Grease for Stern Tubes

[philmarks]

Vessel's steel, stern tube is steel. I'm currently using Duckham's Keenol grease, which I believe is lithium based. I read somewhere recently that lithium is a bad combination with steel and salt water. Is that correct and if so can anyone recommend a suitable grease? I bought a large pot of stern tube grease from ASAP and that's also lithium based. All the greases I've seen are lithium based.

Phil

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[Avocet]

Has never given me a problem!

I doubt Duckhams would have developed a waterproof grease that's no good for steel in salt water - -there wouldn't be much application for it!

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[neilsan]

Hi,I had a steel ketch with steel stern tube and for 17 years used waterproof axle grease as used on boat trailers it did the job and was a lot cheaper.

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[gus]

I use Castrol Heavy Duty grease and have found it to be quite satisfactory.

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[Mirelle]

Well, I have a bronze shaft in a bronze stern tube, so iy might be different, but I have always used Duckhams Keenol. It says on the pot "particularly suitable for marine applications including stern tubes", so I believe it! I also use it on galvanised shackles and the large ancient galvanised windlass and it seems pretty OK there too!

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[ccscott49]

Same here, but I use whatever I can get my hands on, as long as it says for marine use in sterntubes etc.

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[philmarks]

Thanks to one and all, I'll sleep easier now.
Phil

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[iacle]

Alternative to keenol

It seems Keenol is hard to get hold of since Castrol took over Duckams. None of the stockists on the Isle of Man have any! Does anyone know an alternative brand name suitable for stuffing glands? A local agricultural dealer has JCB lubricants which include a lithium based corrosion resistant greases and a water resistant aluminium complex based grease. These are both NGLI 2 spec, as is Keenol, whatever that means. Would these be ok? Would I be better with the lithium based one, as it will be mixing with Keenol already in the stuffing gland?

<hr width=100% size=1>Ian

 

[maris]

Re: Alternative to keenol

A lithium-calcium greese worked ok for me last year. When in the outer isles this spring I bought a tin of sterntube greese. No company name, just stern tube greese writen on the tin. I think the point Im trying to make is try comercial chandlers.

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[DMGibson]

There's a company called Vickers in Leeds which makes a grease specifically for sterntubes - it's call "NEOX" and the usual grade is DT. I believe it is made for commercial vessels, but that doesn't stop us using it as well.

It is excellent stuff, and I also use it as a general grease wherever it is likely to get wet - shackles, rigging screws, anchor windlass etc.

The only problem is where to get it - I have found it in commercial chandlers (Cosalt in Lowestoft), but only in big tins - about a gallon! Still, I can keep re-filling the small tin I keep on the boat from the big tin.

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[tr7v8]

Re: Alternative to keenol

My local chandlers told me that they've stopped making Keenol and I ended up buying another waterproof grease which is evil and brown. Does anyone know if this is true?

<hr width=100% size=1>Jim

Draco 2500

 

[Forbsie]

Re: Alternative to keenol

Untrue. I use Keenol and have seen it in chandlers around here. If you still have trouble getting some, get <A target="_blank" HREF=http://sillette.co.uk>Sillette Sonic</A> to send you a tub.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie?&page=1>My Project</A>