Greasing 5th wheel with gear oil

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by mitmaks, Aug 13, 2021.

  1. mitmaks

    mitmaks Road Train Member

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    Anyone put be at oil on 5th wheel? It stays on there and excess doesn't drop ovet suspension/frame etc. Its designed for metal to metal lubrication so I think its good alternative to regular grease
     
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  3. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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    Disagree. I've tried straight Lucas, semi liquid synthetic, and cheap grease. Cheap grease works better, and doesn't attract as much dirt as the others.
     
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  4. mitmaks

    mitmaks Road Train Member

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    Which cheap grease you tried?
     
  5. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    A tube of regular grease is like 3 dollars. A bottle of diff oil is what 15?
     
  6. mitmaks

    mitmaks Road Train Member

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    Grease 5 bucks at wal mart vs 9 bucks for gear oil that can last 10+ applications vs tube that lasts 2-3
     
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  7. 86scotty

    86scotty Road Train Member

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    Yeah but the bottle of oil should to a lot longer than the grease. I've never tried this so I can't speak from experience. I'm not too proud to try it though. I have 20 old bottles half full of gear oil in the shop from this job or that. Grease though, seems like I buy a lot of it for my 5th wheel.
     
  8. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Grease is 3 dollars at Napa. Diff oil drys out much quicker tho. And doesnt lubricate as well as tube grease does.. I use that stuff in my binders and it dries out really quick when coming into contact with dirt. I have to reapply after 1 use or my binder wont shut. Why would i apply that to my 5th wheel.
     
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  9. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    No-Lube top plate is the best invention ever. No grease anywhere except a little on the jaws to keep them lubed up. Or if you pull your own trailer a Teflon disk on the trailer is also better than grease.
     
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  10. Cattleman84

    Cattleman84 Road Train Member

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    Your going to need to apply oil about 2 to 3 times as often as grease... Its just going to flow out to quickly.

    Grease on the other hand isnt going to flow ANYWHERE... It will continue to smear around until its all squeezed out around the 5th wheel plate.

    I could see using some old gear lube in a pinch if its all you had available... But it would be a very short term fix.
     
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  11. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Do u ever have to replace those
     
  12. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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    Yes, but if you don't unhook often it'll save some time unhooking to grease. I'd say it will last a year or so, depending on conditions.
     
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