GREASED UP. READY TO ROLL. Control excessive equipment wear and tear with timely lubrication. By Annette Bertelsen G reases have a huge job these days. “The amount of moving metal and friction in farm equipment has increased exponentially,” says Andrew Hamilton, director of marketing for CHS lubricants. “You’ve got closer metal contact, plus a smaller equipment-to-force ratio when pulling today’s huge planters. It all adds up to higher temperatures and increased pressure, which puts a lot more demand on grease. “With those powerful forces at play, you’re going to quickly experience problems like excessive wear if you don’t properly grease your equipment prior to planting or tilling,” he says. Think of high-quality grease as an inexpensive insurance policy to ensure equipment operates well for years to come. “Grease is much more durable than it was 20 years ago, but you still need to grease equipment before you head into the fi eld and while you’re out in the fi eld, not because the grease breaks down, but because it gets moved away from where it needs to be,” says Hamilton. He recommends checking your grease supply and stocking up on the types your equipment needs during the off -season. “Don’t get caught without a compatible grease during crunch time.” Compatibility Counts Greases contain base oils, thickeners and performance additives, such as those that fi ght rust or wear. When incompatible greases come into contact with each other, their thickeners wage chemical warfare, which releases base oils. “If you open the grease reservoir and see separation, you’ve used an incompatible grease,” Hamilton explains. “Sometimes a metallic salt material will form, gumming up tubes and causing noises. At that point, you often need to completely fl ush the system.” Compatibility is determined by each grease’s purpose (multipurpose versus chassis chemistry, for example), base oil (conventional, partial synthetic or full synthetic) and additives. Studies show the most compatibility issues occur with greases thickened with aluminum complex, barium, calcium complex, clay and polyurea. The most common result was softening, although lithium grease sometimes hardened when combined with an incompatible grease. It’s important to note, he adds, that even if thickeners are generally compatible, two greases may contain clashing base oils or additive formulations. Avoid problems by checking your owners’ manual to confi rm what type of grease is in each piece of equipment. “Don’t make the common mistake of thinking grease types are universally color-coded — they aren’t,” says Hamilton. “And don’t assume the color of your equipment dictates grease type, since original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) often use a variety of greases with diff erent thickeners. “Use your cell phone to take a picture of the front and back of your grease tube label and take the photo to your co-op energy CHSINC.COM Cenex® Molyplex™ 500+ and Poly-Xtreme™ grease have high dropping points (500 degrees F) to provide maximum protection in extreme heat. 16 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
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Greased Up
Annette Bertelsen
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