What Are The Best Synthetic Grease Brands in 2021?
When you’re working on a vehicle, you need the right type of grease in the right spot if you want your repairs to last. But picking the right synthetic grease is difficult because the individual chemical properties of each grease may be slightly different.
In this article, we’ll dive into the synthetic grease market so that you’ll know how to identify the grease that’s right for your shop and how you’ll know how to avoid the synthetic grease brands which won’t serve your customers right in 2021.
Compare: the Top 3 Best Synthetic Oil Grease Brands
Page Contents
- Synthetic Grease Reviews
- Our #1 Pick – Mobil 1 Synthetic Grease
- Our #2 Pick – Valvoline Automotive Multi-Purpose Grease
- Our #3 Pick – Tri-Flow TF23004 Clear Synthetic Grease
- Our #4 Pick – Super Lube 92003 Silicone Lubricating Grease with PTFE
- Our #5 Pick – Valvoline SynPower Synthetic Automotive Grease
- FAQ
- Which features should I look for in synthetic grease?
- Is there a best brand of synthetic grease?
- How frequently should I reapply synthetic grease?
- How much should synthetic grease cost?
- How should I apply synthetic grease?
- Moving Forward
Synthetic Grease Reviews
Our #1 Pick – Mobil 1 Synthetic Grease
The Mobil 1 Synthetic Grease is a great product that is ready for all of the applications that you need.
Pros
- Stable from -40 degrees Fahrenheit to over 320 degrees
- Perfect for wheel bearings and suspensions
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Performance may be less than leading brands
With this synthetic grease product, you won’t need to worry about your grease melting away in high temperature or cracking during deep freezes. This grease is Arctic-ready, so if you’re making repairs for long hauls through the ice or heat, it won’t let you down.
You may find that you need to apply more of this grease than with other brands, however. The lubrication provided by each glob of grease is a little bit light, perhaps as a result of its superior thermal capabilities.
Our #2 Pick – Valvoline Automotive Multi-Purpose Grease
Valvoline’s multi-purpose automotive grease is inexpensive and ready for use in your truck or other high-pressure applications.
Pros
- Great for high pressure applications
- Lithium-based chemical makeup
- Heavy vehicle-compatible
Cons
- May not be the best for chassis work
With its cheerful cherry-red packaging and abundant resistance to being eroded by pressure, the Valvoline grease is great for use in your heavy-duty vehicles that need resistance against grating bearings.
The Valvoline grease is perfect for chasses, bearings, suspensions, and everything else that is exposed to harsh conditions. While it is ready for high-heat, it may not be the best at protecting your chassis from extreme cold.
Our #3 Pick – Tri-Flow TF23004 Clear Synthetic Grease
The Tri-Flow Clear Synthetic Grease is highly waterproof, easy to use with a grease gun, and is pressure-resistant.
Pros
- Waterproof
- Corrosion-resistant
- Great for use with grease guns
Cons
- Poor low-temperature performance
The Tri-Flow TF23004 Clear Synthetic Grease is an excellent choice for when you need synthetic grease that won’t wash away or be corroded by harsh conditions on the road. As a bonus, the Tri-Flow won’t stain any rags it accidentally falls on as a result of its clear formulation.
You may need to find another brand of synthetic grease if you plan to run your vehicle in very cold temperatures. The Tri-Flow grease is only rated to -10 degrees Fahrenheit, so it may cake and chip off in the extreme cold.
Our #4 Pick – Super Lube 92003 Silicone Lubricating Grease with PTFE
Super Lube’s Silicone Lubricating Grease is a great choice for making repairs to parts that aren’t exposed to high pressures or heat conditions, but which still need gentle lubrication that you can rely on.
Pros
- Environmentally friendly in comparison to other synthetic greases
- Easy-hang slot
- Compatible with most rubber composites
Cons
- Not highly water resistant
Super Lube’s silicone-based lubricating grease has a number of advantages which other synthetic lubricants do not, including its environmental friendliness.
Silicone isn’t as bad for the environment as other greases during its manufacturing or on the off chance that it sloughs off into the environment.
This is an important feature for greases on parts that face the outside, but less important for parts which are completely protected from the elements.
If you apply this grease to the external parts of your vehicle, you should take care to ensure that you re-apply it frequently to make up for the silicone’s tendency to be washed away.
Our #5 Pick – Valvoline SynPower Synthetic Automotive Grease
If you have a vehicle that needs synthetic grease which can protect it from the most severe impacts and grinding mechanical stresses, this Valvoline SynPower grease is among the best.
Pros
- Fortified with molybdenum for unparalleled protection against extreme pressure
- Works with vehicles manufactured in the US, Europe, and Japan
- Great for constant velocity joints
Cons
- Many international car brands are not explicitly compatible or are incompatible
The molybdenum-fortified particles in this grease are what makes the difference between a typical synthetic grease and one which is ready for the most severe mechanical stressors that your vehicle can bring to bear.
Thanks to the chemical mixture of the lubricant, shocks are absorbed by the grease with high efficiency. As a result, your vehicle will experience much less wear and tear.
You’ll need to make sure that your vehicle is compatible with this grease, as not all vehicles made by international manufacturers are compatible.
FAQ
Which features should I look for in synthetic grease?
When you’re in the market for synthetic grease, you’ll need to look for the following features:
- Chemical blend
- Thermal resilience
- Mechanical resilience
- Waterproofing
- Environmental friendliness
The chemical blend of the grease is the single most important feature in a synthetic grease because it determines all of the other properties. Synthetic greases are made from mineral oils, silicone, surfactants, metal composites, petroleum, or other materials.
These components are in contrast to animal-derived greases, which are no longer common. The chemical blend of the grease can be optimized for several different properties. The metals like molybdenum provide hardpoints within the grease which help to diffuse shocks.
They also provide additional thermal resistance. The more metals which are doped into the lubricant, the more difficult the grease will be to work with. Greases with very high proportions of doped-in metals may also erode faster than others.
Thermal resilience is a key feature of synthetic greases. High heat can cause greases to liquefy prematurely, allowing them to drip off of the vehicle components which they’re meant to protect.
Freezing cold temperatures can cause greases to solidify and become so stiff that they can crack under pressure. Most greases are rated for a normal range of temperatures as well as the higher temperatures associated with working near or inside of an internal combustion engine.
But, most greases compromise on being resistant to the cold because the majority of the world does not get any colder than zero degrees Fahrenheit, and the inside of your vehicle’s components will almost never be cold when the engine is on.
So, if you plan on performing Arctic or Antarctic expeditions with your vehicle, picking a cold-resistant grease is a good idea. Otherwise, you should be more concerned about the maximum heat capacity of the grease.
The maximum heat rating for most greases is sufficient for your vehicle if it runs at a normal temperature on a normal day.
For a vehicle which runs hot, or which spends a lot of time in an environment warmer than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, however, you should invest in a grease with a better heat rating than the standard greases.
Mechanical resilience is the main reason you purchase grease. You want to protect your vehicle’s components from the grating of mechanical stresses.
The role of grease is to erode before mechanical stresses can erode the mechanical parts creating the stresses as the engine runs. The more intense the mechanical stresses, the faster the grease will erode.
The best lubricants are extremely dense, which allows them to protect against extreme mechanical pressures.
Mechanical pressures vary from vehicle to vehicle, but it’s reasonable to assume that the more performance you expect out of the vehicle the more mechanical stresses will be exerted on to the vehicle’s parts and greases.
Waterproofing is a feature of minor importance in synthetic greases. The inside of your vehicle is not exposed to water very frequently, however parts like the crankshaft may get an occasional splash.
You’ll still need some waterproofing for your grease to make sure that it won’t be eroded during routine cleaning.
Environmental friendliness may be an underrated feature of synthetic greases. Greases are bound to find their way into the environment if they’re on a car in motion, so it’s better if they do so gracefully.
Is there a best brand of synthetic grease?
No, there is no single brand that is best. Most of the leading brands of synthetic grease have their strengths and weaknesses. In fact, most of the leading brands of synthetic grease have several product offerings which are intended for different use cases.
Finding the right grease for your needs is a matter of seeing which of the major brands’ niche-appropriate grease offering performs the best for what you need it to do.
In other words, don’t buy a super cold-resistant grease if you won’t be driving in the deep cold, and don’t buy a super-impact resistant grease for your smart car.
How frequently should I reapply synthetic grease?
Depending on the grease you’re using the way that you’re using the vehicle, your need to reapply synthetic grease will vary greatly.
High-performance vehicles should have their grease reapplied twice as frequently as vehicles for casual use.
Greases which are made from silicone need to be reapplied more frequently than other greases because of their tendency to erode more quickly.
Thicker greases may also need to be reapplied more frequently than other greases if they are used in a high-heat application which they are not fully designed for.
If you are using synthetic grease on any external parts of the vehicle, you should expect that it will need to be reapplied frequently. This is doubly true if the greases are exposed to harsh road conditions or bad weather.
How much should synthetic grease cost?
Synthetic greases can be priced by their features. In other words, you get what you pay for.
Silicone greases and other greases which do not provide superior protection from any single hazard are the most likely to be very inexpensive.
Super-doped and extremely thick greases are more likely to be more expensive and also better suited for high-intensity applications.
You don’t necessarily need to spring for the most expensive grease, however. Picking the right grease for your needs can sometimes mean picking a less expensive grease that doesn’t have as many fancy features.
How should I apply synthetic grease?
Applying synthetic grease isn’t difficult, but it does require a little bit of planning.
First, assemble the following tools:
- The grease itself
- Water
- Soap
- A sponge or rag
- Paper towels
- Latex gloves
- Eye protection
Lay the paper towels underneath your workspace so that any drips will be caught. Then, don your eye protection and your latex gloves. Wash down the part you will apply the grease to using a sponge and hot water with soap.
Dry the part, then prepare the grease. You can apply the grease directly to the part using your latex-glove clad hands. Some mechanics prefer to use a wand or another rag or sponge to apply the grease, but in our experience the dexterity provided by using your fingers is superior.
Apply a hearty helping of grease to the part. Focus your efforts on the points where the part interfaces with other parts which are moving, because these are the locations that will experience the most mechanical stress.
Don’t bother applying grease to areas which aren’t in contact with other moving parts. There is not any benefit of greasing up parts of your vehicle which do not require lubrication.
Don’t worry about applying too much. Any excess grease will not be a problem, but if you don’t apply enough grease you may think that your vehicle is protected when it is being damaged by mechanical stress.
Once you’re done applying grease, remove your gloves and dispose of the paper towels. Make sure that you brush any grease off of your clothing to prevent staining and try to mop off any excess grease that made it onto the car’s exterior.
Moving Forward
Now that you’re acquainted with the best synthetic grease brands on the market, it’s time to make your purchasing decision. Keep the features we discussed in mind, and you’ll find the grease that’s right for your shop.
