Clay based grease for slack adjuster/cam shaft??

[AKBrick]

Okay all you master mechanics out there, here's one for ya. Today I was greasing my chassis. I'm reading the manual and it say's to use a clay-based grease for the air brakes' slack adjuster/cam shafts. NAPA didn't have any and they havn't heard of it. I called my service tech we use, and he hadn't heard of a clay-based grease. He told me he will research it since I got his curiosity up.

For the U-joints, slip yoke, center link, spindles, kingpins and drag links, I used "Sta-Lubes'", "STA-PLEX" Extreme Pressure Premium RED grease. A high quality lithium soap based, extreme heat and low temp grease. The service tech gave me the thumbs-up on that.

Anyone have a clue? I might just go ahead and use the red stuff if the tech can't figure it out.

BTW, here's a helpful hint: take your coveralls off before entering your motorhome. I managed to dirty up our curtains by backing into them. Luckily CheetahGirl has really good patience with me.

AKBrick

[HPH]

AKBrick, My 09 Camelot manual show the same grease used on the slack adjuster/s-cams as on u-joints, drag link etc. Factory uses Texaco Starplex. I went to 5 places and ended up w/Castrol...I greased mine yesterday. I'm a retired tech/shop owner, but haven't had to squeeze under a vehicle in a long time. I think I'll pay someone to stand up under it next time.
HPH

[AKBrick]

Thanks HPH,
I was kind of expecting an answer like that. The '09 manual I'm sure has been updated since the '06 Roadmaster lube instructions.

I was an operator/mechanic for gas turbines and it's been awhile since I've had to skinny my way under and around obstacles. I'm glad that I don't have to do it everyday anymore, although it did keep me a little bit more limber and lithe at the time.

Thanks for the info.

AKBrick

[DocUSAF]

Wow, check this, my '06 Monaco Knight Manual calls for the same Clay based grease on our front and rear slack adjusters/cam shafts. The deal from what I remember was, if you mix the wrong types of grease into these fittings, the mixed grease can set up, HARDEN then crack in cold weather. I was told that the clay based grease is available, your Service Shop just needs to locate it. Just try to remember every 5k miles, clay based grease and Lithium soap based grease. Either that process, or the owners manual booklet has included another round of bad owners infomation! Doc

[AKBrick]

DocUSAF,
Well heck, that's something to make one ponder. I guess if the unit came with a clay-based grease then one should probably continue using it to prevent mixing different greases. Maybe you have to keep pumping the new grease in to get all of the old grease out.

No doubt that the '09's came with the lithium based grease in the slack adjusters in the first place. Probably a product change as the better greases came out.

I'll wait for more info from my service rep. before I go any further. Great info DocUSAF.

AKBrick

[moisheh]

RE: Crawling under your units:

I hope that all of you are using some type of jack/stands while getting under your MH. NEVER,NEVER go under a vehicle with air suspension unless you have some means of supporting the vehicle. There are RV'rs who are no longer with us due to the lack of vehicle supports!! On our last MH I was able to dump the air and still get under if I drove onto boards. I have not tried yet but I think my Dynasty will need jacks.

[SacsTC]

Here ya go Tom

As it is a Shell product, you should be able to get it elsewhere........

"AeroShell Grease 7 is a clay-based grease approved to MIL-PRF-23827C Type II"

[Sixpack98]

I found clay based grease at McMaster-Carr

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Their site is java based so I could not provide the url for the specific page. You can search on clay lubricants which is on page 2117. On page 2116 there is a good chart on performance of various greases.

Monaco Tech Support said you could use a high quality Lithium soap based grease instead of clay based. They said the manual needed upgrading. I confirmed this thru some other sources as well.

mark

[AKBrick]

SacsTC and Sixpack98,
Hey, thanks guys for the info. Okay, so the Monoco tech department says that I can use some high quality soap-based lithium grease, which I have. Now...I read the description for the clay-based Shell Product (AeroShell, thanks Sacs), it says not to mix it with soap-based greases. Are all lithium greases soap-based?....orrrr does being a lithium product counteract the soap base so you can mix it with a clay-based grease? DANG, where's a chemist when you need one ? Am I asking too many questions for my own good? Help...somebody throw out the anchor!!!! :

AKBrick

[AKBrick]

Oooookayyy,
I called a Monoco service rep and gave him all of the good information that you all gave me. After he talked with some other techs he came back on the line and told me to use the clay-based grease. Most likely because that is what is already in the slack adjusters. The newer coaches are getting the lithium soap-based grease, and probably because there are newer better greases on the market. So...all of the newer coaches are getting the high quality lithiun soap-based grease in all parts of the chassis which makes it easier and faster for them. One product to use.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

AKBrick

[nodine]

Quote:

Originally posted by AKBrick: .... So...all of the newer coaches are getting the high quality lithiun soap-based grease in all parts of the chassis which makes it easier and faster for them. One product to use. AKBrick

So AK, define newer coaches, 2008 or 2009 or ??.

Bob

[AKBrick]

Hi nodine,

Welllll....My coach is an 07 so the chassis was probably built in 06. My guess would be the '08s and newer. Deffinately the '09s.
Sorry I couldn't be more specific on the '08s.

AKBrick

[William Willard]

HPH -- I have a 07 42ft Camelot -- The manuel states the the coach was lubed using Texaco Lithum soap based grease-- No clay -- My questions are: Is all Lithum soap based grease RED, & is it necessary to grease both zerk fitting on the u-joints-- I have air leveling, & getting under the coach to grease it, is a chore, but can change the oil ok (I`m 71 years old) I took it to a RV repair place hre in AZ. for a lube -- Later on, when I went to move it, it seemed a brake was on,but would release with a little engine effort -- I went to Camp Monaco in Harrisburg & that was on the honey do list -- They lubed the coach & found that the s-cam, slack adjusters have never been greased --
I found the lithum soap based grease at Wal-Mart & just finished greasing the coach myself -- The old grease that squeezed out, was not red, hence my question, is all the soap based grease red, or did Monaco use the wrong grease-- Bill Willard

[AKBrick]

Bill,
The grease I used was red, the grease that Gauranty RV uses is blue according to the service rep. The grease that came out after pumping the new stuff in was gray. The service rep gave me the thumbs up on the red. They're happy as long as it is high quality. However, I'm not a chemist or an expert on greases but the NAPA guy swore on the grease I bought from them.

AKBrick