color and consistency of EZ Lube gear grease

[bobgrosh]

Can someone tell me what the color and consistency of EZ Lube Gear Grease is supposed to be?

Is is supposed to be like water, Vick's Petroleum Jelly, LGB gear grease, or a bar of Ivory soap?

Is it supposed to be red, pink, yellow or clear?

B0B

[the Bach-man]

Dear Bob,
The grease is pinkish in color, and semi-solid, liquifying as the temperature increases.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[bobgrosh]

Bob,
      simple body temperature will cause the grease to lose its viscosity,  becoming very runny.  Therefore a warm day would not be conducive to ensure continuous lubrication.

I wonder if that is so!

I was expecting "grease" in the jar, so, when I started to unscrew the lid, most of it ran out before I got the lid off. It went in my lap and pocket. A BIC lighter got some of it. Not only will the (flint wheel style) lighter no longer make sparks, but nearly a week later, it is still difficult to hold onto the lighter. Even though it is a liquid, the plastic has become, and remained VERY slippery. Temperatures here in Florida reached 100F last week.

I put the gear "grease" in the refrigerator, and it did indeed turn into a pink Jello like substance.

I'm wondering, Does the excess globs of grease I see in many locos really do any good. It is only the thin layer on the surface of the gears that accomplishes anything. The Bachmann gear grease seems to coat a surface with a very thin layer and stick there.

Since this is the grease Bachmann recommends, I think I'll stick with it, rather than substitute something else. I really don't know much about lubricants, so will just try to rely on the manufacturer to provide the right thing.

My reason for asking the question was just to confirm that what I got in the jar, was, indeed, the intended lubricant. There have been documented cases where a different product (FROM ANOTHER TRAIN MANUFACTURE, NOT BACHMANN) got accidentally packaged as plastic compatible grease and caused damage to several trains. Bachmann's reply reassured me that I did indeed get the correct product. I'm now confident that I can get my shay properly lubricated.

PS
Bachmann, When I spoke to your representatives in Perry, it was explained that the lubes were not sent with the loco because they might "dry out" or spoil. Is there anything I can do to extend the shelf life other than tight lids, zip lock bags, and storing in the refrigerator?

PPS
Also, a suggestion: How about including a coupon with the locos good for a sample pack of lubes or a discount on a set of lubes, complete with an order form.

B0B

[Jon D. Miller]

I've been using EZ Lube since Bachmann first offered it.  The gear lube does the job it was intended to do.

As mentioned, gobs of grease along side a gear or on  a shaft does not provide any lubrication.

The EZ lube will put a light film of lubricant on the gear face teeth, as an example. That's were it is needed.  The lube lasts a long time, will not sling off, and provides lubrication in both extreme high and low temps.

A very good product.

JD

[Hunt]

Bob,
Bachmann’s heavy duty E-Z Lube Grease is appropriate for its intended use.

Without going into technical details…  lubricating grease is usually a mixture of oil and a thickener. The function of the thickener is to hold the lubricating oil in a semi-liquid state for easier handling.

As temperature increases, the oil bleeds out of the thickener to do its function, which is as a lubricating agent. When the temperature drops again, the thickener soaks up the oil again to become semi-solid.

Don’t confuse Bachmann’s E-Z Lube Heavy Gear Oil (Item No. 99983)  and their Grease (Item No. 99982). The Grease is intended for use on Large Scale.

[Tim Brien]

Hunt,
          I have purchsed many containers of Bachmann grease and have not seen one container that was solid, as shown on the Bachmann videos.  The grease in the containers is not even the grease that locomotives are delivered with, ex-factory.   Every container purchased, (in excess of ten quantity) has been a wax-like substance at the top of the container (thickener?) with an oily liquid residue on the base of the container.  Attempting to mix the two results in a cloudy, very liquid fluid (extremely low viscosity),  which when applied, simply slides off the gears,  leaving just a thin residue of oil on the gears.  If one applied just the waxy thickener then exactly how much lubrication ability does the thickener have.


            I spent my entire working career in the aircraft industry and your description of the properties of grease would certainly raise a few eyebrows for anyone who has actually used grease.  A grease which breaks down to its thickener and lube oil at ambient day temperature is basically no better than simply applying a gear oil to the gears.  The thickener as supplied by Bachmann does no function at all.  I have yet to see either an automotive or aircraft grease which separates, as does the Bachmann grease.  Also,  greases from other manufacturers of hobby based greases (Labelle, LGB) do not behave as does the Bachmann grease.  They retain their lubricating oil in suspension with the thickener at both ambient and elevated operating temperatures.

[bobgrosh]

Hi Tim
Your description sure does not match mine.
Mine came as a nearly clear liquid. Not a solid and liquid that had separated. I put in the refrigerator and it turned into a gel. Again, not a solid and liquid. I took it out of the frig and left it on my workbench and the entire contents went back to a liquid.

I have seen an older jar of the grease in a hobby shop. I believe the jar was larger, but could be wrong. Inside that jar was a small hard shrunk up material that looked like pink soap, no liquid there at all. When I pressed on the soap it broke into several chunks.

[Tim Brien]

Bob,
       I have purchased at least ten containers of Bachmann grease.  As far as I know there is only one size container.  All have been the waxy soap type 'solid' which broke into chunks when touched,  with some containing the very runny liquid oil,  which after application ran to the base of the gearbox cover. 

[Hunt]

...
            I spent my entire working career in the aircraft industry and your description of the properties of grease would certainly raise a few eyebrows for anyone who has actually used grease. 

It will not raise any eyebrows of someone who knows something about grease beyond using what they were given to use.

...  A grease which breaks down to its thickener and lube oil at ambient day temperature is basically no better than simply applying a gear oil to the gears.  ...

You are misleading most folks as it does not  apply to Bachmann's E-Z Lube line of lubrications.

The most important property of any lubricant is base oil viscosity. Bachmann state their grease is a heavier viscosity than their heavy gear oil. Thus they recommend using their grease on Large-Scale.

Confusing grease consistency as being the indication of the base oil viscosity is a common mistake made by the uninformed.

Temperature, the thickener concentration, thickener type, additives type and the viscosity of the base oil determine the consistency of grease.

...
I have seen an older jar of the grease in a hobby shop. I believe the jar was larger, but could be wrong. Inside that jar was a small hard shrunk up material that looked like pink soap, no liquid there at all. When I pressed on the soap it broke into several chunks.

Bob,
The content of that jar is not usable. Most, if not all, the oil has evaporated.

[Tim Brien]

Hunt,
        please explain the purpose of a thickener in the Bachmann grease,  when to date,  every container that I have purchased direct from dealers in the States,  has consisted of either a waxy soap residue or a wax like substance on the upper part of the container and a very light oil in the base of the container.  I have never seen a homologous grease from Bachmann as you describe.  The oil is always separated from the thickener.  This is at room temperature, standard 15 deg. C.  The grease as supplied on Bachmann locomotives, ex-factory is a white grease.  This is not the grease supplied by Bachmann through dealers.


      In so far as the industry,  quality greases are manufacturered to military specs. for aircraft and SAE specs for automotive trade.  Please be so kind to state the specifications to which the Bachmann grease complies.  Until then I will happily use my Labelle or LGB grease and be assured that the grease will not separate at room temperatures.

[Hunt]

Bach-man,
I suggest Bachmann investigate, with the lubrication manufacturer, the DROP POINT of the E-Z Lube Grease and the method the lid is placed on the jar.

[Hunt]

Hunt,
        please explain the purpose of a thickener in the Bachmann grease,  when to date,  every container that I have purchased direct from dealers in the States,  has consisted of either a waxy soap residue or a wax like substance on the upper part of the container and a very light oil in the base of the container.  I have never seen a homologous grease from Bachmann as you describe.  The oil is always separated from the thickener.  This is at room temperature, standard 15 deg. C.  The grease as supplied on Bachmann locomotives, ex-factory is a white grease.  This is not the grease supplied by Bachmann through dealers.


      In so far as the industry,  quality greases are manufacturered to military specs. for aircraft and SAE specs for automotive trade.  Please be so kind to state the specifications to which the Bachmann grease complies.  Until then I will happily use my Labelle or LGB grease and be assured that the grease will not separate at room temperatures.

Tim,
Edit your post, it is misdirected.

You know these questions are appropriately addressed to Bachmann. 
Once you edit I will delete this post.

[Fred Currier]

In-ter-es-ting.

Just for fun.... go to Google.  Type in "Grease Consistency" and hit "I'm Feeling Lucky" ...

In the article that pops up, look down a few paragraphs to where it says:

"Base Oil Viscosity
The most important property of any lubricant is viscosity. A common mistake when selecting a grease is to confuse the grease consistency with the base oil viscosity. Because the majority of grease-lubricated applications are element bearings, one should consider viscosity selection for those applications. "

At least it's been reworded, slightly...

I propose a contest.  Let's see how many posts this works with. 

Sic Transit Gloria Mundia.

Fred Currier.

[Tim Brien]

Hunt,
                I addressed the posting to you as you have a knowledge of greases and the grease that you have described is definately not the grease that I have ever received from a Bachmann authorised dealer. 

[bobgrosh]

... the grease that you have described is definately not the grease that I have ever received from a Bachmann authorised dealer. 

Tim, I have come across the jars of Bachmann grease at hobby shops in the past.

I did not buy them because they didn't have the other Bachmann lubes to go with them, ....
and....
They looked dried out to me. They were shriveled up, and hard.

But... I do remember seeing ONE jar that is exactly what you described, a hardened lump AND thin oil, in the same jar.

Apparently the shelf life is not all that long on the grease. Besides. knowing these hobby shops down here, most of what they have on the shelves is over 10 years old.

You might want to try ordering direct from the on-line store on this site. That is where I got mine. And once I cooled it down in the frig, it looks exactly as Bachmann describes, a pink solid, sort of a cross between grease and Jello.

You mention using LGB grease, but. considering the huge differences between the materials in LGB and Bachmann locos, I have no idea if the LGB grease is acceptable. I'd rather not use something different unless Bachmann makes an official statement as to which other products are OK to use. So far, I am not aware of any such statement.

Besides... Now that this site carries individual bottles and jars, I finally have a source, so, unless there is compelling evidence that another product works better AND is approved by Bachmann, then I see no reason for me to try some other product.