Heated debate: Should we use lithium grease on landing gear or stick to the old stuff?

I was down at the hangar at KBWI last Thursday watching a crew do a landing gear overhaul, and they had a big argument going about grease. One old timer swore by the traditional Aeroshell grease, says it's been working for 30 years and he's never seen a failure. The other guy, younger guy, was pushing a new lithium-based grease because it handles heat better and doesn't drip as much in summer. I've been doing this for about 6 years now, mostly line maintenance, and I've only ever used what the manual says. But seeing them go back and forth got me thinking, is there really a better option out there or is it all just manufacturer hype? The older grease leaves a mess on the struts sometimes, but the lithium stuff costs twice as much. Anyone here switched from the standard to something newer and seen real results, or should I just stick with what's in the book?

3 comments

3 Comments

grace50819d ago

Six years in and I still use whatever the senior guy hands me.

dakotawood19d ago

Right, because hangar debates are totally more effective than just reading the manual.

nancy47517d ago

My old crew chief had a rule about always checking the torque wrench calibration before anyone opened their mouth, which I learned the hard way after a long debate about fuel line fittings. Turned out the manual was right but nobody wanted to admit they'd skimmed it during a midnight shift, you know how that goes. Still, that hangar debate saved us from a bad batch of gaskets someone tried to push through inventory, so I guess both approaches have their place.