Needle bearing grease

figulaz

SCCoA Member
Has anyone used ...this stuff I came across it in a search that led me to GM supercharger forum. I'll go with the zzperformance stuff if no ones used it but the price seems right...I just don't trust GM guys.
 
I am not a pro at this, but it seems like it may not be right for the application. CV joints and wheel bearings are much different from needle bearings, and they typically turn much more slowly. These superchargers turn up to 14,000 rpm or so. If your wheel bearings were turning 14,000 rpm, your car would be traveling 1,124 mph. A more likely maximum speed for a wheel bearing is 2,500 rpm, which would result in a vehicle speed of 200 mph. From the extreme difference in rotational speed, I deduce that you are at risk of using the wrong goo for the job.

I used the ZZPerformance grease and it seems fine. You could also buy pre-greased needle bearings.
 
i sure have my doubts about it but i saw the label has >800 degrees. How hot do you think the SC bearings get? I suppose I'll play it safe but I find it odd zzperformance is one of the only providers for SC grease. I have JBA speedshop locally...they're good sized solid outfit...i figure they would have something. I called their parts counter and the guy said no ones ever asked him for SC grease. What would guys use on their weiands or whatever in the 70's-80's... pre M90? I'm tempted to buy a shop press and buy the pregreased bearings. It'll help when it's time for taller gears and hub swaps i suppose.
 
I imagine that the needle bearings get as hot as 450 Fahrenheit, maximum. But it's not really the heat that worries me. It's the overall properties of the grease. It's not always simple to pick the right one. For example, CV grease has lots of molybdenum to help with extreme pressure (EP) situations. But these needle bearings see very light loads in comparison, so the EP moly won't help much and may have some side effect I don't even know about. Point being that I would buy grease for the specific application if possible.

Reading material:

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/798/grease-selection

http://www.pump-magazine.com/pump_magazine/pump_articles/article_28/Roller Bearing Lubrication.pdf
 
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I'm going to assume you are possibly planning on using this on the back two case bearings of the supercharger?
 
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I imagine that the needle bearings get as hot as 450 Fahrenheit, maximum. It's not always simple to pick the right one.

'synthetic' seems to be the key word in this example. Regardless of brand, that seems to be the one property that is consistently tossed out for sc needle bearing grease.

And yes, I agree with your temp. estimate.

As always, when something such as ZZP comes recommended, follow that advice :) Someone could always shoot Charles an email and see what he prefers.

But if you've yet to buy bearings, why not get them pre-lubed and save yourself that step.
 
I'm going to assume you are possibly planning on using this on the back two case bearings of the supercharger?

Yup. Back bearings. I think with shipping the zzp grease is $30. Preloaded bearings are about the same but I need a hydraulic shop press that honestly probably won't see much use. It's a no brainer at this point...$20 extra bucks and I get an exact application correct grease. I was just being cheap. When I pulled the blower in the wrecking yard i wasn't too concerned about replacing bearings... it looked like a ford replacement and pretty new with a sticker still on it. I figured it was in good shape... I did a home port modeled after the s-port. Even though I taped off the bearings initially I couldn't leave well enough alone and opened up the outlet about 2mm.. At that point i got some shavings in the needle bearings and used brake cleaner to clean it out hence my grease situation.
 

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At that point i got some shavings in the needle bearings.

Either buy grease that comes in the hypo needle applicator to make things easier, or bite the bullet now and replace those bearings to be sure no shavings remain.
 
Either buy grease that comes in the hypo needle applicator to make things easier, or bite the bullet now and replace those bearings to be sure no shavings remain.

Yeah I think I did a good job getting everything out but I'll have a nagging feeling if I leave them in. Was it a sign when I opened up a hotrod magazine last night it opened right up to the coupon page of harbor freight tools and had a shop press staring at me?
 
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