On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 22:58:16 -0500, ()
wrote:

In article ,
mm wrote:
What's with my grease gun?

Is lithium grease what I should be using, say for tie rod ends and
ball joints?


Generally, no. If this grease is white in color, it is not at all
close to what you want for front end work. The most common spec for
tie rod ends, ball joints, etc. is "EP #2". It would be best to check
your owner's manual for the type of grease called for, but a general
purpose EP#2 is used by most shops. It is commonly a dark brown, gray,
red, or black color. Years ago grease of this type was called sodium
grease, but I haven't seen that designation in probably 20 years. You
can't go by the color alone. Look for an SAE or other specification.

White "lithium" grease is for door hinges, lock strikers, latches, and
similar non critical uses.

It's a good thing I asked. Thanks to you and Joe.

I was confused because it came in a tube, for a grease gun, and all of
those that I have seen have had things on the end that fit zerk
fittings. !! More importantly, for the mini-grease guns, with
mini-cartridges (that will still last me for decades) all I've seen
for sale is lithium. Of course this is at HD and Lowes. Harbor
Freight had lithium, red, and moly in the full size tubes, but only
lithium in the small size. I should start looking in autoparts
stores.

Now I have a lifetime supply of lithium grease!

As for the grease gun, sometimes it is just tough to get them pumping
if they get air in the pump ahead of the grease. Or it may just be
worn out or otherwise broken. That's the way it goes with yard sale
stuff!

Yard sale was shorthand. It and the other grease gun I have actually
came from a burglar alarm guy, who retired a few years ago and put his
leftover stuff in my friend's ministorage. He died last spring, and
his kids all came and took what they needed or wanted, and my friend
let me go though the rest. So I figure these things worked. Although
there were 2 or 3 things he was saving in parts that I fixed. I think
he would be happy.