• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Grease when should it be discarded?


Bgunner

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2018
Messages
1,755
Reaction score
1,039
Points
113
Location
Western Mass.
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford/Ranger XLT
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
225/70/R15
My credo
If it's not broken Don't Fix It!
For those of us that are DIY'ers, at home, know that we need grease on hand at all times because, well it's darn useful for many things. My question is when should it be discarded? Grease guns drip like crazy for those that don't do it everyday and the cans get oil on top so at what point do we say (at home) I need to change this out for fresh?

Is there a texture change, buy amount of oil that seeps out or a time, months or years that pass that lets you know it is time?
 


85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
32,213
Reaction score
17,527
Points
113
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
As long as the product itself stays clean I wouldn't worry about the shelf life of grease.

There is a shelf life for oil bottles, they can seep around the little oil level window molded into them after a couple years and of course if you wait a really long time the plastic gets brittle.
 

Bgunner

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2018
Messages
1,755
Reaction score
1,039
Points
113
Location
Western Mass.
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford/Ranger XLT
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
225/70/R15
My credo
If it's not broken Don't Fix It!
as an example: One tube for my regular size grease gun will last me years with the ranger and the replacement joints on a dodge caliber. If I had to guess a tube in the gun will last 5 to 10 years for my standard usage for family work, at this time with more kids coming of age soon. So even though it's leaking all this time it is still good to use on front end parts, other than wheel bearings of course since that needs different type of grease, along with other odd and end usages?
 
Last edited:

rusty ol ranger

Im a Jeep guy now.
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
12,267
Reaction score
7,274
Points
113
Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
I got a big ol can of marathon grease that came from my grandpa that he probably bought somewhere in the 60s.

I still use it regularly with no issues.
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
I throw it out when its full of more dirt than grease.
 

Bgunner

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2018
Messages
1,755
Reaction score
1,039
Points
113
Location
Western Mass.
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford/Ranger XLT
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
225/70/R15
My credo
If it's not broken Don't Fix It!
None of my grease guns drip at all :dntknw:

I use this grease on EVERYTHING


By "everything" are you including wheel bearings in this,not knowing much about grease here, as in an use all grease or it just doesn't drip?
 

Bird76Mojo

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
2,633
Reaction score
1,264
Points
113
Location
IL
Engine Type
V8
By "everything" are you including wheel bearings in this,not knowing much about grease here, as in an use all grease or it just doesn't drip?
I use it to grease the wheel bearings on both of my trailers, all of my greasable joints on my trucks, my mower decks, tractors, etc - but I run auto-greasing adapters on my trailer hubs so they always have a constant, fresh supply of good grease. The kind meant for boats. It may not be ideal wheel bearing grease, but I've had no problems, and it is indeed VERY sticky grease. I just haven't taken the time to look up the specs on this grease to see what it's really suitable for.

It is an EP (extreme pressure) grease so it should be suitable for nearly any heavy load application, except for anything requiring grease that is food safe.
 

97RangerXLT

Forum Staff Member
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
6,738
Reaction score
3,841
Points
113
Location
Fishers, IN
Vehicle Year
1997
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2"
Tire Size
31"
I inherited my grease gun from my Grandpa. It still has grease in it and if I were to guess, he filled that up sometime in the late Carter or early Reagan administration (not quite as impressive as Rusty's stash from his grandpa, but still, almost 4 decades...). No issues :)

and it does not leak.

AJ
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Members online

Today's birthdays

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Latest posts

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top