Hammer drill gearbox grease

[DIYspanner]

Bog standard forward/reverse hammer drill which needs new brushes that I've ordered.

Since ceramic brake grease is high temp, can I presume it'll do to lubricate the drill's gears?

 

[Burnerman]

Personally I wouldn’t think so.....far better go for a quality lithium based lube, I reckon - good for helical or straight cut gear teeth.
John

 

[DIYspanner]

Thanks John!

I think I found the ideal candidate - Mannol's white grease aerosol. It sprays on, runs into the gaps then solidifies and Mannol reckon its ideal for machinery gears.

I've got some in stock and got thinking about it this afternoon when doing yet another garage clear out. I have a 30L planter tub full of scrap car bits and a 20l tub full of waste oil to be rid of.

 

[Burnerman]

Well, fair enough but I’ve always considered lanolin grease fine for plastic stuff but not for high loading steel gears.....over to you!
John

 

[DIYspanner]

Point noted. I have a tube of lithium which I have for use on brake pipes. Just hope the brushes I get actually work which is why I pulled the drill apart in the first place.

 

[Burnerman]

What sort of grease was there in the first place, do you think... before it went black, of course?
John

 

[DIYspanner]

This is the drill in question and in the 2 years I've had it, has served me well. Mainly gets used clamped in the workmate with a wire brush in the chuck cleaning fasteners and metal clips.

 

[Peter.N.]

Mine had that black CV joint type grease - can't remember what its called - or much else come to that.

Peter

 

[JohnD]

black grease is usually graphited.

I didn't think it was still commonly used.

It's rather dirty to handle.

 

[Burnerman]

Molybdenum grease is traditionally used for CV joints, hence its black colour. Great for sliding surfaces, not really suitable for helical gears or ball races.
Naturally enough, all greases, like oils, darken with heat and use.
It's lithium for Mr. Spanner's drill.
John

 

[Peter.N.]

Oh right. That's the stuff.

Peter

 

[conny]

Definitely lithium grease. Lanolin, as mentioned, is only suitable for plastic/nylon gears.
Oh, and don't overpack it or you could cause heat build up. This in turn will liquify the grease and the excess always seems to find the smallest gap to dribble out of.

 

[DIYspanner]

Just pulled another drill to bits. It kept slipping onto hammer drill so decided a fix was due. The plastic spring prongs on the selector push buttons were to weak so I used some strips of old credit card to shove in behind to prevent them bending and its worked a treat. Now have nice snappy push buttons and the drill stays off hammer drill.

Rubbed some lithium grease on the gears while I had it apart.

 

[DIYspanner]

All done, thanks!

New brushes in and gears lubed with lithium as advised. Good as new.