Lubricant for SHRUS. Which is better?
Liquids for Auto

Lubricant for SHRUS. Which is better?

The principle of choosing lubricants for CV joints

Lubrication for constant velocity joints is selected according to a fairly simple principle: depending on the type of assembly that provides the transmission of rotational motion at an angle. All CV joints are structurally divided into two groups:

  • ball type;
  • tripods.

In turn, ball-type hinges can have two versions: with the possibility of axial movement and without such a possibility. Tripods by default provide the possibility of axial movement.

Lubricant for SHRUS. Which is better?

Ball-type joints without axial movement are usually used on the outside of the axle shaft, that is, they connect the axle shaft and the hub. Tripods or ball joints with axial movement are usually internal and connect the gearbox to the axle shaft. Read more about the type of hinge design on your car in the instruction manual.

Ball CV joints require increased protection against scuffing, since the balls contact the cages pointwise and, as a rule, do not roll, but slide along the working surfaces. Therefore, EP additives and molybdenum disulfide are widely used in ball joint lubricants.

Lubricant for SHRUS. Which is better?

The tripods are equipped with needle bearings, which require protection against contact loads of a different nature. And the presence of an abundant amount of extreme pressure additives, as well as solid molybdenum disulfide, as practice has shown, negatively affects the life of the tripod.

Lubricants for CV joints are highly specialized. That is, they are recommended for laying precisely in the hinges of equal angular speeds and nowhere else. They are designated by two main markings:

  • "For SHRUS";
  • "Constant Velocity Joints" (may be abbreviated as "CV Joints").

Lubricant for SHRUS. Which is better?

Further, it is usually indicated for which specific type of CV joint it is used. Outer ball joint greases are labeled NLGI 2, Molybdenum Disulfide, or MoS2 (indicating the presence of molybdenum disulfide, which is only suitable for ball joints). Tripod CV joint lubricants are labeled as NLGI 1 (or NLGI 1.5), Tripod Joints, or Triple Roller Joints.

But more often on lubricants it is written as clearly as possible: “For ball CV joints” or “For tripods”.

Also pay attention to the minimum allowable operating temperature of the lubricant. It varies from -30 to -60 °C. For the northern regions, it is better to choose a more frost-resistant lubricant.

The car service will never tell such information about the SHRUS

What is the best lubricant for CV joints?

In terms of choosing a specific manufacturer, experienced motorists recommend the following methodology.

If a new inexpensive external CV joint is bought or a hinge is being repaired that has gone several tens of thousands of kilometers (for example, the anther is changing) - you can not bother with buying expensive lubricants and use the budget option. The main thing is to lay it in sufficient quantities. For example, inexpensive domestic lubricant "SHRUS-4" or "SHRUS-4M" is quite suitable for this purpose. Given that the outer CV joint is relatively easy to change and generally refers to consumables, many car owners do not see the point in overpaying for expensive lubricants.

If we are talking about an internal tripod or an expensive hinge of any design from a well-known manufacturer, it is better to purchase a more expensive lubricant here. It will help to increase the already high initial resource of a quality spare part.

Lubricant for SHRUS. Which is better?

When choosing a specific brand of lubricant, the rule works well: the more expensive the lubricant, the better it is. There are now several dozen manufacturers on the market, and you can easily find both positive and negative reviews about each brand.

The point here is that it is difficult to objectively compare the work of lubricants in CV joints. There are too many variables in the evaluation equation: the amount of lubricant applied, the correct installation, the reliability of the boot insulation of the working cavity of the CV joint from external factors, the load on the assembly, etc. And some motorists do not take into account these factors, and blame everything on the lubricant or the quality of the part.

It is also important to remember that it is impossible to put general-purpose lubricants like lithol or "graphite" in the CV joint, regardless of design.

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