Bilstein jack grease

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JLT
Old School!
Location: Sacramento CA
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Bilstein jack grease

Post by JLT » Sun Apr 18, 2021 3:19 pm

Hive minds, assemble!

I had to use my Bilstein jack the day before yesterday, and it was harder to turn than any jack I'd had before. I assume that after a half a century, the grease has gone to a better place. Which leaves me with the question: what's the best grease to use? Lithium grease, or plain old wheel bearing grease, or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter?
-- JLT
Sacramento CA

Present bus: '71 Dormobile Westie "George"
(sometimes towing a '65 Allstate single-wheel trailer)
Former buses: '61 17-window Deluxe "Pink Bus"
'70 Frankenwestie "Blunder Bus"
'71 Frankenwestie "Thunder Bus"

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Amskeptic
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Re: Bilstein jack grease

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:45 pm

JLT wrote:
Sun Apr 18, 2021 3:19 pm
Hive minds, assemble!

I had to use my Bilstein jack the day before yesterday, and it was harder to turn than any jack I'd had before. I assume that after a half a century, the grease has gone to a better place. Which leaves me with the question: what's the best grease to use? Lithium grease, or plain old wheel bearing grease, or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter?
Use the finest shear resistant grease you can find. Jacks are considered safety gear, and you want a grease that can withstand the load on the threads.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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JLT
Old School!
Location: Sacramento CA
Status: Offline

Re: Bilstein jack grease

Post by JLT » Mon Apr 19, 2021 4:21 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:45 pm

Use the finest shear resistant grease you can find. Jacks are considered safety gear, and you want a grease that can withstand the load on the threads.
Colin
So that would probably be the lithium grease, right? Unfortunately, they don't post shear resistance figures on the sides of the tube.
-- JLT
Sacramento CA

Present bus: '71 Dormobile Westie "George"
(sometimes towing a '65 Allstate single-wheel trailer)
Former buses: '61 17-window Deluxe "Pink Bus"
'70 Frankenwestie "Blunder Bus"
'71 Frankenwestie "Thunder Bus"

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Amskeptic
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Re: Bilstein jack grease

Post by Amskeptic » Mon May 03, 2021 5:42 pm

JLT wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 4:21 pm
Amskeptic wrote:
Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:45 pm

Use the finest shear resistant grease you can find. Jacks are considered safety gear, and you want a grease that can withstand the load on the threads.
Colin
So that would probably be the lithium grease, right? Unfortunately, they don't post shear resistance figures on the sides of the tube.
Lithium should be fine.
I use molybdenum disulfide fortified Valvoline Durablend myself, the grey grease.
You should be fine.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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JLT
Old School!
Location: Sacramento CA
Status: Offline

Re: Bilstein jack grease

Post by JLT » Tue May 04, 2021 11:31 am

Lithium grease is what I used. It's made a huge difference, at least on the workbench. I hope I'll never have to test it in real conditions any time soon.
-- JLT
Sacramento CA

Present bus: '71 Dormobile Westie "George"
(sometimes towing a '65 Allstate single-wheel trailer)
Former buses: '61 17-window Deluxe "Pink Bus"
'70 Frankenwestie "Blunder Bus"
'71 Frankenwestie "Thunder Bus"

User avatar
JLT
Old School!
Location: Sacramento CA
Status: Offline

Re: Bilstein jack grease

Post by JLT » Wed Oct 18, 2023 11:05 am

JLT wrote:
Tue May 04, 2021 11:31 am
Lithium grease is what I used. It's made a huge difference, at least on the workbench. I hope I'll never have to test it in real conditions any time soon.
Update: In the past year, I've had to use it three times. Worked well every time.
-- JLT
Sacramento CA

Present bus: '71 Dormobile Westie "George"
(sometimes towing a '65 Allstate single-wheel trailer)
Former buses: '61 17-window Deluxe "Pink Bus"
'70 Frankenwestie "Blunder Bus"
'71 Frankenwestie "Thunder Bus"

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