What kind of grease to lubricate the gearbox of an angle grinder. When to change the grease in the angle grinder

How to lubricate the gearbox of an angle grinder? Useful tips, tips masters

Angle grinder (angle grinder) is simply called an angle grinder. With this tool, craftsmen perform many operations. It, as any other equipment, requires proper maintenance. Moving parts need lubrication. For this purpose, special means are used.

There are several options than can be used to lubricate the gearbox of an angle grinder. The tips of experienced craftsmen will help you choose the best way. Angle grinder in this case will work long and efficiently.

Grease for the gearbox of a power tiller

regularly we see at the forums sighs and ahs of “specialists” who immediately after the purchase open the gearbox of their power drill for some reason and then start to write nonsense about a small amount of grease in the gearbox, misleading other people by their illiteracy. But none of these figures have not yet written a post about the wrong type of grease in a power drill. This is probably because the “experts” in quantity in quality are not interested in.

Nevertheless, the grease in any of our mechanical drills, is enough to start work immediately after the purchase and continue it at least for a year, and then you should think about checking the oil. We’ve already told you how to change the grease, but in this article we will tell you about grease.

And it will not be a liquid oil that “experts” are regularly trying to pump through the grease nipple inside the gearbox. Coaxial gears need thick grease, sometimes called NLGI (National Lubricating Grease Institute, USA) acronym. This is not the brand name of the lubricant, this is the name of the certification body that has developed approvals for the use of this lubricant. Blue grease is just one of the colors of this grease.

Most major oil companies produce NLGI lubricants and each has its own trade name, Mobil’s NGLI 2 lubricant has the trade name GADUS, and Shell’s is called NAUTILUS. Our native and well-deserved domestic grease Litol-24 was not tested according to the requirements of the National Lubricating Grease Institute, but its properties are very similar to NGLI 2, which is stuffed into gearboxes at the plant of motor-drills.

Why NGLI 2 and not 3 or 4? ? The fact is that this grease is divided into its own classes, which are designed for different applications in machinery. For coaxial drills, class 2 is used, which has a penetration number of 265-295. But that’s not what some people think ). According to the National Lubricating Grease Institute’s “working penetration” laboratory method, the density of grease is measured. Penetration is translated from Latin into Russian as penetration. This is measured with a penetrometer equipped with a cone that is dipped for five seconds into the grease at a temperature of 25° C. The measuring method is similar to our domestic GOST 5346-78 for greases, which is used to make Lithol-24. The immersion depth of the cone is measured and expressed in tenths of a millimeter. Penetration is usually determined with both coated and uncoated grease. The difference in these values characterizes the stability of the lubricant and its ability to withstand mechanical stresses. Also, the higher the numerical value of penetration, the softer the grease.

NGLI 2 lubricant is used in all mechanical coaxial gearboxes of power drills. Grease can be dyed blue, red, gray or natural yellowish. And for replacement after the washing of the gearbox you can safely use Lithol-24. These greases work perfectly well within the ambient temperature range from.40 to 120 degrees Celsius. At temperatures below zero the grease becomes thick, but after 30-40 seconds after starting the engine and running the gearbox, the grease heats up and becomes less thick and gets the right viscosity for penetration between the gears and into the working cavities of the bearings. This is why there seems to be little grease in the gearbox, the chatterboxes on the forums don’t even realize that as the friction heats up, the grease gets greaseier.

The grease amount of 100-120 ml is included at the factory in a gearbox and this amount is enough for smooth work, despite the angry Комментарии и мнения владельцев of “specialists. So there is no need to open up the gearbox and add grease. the grease does not change often; if you use your power drill every day, it does not need to be changed before the second year of use.

Manufacturers of gear lubricants

The manufacturers of lubricants for power tools can be divided into two types. First of all, it is the toolmakers themselves. They also develop lubricant formulations specifically for their products. Such products include lubricant for the gearbox of an angle grinder “Makita” under the index 181490-7. This compound is designed specifically for angle grinders made in Japan, but, of course, it can also be used for other brands of grinders.

The core of the segment, on the other hand, consists of the products of the specialized lubricant manufacturers. Castrol grease is highly appreciated by users. A well known company produces a green special compound for power tools that can also be used for the bearing group. A similar grease for the angle grinder gearbox is available in the Mobil line. This product is already blue XHP 222, which comes in boxes with a syringe shape for the oil. Many people also praise the “Nanotech” grease for its low cost. The composition is suitable as a periodic means of maintenance of the angle grinder, which is used in home works.

What to lubricate the gearbox of angle grinder?

To reduce friction, apply the grease for angle grinder, recommended by the manufacturer. As a result, we get a situation familiar from the car servicing in the dealership service station: only the brand specified in the maintenance booklet.

While the tool is under warranty, the service center performs maintenance according to this recommendation. And what grease to use for the angle grinder gearbox if you perform routine maintenance yourself?

Of course, only products that bear the manufacturer’s logo of the angle grinder are specifically marked.

Single-name grease for grinders is ideal for maintenance, but its cost is usually higher than analogues. For example, grease oils for car gearboxes work under loads that are many times higher than the working conditions of the angle grinder.

And the cost of such a product can be lower. In addition, if you have a car, you probably also have oils for its maintenance. So why buy another tube if you can just use a ready-made lubricant?

For a proper selection, it is enough to look at the characteristics, and compare them with the requirements for the grease angle grinder:

• high adhesion, because there is a possibility of centrifugal splashing of grease from the idler gear;
• water resistance: angle grinder is often used outdoors, it is possible to get moisture in the gearbox;
• resistance to emulsion formation;
• high dripping temperature, again high revolutions: heated oil can splash from the working surface;
• stability of parameters at high temperatures (this characteristic is more important than the ability to work in the cold);
• ability to bind abrasive particles that get into gear housing.

The latter property is especially relevant if the angle grinder is used for processing stone. Abrasive dust is the main problem for gears of bolt cutters and the cause of premature wear.

Therefore, for tools operating in conditions of high dustiness, lubrication is changed more often, with complete flushing of the gearbox cavity.

In this video, in detail about what lubricants to serve a gearbox of angle grinder

Materials from foreign and domestic manufacturers

For foreign brands of angle grinder it is recommended to use specialized compositions developed specifically for such power tools. Most often, manufacturers of lathes recommend using lubricants, which have this marking. MoS2 NLGI 2 ISOL-XBCHB 2 DIN 51825-KPF 2 K-20. You can get the following information from this marking:

• MoS. indication of the filler material used (the number 2 stands for molybdenum);
• NLGI2 is the viscosity grade, here it is the second;
• ISOL-XBCHB 2. confirms that the materials comply with the ISO standard;
• DIN, KPF, K-20. the German DIN quality standard;
• 51825 means that the material is of the “K” type.

This brand confirms the highest quality of the material, but such greases are very expensive. You can buy high quality oil much cheaper, each manufacturer of angle grinders creates its own special grease, the use of which will extend the life of the angle grinder and guarantee excellent performance of the tool. On the market you can find compounds from Makita, Bosch, Hitachi, RedVerg, Metabo, Interskol and many others.

Manufacturers insist that you must use their own lubricants when servicing the tool. The use of other brands can cause refusal of warranty service.

Taking into account the high cost of grease for power tools from foreign producers, in some cases it is easier to use domestic analogues. In recent years Russian manufacturers actively create versatile compounds of the highest quality, not inferior to Western prototypes and suitable for the most diverse tools. In addition to gears and bearings of bolsters, they can be used for drills and rotary table saws.

Lubricant for Bosch gearboxes

Among all domestically produced lubricants presented at the market, products of Nanotech MetallPlak Elektra are the most popular among consumers, thanks to the best price-quality ratio. This company produces a whole range of quality materials that can be selected for lubrication of units of any tools.

How to lubricate the gear reducer angle grinder Makita, Bosch, Interskol and not only

What to grease with. Most manufacturers insist on using their brand lubricants. The list of recommended greases can usually be found in the instruction manual. Listen to the opinion of the author, buy a tube or jar of the original material in advance.

If a manufacturer is so democratic that their instructions just said to use “suitable for this purpose” compounds, the owner of the angle grinder decides “what to grease”. And buys a multipurpose grease of another manufacturer as an analogue. Or, having recollected a reel they saw on YouTube, they say to themselves: “Somewhere in my garage there is a similar can, I will lubricate it if I have to”. It’s up to you whether it’s the original or an equivalent. Or take your dealer’s advice. Or take someone else’s experience. The options “Make your own grease or use a surrogate” are not recommended.

The right amount of grease. Getting a new power tool, it is desirable to know how much grease to put in his gearbox for maintenance, the need for which will sooner or later arise.

Remove the cover of your new angle grinder and look inside the gear housing. A conscientious assembler should put such an amount of grease that it covers the gear case and pinion with a thin layer, fills the teeth of the idler and the cover volume under the pinion. Take this amount as a benchmark and follow it steadily.

Reference. Authorized Makita dealers state that lubrication should not take up more than 50% of the gearbox volume.

Therefore, it is very useful when buying an angle grinder to buy a tube of grease at the same time. Original or similar.

Lubrication intervals

Some sources say you should lubricate the angle grinder’s gearbox once a year, others say “as needed.

Lubrication intervals depend on the tool class. A professional angle grinder that works “without interruption, for long periods at full load” simply will not survive until one year of age without lubrication. Try to determine yourself the need to lubricate the gearbox, using simple diagnostic methods.

If in doubt, open the Geareducer for inspection. It’s easier to add fresh lubricant in five minutes than to have the right power tool “on repair” for the whole weekend. You can see the actual technology for changing the grease on YouTube:

Important. Some models have a gear cover secured with Torx 3.5 or Torx 4.0 socket head cap screws. Get such a bit in advance.

Watch the video to see how and in what order you change the grease. Do not listen to recommendations such as “eternal grease for angle grinder gears”. Perpetual Lubrication is for use only in perpetual motors.

After opening, carefully check the lubricant in the gearbox housing and cover. If it is translucent, the original yellowish or blue-green (depending on the brand), has no inclusions of dirt and wear products. the grease is not worth replacing. Just replenish it.

Old grease is pliable enough. remove it with a soft cloth. If it has turned into clumps of dirt (low-temperature sludge), rinse and dry the gearbox after removing it.

When cleaning and flushing the gear housing, be careful of the rear spindle bearing. If it is needled, do not rinse or grease. The needles can fall out of the worn cage (or outer cage, if that’s the design) and you’ll run into a lot of trouble, up to and including replacing the bearing.

When the spindle is mounted in the slide bearings, do not be overzealous in flushing them. The porous bronze-graphite material on the bushings is saturated with grease and does not need to be “degreased.

When flushing the gear housing, hold the angle grinder with the motor facing upward so that no muddy solution can flow over the rotor shaft into the rotor bearing and electrical components.

Use clean gasoline or mineral spirits and a stiff bristle brush for flushing.

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Which manufacturers make the lubricant for the gearbox?

General purpose brands such as Castrol, Xado, Ravenol, Shell, etc. Of course, the manufacturer’s approval of these products is not present. But the description should necessarily indicate that it is a lubricant for the gearbox of power tools. All you have to do is choose the right consistency. Information on this can be found in the technical documentation of the tool.

• Profile brands such as Bosch, Makita, Lubcon, AEG. It is the better choice, but you have to be more careful when buying. The documentation of the lubricant can list the specific models of the gearbox manufacturer. Compatibility with different brands’ tools is determined by consistency and similar characteristics.
• Interesting product: ULTRA semi-liquid gear lubricant. It’s a compromise between consistency and liquid oils.

Grease is easily liquefied by moderate heat, yet has excellent adhesion. Thus, this product can be used in both sump and non-sump gearboxes.

Ready-made grease

Manufacturers of power tools advise to use special compositions of their own production. These recommendations are given by Makita and Bosch, in particular.

You can buy such products, but the cost is quite high, and the expense is not always justified. Interskol is more democratic with regard to the type of materials used. What is the best grease? Lubricant for the gearbox of an angle grinder must meet certain requirements:

• the viscosity of the composition does not exceed 800 Pass;
• droplet separation temperature from the main mass of not less than 120 ° C;
• homogeneous composition without mechanical impurities;
• resistance to moisture.

Industry produces many types of lubricants, including special compositions for use in gearboxes. The best results are shown by mixtures containing molybdenum disulfide as an anti-seize additive. If we talk about foreign manufacturers, well proven “Castrol” and “Mobil”.

“Mobil” puts the products in syringe-shaped tubes for ease of use.

Of the domestic brands can be noted MS-1000, Limol. The use of solidol, lithol or Tsiatim-221 does not give the desired result.

self-mixed

Situations where there was an urgent need to lubricate the elements of the angle grinder, are not uncommon. And at the same time, as luck would have it, there is no way to get a suitable lubricant for this purpose. Then the owner can try to make their own means with their own hands from available materials.

In order to ensure the required level of adhesion, a lubricant for automobile CV joints is taken as the basis. In addition to its excellent penetrating properties, it is allowed to use it for operation in conditions:

• significant loads;
• high humidity;
• Temperature fluctuations in a wide range;
• significant heating;
• the effect of solid contaminants.

The addition of MS-20 oil is recommended to liquefy the material and obtain the desired consistency for the gearbox. The fluid is added to the base gradually, preferably in drops, while constantly mixing the resulting mixture with a mixer.

No less effective is the use of homemade material based on “Citiam-221” with the addition of TAD-17.

What kind of gear lubricant do you use?? Have you ever made your own lubricant?? Please share your experience with us.