Thickening oil

[vintagengineerParticipant @vintagengineer]

I need to thicken some gear oil to point of being just short of being grease. Any tips?

[vintagengineerParticipant @vintagengineer]

[Wout MoermanParticipant @woutmoerman25063]

Just thinking out loud, add a bit of grease to the oil? And you already have the thickest oil available?

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

That's an interesting question. Instinct suggests adding grease or dissolving a wax into it but looking up gear greases educated me a bit.. this quote from exol's data sheet suggests a complex process incorporating saponification

<<An aluminium complex soap thickened grease based on solvent refined hydrocarbon oil incorporating solid lubricants, polymers, extreme pressure additives, and a blend of antioxidants and corrosion inhibitors, combining to provide highly effective lubrication with excellent corrosion protection. This lubricant is bitumen free.Open Gear Grease 2.5 has been specially developed for the lubrication of all types and sizes of open gears,including spur, helical and bevel drive gears that are subjected to extreme loads, high working temperatures and water saturated conditions.>>

pgk

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

I dont know how to to thicken gear oil but someone once showed me some Mobile 600W steam oil and you could just about pour it at room temperature, really thick oil.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

A component called Paratac can be used to make oil sticky but that may not be what you want.

Mike

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

What is the thick oil used for?

David

[vintagengineerParticipant @vintagengineer]

Vintage steering boxes

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Don't mess about just buy some "Type O" semi fluid grease. Plenty available it is used in early motorcycle gearboxes and commercial vehicle chassis lubrication systems. I get mine from a local agricultural supplier as lots of farm equipment uses it.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Grease is a soap mixed with an oil. If you want to make it more liquid, mix more oil with it.

Murray

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Corn Head grease?

[clogsParticipant @clogs]

we called it "black jack" for use on open gears……..cranes etc……

put it on with a trowel……..lovely job….the youngest got that job……hahaha….

[John ReeseParticipant @johnreese12848]

Posted by clogs on 16/06/2018 23:28:18:

we called it "black jack" for use on open gears……..cranes etc……

put it on with a trowel……..lovely job….the youngest got that job……hahaha….

It sounds similar to Crater Compound we used on the open gears of a well drill. We heated it so we could pour it onto the gears.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Have you considered Landrover swivel hub grease? Cheaper elsewhere, but I picked this vendor as they included the following description. Original lube would have been EP90.

A good alternative is to replace oil with swivel grease, This is the same type of grease that Land Rover actually use on newer vehicles to prevent leakage. This is a special grease that is semi-fluid so it lubricates but is less likely to leak.

Suitable for use on all Land Rovers, Defenders, Range Rovers and Discovery's with swivel balls. A quality replacement part, equivalent to Land Rover part number: STC3435

Bill

[colin wilkinsonParticipant @colinwilkinson75381]

Available from Hichcocks Motorcycles for Royal Enfield gearboxes

http://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-shop/Silkolene-Oils/16612

Colin

[Jens Eirik Skogstad 1Participant @jenseirikskogstad1]

25-40% canola oil mixed in the mineral oil to preventing the oil was washed away from surfaces by steam/water.

Canola oil was thickened first: warm up oil and blow up with air pressure into the oil, let it bubble until the oil is thick. It's due the oil is oxidized (with other word: rancid). The canola oil must be without antioxidants additive who are impossible to thickening the canola oil.

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Used to use grease in Velocette chain case to stop leakage, with some oil to make it a bit runny. Not very technical but recall this was an official Velo advice.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Posted by clogs on 16/06/2018 23:28:18:

we called it "black jack" for use on open gears……..cranes etc……

put it on with a trowel……..lovely job….the youngest got that job……hahaha….

We used to call it 'Clagum' or 'black fat' … yes! I was that apprentice that had to trowel it on to open gears on cranes etc.

George.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

Penrite do a genuine steering box grease for 6 quid, lithium based and EP rated. Is it worth risking hit and miss results making your own when the real deal is only the price of a couple of beers? Actually, beers beer…

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by clogs on 16/06/2018 23:28:18:

we called it "black jack" for use on open gears……..cranes etc……

put it on with a trowel……..lovely job….the youngest got that job……hahaha….

Hope you ere not referring to corn head grease as blackjack. Different stuff. The blackjack was, I believe, thickened with graphite but was not particularly thixotropic. John Deere use corn head grease in gearboxes on their combines.

**LINK**

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

the peerless gearbox/transmission on many different makes of garden ride on mowers uses a bentonite grease. these incorporate gears and clutches, available in bottles at £31.66 +vat http://www.westwoodtractorspares.co.uk/gearbox-and-clutch/various-peerless-models-gearbox-parts/peerless-gearbox-grease-788067c

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