid lubricants such as moly (molybdenum disulfide) and graphite keep protecting even when the oil film thins.

• HUSKEY Dyna-Mite Red Grease: A non-melt, highly water-resistant red grease for heavy duty, shock loads and harsh environments.
• HUSKEY Molyplex Grease: Moly-fortified grease for severe impact loads and oscillating motion.

White grease and red grease

Grease color says nothing about performance. It comes from the base oil, additives or a deliberately added dye.

• White grease is preferred in food, packaging and textile plants where cleanliness and visual checks matter. Examples: HUSKEY 775 FMG (white, NSF H1), Hydrolube (white, NSF H1), HTL-500 (translucent white, NSF H1).
• Red grease is often the signature color of heavy-duty greases. Example: HUSKEY Dyna-Mite Red.

Choose on temperature, speed, load and environment, not color.

The right grease for the application

Bearing grease: Chosen by bearing type, speed, load and temperature. For general-purpose bearings, multi-purpose EP greases such as HUSKEY Tuff Stuff or Moly-Graph work well.

Electric motor bearing grease: Needs high-speed capability, long life and low noise. Polyurea-based HUSKEY MP-2 is designed for electric motors and high-speed bearings.

High-speed bearing grease: Fan, spindle and conveyor bearings need a low-friction, shear-stable grease. HUSKEY Coolube 65 is a low-temperature grease developed for high speeds and moderate loads.

Oven bearing grease and high-temperature grease: On kiln cars, drying ovens and hot conveyors, grease must not run out or carbonize. HUSKEY HTS-2 Moly stands out for leaving no carbon residue at high temperature; 105 Hi-Temp works up to about 308°C.

Water-resistant bearing grease: For bearings under washdown, steam and rain. HUSKEY Lube-O-Seal and LVI-50 are fully waterproof, PTFE-fortified synthetic greases, both NSF H1 registered.

Food-grade grease and food machinery grease: Every point above or near the product zone should use NSF H1 grease. HUSKEY HTL-500, 775 FMG, LVI-50, Lube-O-Seal, Hydrolube and Eco-Lube EP 2 are NSF H1 registered.

The 5 most common grease mistakes

1. Over-greasing: Packing a bearing full causes heat and seal damage. Filling a third to a half of the bearing’s free space is usually enough.
2. Mixing greases: Incompatible greases lose consistency when mixed. Clean out fully when changing grease.
3. One grease everywhere: It looks economical, but an oven bearing and a food conveyor don’t need the same grease.
4. Unlabeled grease guns: The most common cause of mixing.
5. Greasing without wiping the fitting: Dust and grit go straight into the bearing.

Let’s find the right grease together

If you’re not sure which grease to use, just tell us the problem. Send us your current grease, operating temperature, speed and environment; we will check compatibility, recommend the best product and send a sample to test.