Types of CV joint lubricants for your car

What is the best lubricant for CV joints and why is it needed? Front-wheel drive cars have a number of advantages over rear-wheel drive cars. The production of front-wheel drive cars is simpler; they are resistant to skidding on wet and snowy road surfaces. But in addition to the advantages, these cars also have disadvantages, these include the use of a constant velocity joint in the car drive, which ensures confident movement.

The CV joint is a part that contributes to rapid wear of the transmission. To extend life, it is necessary to use a specialized lubricant for the outer and inner CV joints, which increases the wear resistance of the CV joint and transmission components. Today there are a huge number of different lubricants and car owners have to rack their brains over the question of which lubricant option will best lubricate CV joints and their joints before choosing the right one.

Lubricant test for CV joints: which is better

The abbreviation CV joint is an abbreviation for the phrase “constant velocity joint.” In driveshafts of rear-wheel drive cars, similar functions are performed by hinges consisting of a cross and cups with needle bearings. The only difference between them is that the cross provides a much smaller degree of freedom than the CV joint. But the cheapest CV joint is much more expensive than the most expensive spider. This circumstance increases the desire to extend its service life. For which, of course, you can use good lubricant and monitor the condition of the boot. Therefore, the question of what is the best lubricant for CV joints is natural. Timely replacement of a torn boot will also extend the life of the grenade if the lubricant is changed at the same time.

Barium

Recently, such CV joint lubricant has been in increasing demand on the market. The progressive composition allows you to extend the service life of the hinge, as well as protect it from a number of negative influences. The main advantage here is that the substance is not at all afraid of moisture.

Thus, if the boot ruptures, there is no need to change the substance. In addition, the lubricant has excellent corrosion resistance and is also suitable for use even in fairly aggressive conditions. The composition is chemically neutral, so the anthers will not be damaged, regardless of the material of the seals.

The main disadvantage of such a substance is its relatively high price, which is caused by the complexity of the production process. We produce only ShRB-4 lubricant; everything else has to be purchased in other countries.

At the same time, the latter option is even more expensive. Another drawback of this composition is its inability to withstand low temperatures.

CV joint design

At the beginning of the last century, many CV joint designs were developed, which are used to this day. For example, cracker or cam, cam-disk, ball with dividing grooves or with dividing levers, with spherical rollers and a fork, paired cardan shafts. All CV joints have both advantages and disadvantages. The performance of each design is better for some conditions and not so good for others. Therefore, there is no question which design is more successful.

For external drive joints of modern fast passenger cars, the characteristics of a ball joint with 6 balls turned out to be better. The CV joint body and the inner ring under the separator, which keeps the balls from falling out of the CV joint, have the same number of grooves for them. The connection of the inner ring with the drive and the CV joint housing with the hub is splined. At large angles of rotation of the drive wheels, the maximum permissible torque transmitted by the hinge is much less than at small angles. Therefore, for long-term trouble-free operation of the CV joint, it is necessary to prevent it from working with a heavy load in the extreme positions of the steering wheel. Each CV joint is necessarily protected by a boot.

Tripoids are often used as internal grenades. They are less mobile, but more wear-resistant, since needle bearings are used in their design.

Lubricant composition for CV joints

For modern ball CV joints, lithium grease is used, most often based on mineral oils containing molybdenum disulfide as an antifriction additive (from 3 to 5%). Due to its black color, it can be confused with graphite grease, which should never be used in CV joints. Due to its weak anti-friction qualities, regular lithol cannot be used to lubricate CV joints either.

For tripoids, you cannot use the lubricant described above. For them, you can only use a special barium-based lubricant. One of its differences is the wide temperature range in which it can operate. After all, in winter the drive cools down to -30, and in summer it heats up to +160 ○ C.

Greases are made by thickening the base oil with various thickeners, which can be salts of higher carboxylic acids: lithium, calcium, aluminum, sodium and others. Inorganic thickeners, such as bentonite clay, and synthetic thickeners, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene, can also be used. As a rule, the lubricant contains up to 90% base oil, the remaining 10% consists of a thickener and various additives that determine the main characteristics of the substance.

In what cases does the CV joint lubricant change?

• When replacing a torn boot. In this case, it is necessary to change the lubricant
• After 100 thousand kilometers or after 5 years of operation of the CV joint.

If the drive is crunchy, it is too late to change the lubricant in it. The drive itself needs to be replaced. This is explained by the fact that if the hinge crunches, it means that it already has significant wear and no matter how much you change the lubricant in it, it will not get any better. To determine which of the joints has crackled, you need to select a flat asphalt area and drive along it, turning the steering wheel all the way to the left, and then all the way to the right. At this time, the assistant, being outside the car, must evaluate in which case the crunch is louder. If the sound is louder when the steering wheel is turned to the left, then the left outer drive needs to be replaced. When the crunch is louder with the wheels turned to the right, you need to change the right outer drive.

RAVENOL Mehrzweckfett mit MoS-2

This product is produced in factories located in Germany. The basis of the composition is molybdenum disulfide. Operation of the substance is indicated at a temperature range of -30-+120 degrees.

The composition is resistant to moisture, including salt water. The cost is 2-3 times higher than in the case of domestic analogues, but here you pay for quality.

Products are manufactured in Ukraine. The option has good quality and a fairly affordable price. First of all, the models are used to protect external CV joints.

The composition does not contain molybdenum disulfide, but there are revitalizants - substances that significantly slow down the wear and deformation of not only the hinge itself, but also a number of other components and mechanisms. The lubricant can withstand temperatures from -30 to +140-150 degrees

How to properly change the lubricant in CV joints

Correct lubricant replacement. Replacing the lubricant in CV joints is done due to its contamination after the boot ruptures or its service life expires when it contains a lot of wear products. It is necessary to completely remove the old grease from the joint to eliminate the possibility of increased wear of the CV joint. To do this, it should be disassembled and thoroughly wiped with a clean rag. It will not be possible to wash it without disassembling it, because the grease is extremely difficult to wash off.

There are usually no difficulties with disassembling the internal hinge, so we will describe disassembling the external one. If you do not have a special tool for removing the outer hinge, then remove the drive assembly and clamp it in a vice. Remove the clamps from the boot. When removing, try not to damage them; the factory ones are usually better than those that come with the new boot. If the cover is torn, cut it off with a knife; if not, slide it onto the drive rod. Use a hammer to knock the joint off the drive using a drift on the inner ring. Turn the inner ring with the separator so that the holes in the separator are visible, and the symmetry axes of the separator and the housing will be perpendicular. Using a flathead screwdriver, remove all the balls from the separator. In the separator, two of the six holes are longer than the others. Turn the separator so that they are pressed against the walls of the housing and remove the separator with the inner ring from the housing. After adjusting the position of the inner ring, remove it from the separator. Remove any remaining grease from the parts as best you can, and the hinge can be assembled.

Lubricant testing

The tests included the following checks:

1. Rinse with water and protect the unit from penetration of this liquid into it.
2. Fluidity when temperature rises to 180 ○ C.
3. Lubricating properties.
4. Resistance of the lubricating film to pressure.
5. Wear of metals protected by lubricant.

Places during the testing process were not allocated to the competitors, they were simply graded, so you will have to determine which lubricant is better. Below are the results of testing of ball joint greases by one of the independent researchers.

• CV joint-4 manufactured by AZMOL JSC, Berdyansk. Rated "Good".
• CV joint-4M manufactured by Sibneft OJSC Omsk Oil Refinery. Rated "Good".
• LM 47 Langzeitfett manufactured by Liqui Moly GmbH (Germany). "Excellent" rating.
• Chevron Moly Grease EP 2 manufactured by Chevron Products Company, San Francisco (USA). "Excellent" rating.
• Castrol MS/3 Spezialfett manufactured by Castrol (Germany, Hamburg). "Excellent" rating.
• BP Energrease L21M manufacturer British Petroleum British oil and gas company.

Properly lubricate the tripod joint

Despite the fact that the design of the tripoid hinge is based on the use of needle bearings, lubricating them with 158 grease, which is usually used for needle bearings, is strictly prohibited. The fact is that a lithium thickener is used for its manufacture, and it can work at a temperature no higher than 120 ○ C, and the temperature of the internal grenade reaches 160 ○ C. Since the lubricant for the internal grenade is quite liquid, it is better to pour it inside the boot installed on drive, and then assemble the tripoid. You need to fill in from 100 to 130 g of lubricant. More precisely, to the question, “how much?” the manufacturer will answer.

Components of the unit

The unit has been known to mankind for a long time and is indispensable in cars. The design is simple and, with proper maintenance, will serve without fail and for a long time.

Components of the CV joint:

• body – in the form of a bowl;
• clip with oil - located inside;
• separator – annular hole;
• six balls - like in a bearing.

For trouble-free operation of the device, its timely maintenance is required. Since the unit contains rubbing parts, they need to be lubricated for the following purposes:

• reducing friction;
• reduce wear;
• reducing the load on rubbing parts;
• protecting metal from corrosion.

About lubrication

Each vehicle component has its own operating and maintenance features. Before purchasing anything, you should read the instructions and find out the recommended lubricant.

Lubricant selection

If the manufacturer does not indicate which lubricant to use for CV joints, then you can use a universal product. You should choose carefully, since the device is operated under serious loads.

In auto stores you can purchase a special mixture, which differs:

This is required to keep the substance on the surface of moving parts even at high temperatures. The oil features:

• stability of characteristics under changing conditions;
• anti-corrosion properties;
• the ability to retain its original characteristics for a long time.

When to change the lubricant

The viscous substance in CV joints is replaced in the following cases:

• with a unit mileage of over 100 thousand km;
• when replacing the assembly boot;
• when replacing the CV joint itself.

The amount of lubricant required when replacing is indicated:

• in the car’s operating manual – not always;
• always on the packaging.

Main characteristics of the lubricant composition

A competent motorist will not ask such questions, since he already knows the answer. The situation is completely different with novice drivers and mechanics. To help, it’s worth talking in more detail about how CV joints benefit from lubrication. We are talking about the following points:

• prevents premature wear of parts that are constantly under load and subject to friction;
• the substance can reduce the load on other components due to the fact that the parts can rotate freely;
• there is a reduction in fuel consumption and a reduction in vehicle transmission losses;
• the lubricating mass prevents corrosion from penetrating into the mechanism.

Since it is important for many motorists that the lubricant performs all its stated functions, manufacturers are trying to develop formulations whose characteristics allow this to be done. If you try to list the parameters that such products have, you will get the following list:

• wide range of temperatures during use - up to 100 degrees Celsius, and sometimes more;
• ensuring strong adhesion to the surface, in other words, the lubricant is very sticky;
• excellent anti-scuff properties. The composition ensures normal sliding of the part over a long period;
• stability in mechanical, physical and chemical terms. It is extremely important for manufacturers that the lubricant retains its properties regardless of the external environment and loads.

Indiscriminate replacement

You can replace the lubricant in the CV joint without removing its components. To do this you need:

1. Remove the CV joint itself from the car.
2. Insert the tip of the tube and press the oil into the assembly.
3. Press the tube tightly and wait until the color of the substance changes to fresh.
4. Wipe the part, removing excess substance.
5. Put the part in place.

There is no need to rush to use the lubricated unit when driving. It is worth turning the assembly in place while the car is suspended on jacks. This is necessary to evenly distribute the lubricant over the parts.

The replacement process is not that complicated and if you have a minimum set of tools and skills, you can easily do it yourself. This will save money and allow you to get a better feel for the car. And remember, high-quality replacement of lubricant in CV joints cannot be done without removing it. If it is not possible to remove the assembly, then it is better to go to a car service center and see specialists.

Which lubricant is best for CV joints - review article

- an integral element of the suspension of any front-wheel drive car.

It is a guarantor of uniform straight-line movement, the service life of which is comparable to the service life of the car itself, however, only in the case when it is constantly properly maintained - diagnostics are carried out, timely replacement of fastening clamps, a rubber boot and, of course, lubrication are carried out. Diagnosing a unit and replacing its components are simple procedures, even a beginner can handle them, but the question of which lubricant is best for a CV joint can confuse even experienced motorists, because lubricants, like joints, are different. Our article will tell you how not to get confused in all this diversity and make the right choice.

Why does a CV joint need lubrication?

It's no secret that manufacturers decided to lubricate some car parts with special technical fluids for a reason. There were reasons for this - tasks/problems that this liquid could minimize or solve. In a constant velocity joint such bases are:

• preventing the appearance and spread of corrosion - in metal elements it leads to the appearance of cavities, called cavities in CV joints, which significantly reduce the efficiency of the transmission and create a clearly audible knock when turning the steering wheel;
• reducing the coefficient of friction, ensuring free rotation of elements and, as a result, minimizing the load on the front axle transmission;
• reduction of energy losses during power transmission (less energy losses - less fuel costs);
• safety in relation to synthetic and organic polymers, because plastic or rubber boots are always used to protect the hinge joint from dust and dirt, so the lubricant used in this joint should not corrode them.

What is a CV joint, its functions and types

Before we move on to talking directly about lubricants, let’s take a closer look at CV joints. This will be useful in order to find out what properties a lubricant for a “grenade”, as the CV joint is popularly called, should have, and what composition to use in a given case. The purpose of the hinge is to transmit torque from one axis to another, provided that they are at an angle to each other. This value can be up to 70°.

In the process of their evolution, the following types of CV joints were invented:

• Ball . They are one of the most common, in particular their variant “Rtseppa-Lebro”.
• Tripod . They are often used in the domestic automotive industry as internal CV joints (that is, those installed on the power drive side).

A feature of any angular velocity joint is high shock loads. They occur when starting a car, climbing hills, driving on uneven roads, and so on. With the help of special CV joint lubricants, all negative consequences can be neutralized.

Properties of lubricants for constant velocity joints

Due to the difficult operating conditions of the mentioned joints, CV joint lubrication is designed to protect the mechanism from negative factors and provide:

• increasing the coefficient of friction of the internal parts of the hinge;
• minimizing wear of individual parts of the CV joint;
• reduction of mechanical load on the components of the assembly;
• protection of the surfaces of metal parts from corrosion;
• neutral reaction with rubber joint seals (boots, gaskets) so as not to damage them;
• water-repellent functions;
• durability of use.

Based on the requirements listed above, the lubricant for the outer or inner CV joint must have the following characteristics:

• a wide temperature range, allowing the composition to be used at critical temperatures (modern CV joint greases are capable of operating at temperatures from -40°C to +140°C and above, this range depends on the specific brand of lubricant);
• high degree of adhesion (the ability to adhere to the working surface of the mechanism, simply put, stickiness);
• mechanical and physico-chemical stability of the composition, ensuring constant performance characteristics of the lubricant under any operating conditions;
• high anti-scuff properties, ensuring the proper level of sliding of lubricated working surfaces.

Thus, the characteristics of the lubricant for CV joints must fully comply with the given list. Currently, the industry produces several types of such compositions.

Types of lubricants for CV joints.

Lithium (Renolit, Xado, Litol-24, Very Lube).

The most popular lubricant among car owners. It looks like a viscous, thick yellow consistency, which thickens greatly at subzero temperatures (the lubricant becomes so dense that it is practically impossible to spread).

• copes well with friction, reduces the load on the components of the drive mechanism by several tens of times;
• compatible with virtually any type of polymer used to protect constant velocity joints;
• neutralizes dust and dirt accidentally trapped inside the boot;
• practically do not allow moisture to pass through.

• poor corrosion resistance, therefore components treated with lithium lubricants should be checked at least every 50-60 thousand kilometers (with the exception of Litol-24, its manufacturers guarantee 100 thousand kilometers of uninterrupted operation);
• incompatibility with modern high-strength plastics, especially Litola-24, so if they protect the CV joint in your car, before using this or that lubricant, be sure to read the operating instructions, in it you will find recommendations on what is the best lubricant for the CV joint in your specific case.

Lubricants based on molybdenum disulfide (Mobil, Liqui Moly, BP, CV joint-4, ESSO, Texaco).

A modern analogue to lithium compounds. It looks like a thick ointment that is brown, gray or black.

• copes well with friction, no worse than lithium lubricants;
• compatible with any polymers and plastics;
• has high resistance to corrosion, however, to maintain this advantage it must be changed every 100 thousand km. mileage

• the composition is very afraid of moisture and, when encountering it, loses all its beneficial properties, therefore, the effectiveness of lubricants based on molybdenum disulfide is guaranteed only in cases of a whole boot, therefore, when using them, the tightness of the rubber/plastic protection should be checked at least once a month, and also after each off-road driving and strong impacts to the front of the underbody of the car.

Barium lubricants.

They were specially designed for use in constant velocity joints of a vehicle.

Externally, they are a long-fiber brown or yellow ointment, endowed with the advantages of lubricants based on molybdenum disulfide and lithium soap:

• copes well with friction, reduces the load on the components of the drive mechanism by several tens of times;
• compatible with any polymers and plastics;
• neutralizes dust and dirt accidentally trapped inside the boot;
• practically do not allow moisture to pass through.

There are only two disadvantages:

• high price;
• fear of freezing temperatures, due to which the manufacturer recommends replacing the joint compound after each winter.

Lithium

They arose almost immediately after the CV joints themselves. As a result, such a substance is in good demand.

The composition is based on a lithium solution and organic acid. The result is a yellowish, viscous substance that thickens as temperatures drop, making it much more difficult to spread in winter. Using compositions of this type, it is possible to reduce the load on drive elements by a couple of tens of times.

At the same time, we are pleased with the high preservative properties of the substance. It prevents dust, dirt, moisture and other elements from penetrating metal elements. At the same time, such compositions are very aggressive, so they can dissolve anthers. Read the manual for your car. It indicates whether the use of lithium substances for lubricating joints is permissible.

Recently, lubricants of this type have become somewhat less popular, giving way to more innovative options. At the same time, they can still be found on the market. The most popular options now are XADO, Very Lube and RENOLIT.

Which lubricant to choose?

Each of the types of CV joint lubricants just presented has an equal chance of being called the best, it all depends only on what criterion is used to award this title, so the final choice, as always, is up to you: if you want to save as much as possible, choose lithium compounds , just first carefully read the operating manual of your vehicle to see if they can be used; If you want, as they say, to apply it and forget it, then your choice should fall on barium compounds; in all other cases, use a lubricant based on molybdenum disulfide, just do not forget to monitor the condition of the boot.

Molybdenum

A more progressive option, which is made from the same lithium soap, only now the additive is molybdenum disulfide. Lubricating properties are the same as the previous version. At the same time, molybdenum compounds have one important advantage - they have high anti-corrosion properties.

This was achieved by using metal salts in the composition, which replaced some acids. In addition, the substance is completely safe for rubber and plastic elements, so it will not lead to premature wear of the boot.

One of the disadvantages of such a substance is its low resistance to moisture. As a result, if even a little water gets under the boot, due to certain chemical reactions the composition turns into an abrasive. This only promotes friction, which leads to a number of CV joint failures. To prevent such a situation, it is necessary to regularly check the node.

Among the most popular options available in our country are CV joints-4 and LM47 lubricants.

What lubricants should not be used?

No matter what convincing salespeople in specialized stores tell you, never use the following for CV joints:

• calcium/sodium-based grease compositions - they are not suitable for lubrication of highly loaded components, deviation from this recommendation is fraught with accelerated spread of corrosion and a reduction in the service life of the hinge to 15-30 thousand km;
• graphite lubricant - it is not thermally stable, therefore, when used in CV joints, it reduces their service life to 20-25 thousand km;
• hydrocarbon compounds (including technical petroleum jelly) - again, due to instability to high temperatures, are completely washed out from the unit after just a few kilometers, which means the CV joint will work dry, and the longer this happens, the faster the part will need replacement;
• mineral lubricants based on iron/zinc - do not withstand increased loads and, like the previous compounds from this list, contribute to accelerated wear of the constant velocity joint.

Polyurea based lubricants

Advertisements from manufacturers of lubricants for special automotive components attract the attention of motorists. Of particular interest are lubricants made with polyurea. First, let's decipher the complex name, that is, what it means.

These are synthetic polymers, the structure of which contains particles of the product (urea). The substance is represented by the chemical formula NH-CO-NH. Polyurea lubricant creates a special anti-seize protective film.

• The Slipkote® Polyurea CV Joint product is manufactured using this technology. Used to lubricate joints and parts that equalize angular velocities. It is used in cars with a driven front axle, and in some models of cars with a rear driven axle.

Lubricate the unit for the entire service life. Changed during maintenance. This lubricating consistency has a number of advantages over other analogues. The lubricant holds high temperatures, does not destroy thermoplastic, and is waterproof. Polyurea thickener in sublimation with basic lubricating consistencies, non-traditional additive materials, guarantees durability and resistance to uncomfortable conditions of use.

When using this lubricant, it is necessary to systematically monitor the joints for the possibility of fluid leakage.