Grease contaminating within a month, applied after alcohol and dried thoroughly. Does red grease have bad properties could I be over applying it?
by Cleanerofclocks
Grease contaminating within a month, applied after alcohol and dried thoroughly. Does red grease have bad properties could I be over applying it?
by Cleanerofclocks
8 Comments
Man I wouldn’t worry about it, just ride it and if it feels gritty then worry about it
There will always be contaminants in there regardless of how clean you get it. It does look contaminated but this could be from the breakdown of the bearings plus a bit of moisture. You can get moisture in bearings from temperature difference and condensation.
Looks like water got in there
Did you attempt to re-grease a cartridge bearing? Because this is, at best, a temporary stopgap to get a bike rolling while you order the appropriate replacement. That’s your problem, not the grease you used.
Little bit of water and normal use will make it turn that color in my experience. But that bearing looks like a cartridge bearing (not cup and cone), if you were able to get the protective shield off without damaging it then likely that shield is not a version with very good water sealing capabilities (sometimes called “race bearings”).
If it really is a cartridge bearing, I’d recommend trying some fully sealed cartridge bearings from a reputable seller and brand (lots of fake stuff on the usual places), especially if you ride in the wet at all.
There are quite a few greases that are expensive but not water resistant. When you are in doubt, Shimano’s premium grease is the best.
I like the Maxima waterproof grease. I use it for my MTB and my dirt bike
Now you’ve killed the seal, grab some new high quality bearings, fit them, and don’t worry about it for a few thousand miles.