High-Temperature Grease Selection: Bearing Temperature and Service Limits
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How do you choose a grease for a hot bearing?
Start with the bearing’s operating conditions: measured temperature, speed, load, exposure and relubrication method. Compare them with the exact product’s service data. A dropping point is not an operating-temperature rating, and an oven or process setpoint alone does not establish the temperature at the lubrication point.
Record where and when temperature is measured
Identify the measurement point, instrument and machine state. Record the steady reading as well as peaks and their duration. If only a housing measurement is available, label it as such and ask the equipment maker how it relates to the bearing assessment.
| Record | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Temperature and measurement location | Distinguishes a measured bearing or housing condition from ambient or process temperature. |
| Speed, bearing designation and load | Allows the application reviewer to assess the lubrication duty. |
| Heating cycles and peak duration | Separates sustained service from brief exposure. |
| Water, cleaners and process chemicals | Identifies media that the lubricant and seals may encounter. |
| Current grease and application method | Establishes the starting point for changeover and relubrication planning. |
Swipe the table sideways to read every column.
Keep dropping point separate from service temperature
SKF’s maintenance handbook states that dropping point does not represent a grease’s operating temperature limit. Read the service-temperature guidance, application notes and relevant test conditions together. A higher dropping point alone does not show that a grease will give longer life in your bearing.
Source: SKF: bearing maintenance handbook, page 185.
Also distinguish the upper end of a published range from an expected maintenance interval. An interval needs to account for the actual duty and the equipment maker’s guidance. Record the basis used for it so a later change in speed, temperature or production cycle triggers a review.
Product example: BARRIERTA L 55/2
Klüber identifies BARRIERTA L 55/2 as a high-temperature grease. Its food-industry brochure lists the L 55/2 grade as NLGI 2, with PFPE base oil, PTFE thickener and a service-temperature range of −40 to +260 °C. Use this as a candidate reference and request the current product information for the application before approval.
Manufacturer product description and brochure table: Klüber: BARRIERTA L 55/2; Klüber: food industry lubrication brochure, page 4.
The published range does not establish grease life at your operating point. Keep the exact grade in the review: L 55/1, L 55/2 and L 55/3 are distinct designations. A change to a different consistency or formulation needs its own assessment.
Agree the changeover and maintenance plan
Before changing to the selected product, document the old grease and ask for instructions covering residual lubricant, cleaning and material compatibility. Confirm that the grease can be applied through the existing equipment and obtain the required fill quantity and relubrication interval.
Set up inspection records around the equipment’s service procedure. If the grease is drying out or the bearing temperature is rising, record the condition and investigate the cause before extending the interval or adding more grease. Changes in load, cooling or application quantity may also need review.
An enquiry with a missing measurement
“The oven runs at 220 °C” leaves the bearing condition unresolved. Add the bearing location, measured temperature during a defined operating cycle, rotational speed and present lubricant. If the bearing temperature has not been established, say so in the enquiry and agree how to obtain it.
Questions before selection
Does every PFPE grease have the same temperature limit?
No. Check the complete product designation and its current service data. A base-oil family alone does not establish suitability for a bearing, seal or process environment.
Can I calculate grease life from temperature alone?
Use a method appropriate to the bearing and lubricant, with the required operating inputs. A general temperature rule cannot establish a reliable interval without its assumptions and application limits.
Request the exact high-temperature grade
For BARRIERTA L 55/2, include pack size, quantity, measured temperature, bearing speed and the existing lubricant. Confirm availability and the documents required with the order.
Sources and product data
Manufacturer and NSF pages checked on 29 September 2026. Confirm the current product documents for the supplied grade and region.
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