Grease & Lube

Grease & Lubricant

Automotive greases and lubricants prevent rust, wear, friction, oxidation, and corrosion in the moving and articulating parts of your vehicle's engine, suspension and driveline. Grease and other lubricants are designed to be used on parts that may be damaged due to friction, and create a barrier between moving parts to prevent direct contact that could lead to wear or friction. Older vehicles and industrial equipment that may lose lubrication or experience contamination over time might need more frequent lubrication. It's advised that you consult your owner's manual or service manual to better understand what parts require greasing and how often they should be serviced.

Types of Greases and Lubricants

Automotive and industrial lubricants most often include hydraulic fluid, gear oil, anti-seize, grease, engine assembly lube, dielectric grease, and graphite lubricant. Hydraulic fluid is used in farming and industrial equipment as a source of power transmission. It can also prevent your hydraulic systems from oxidizing, rusting, corroding, and wearing down, making the right hydraulic fluid necessary to ensure the long-term health of your farming and industrial equipment. Gear oil is used in differentials and some manual transmissions to prevent damage from internal component or gear contact and friction, and is available in a variety of weights and formulas. We also offer a line of gear oil additives, including limited-slip additives, for safe performance.

Anti-seize lubricant is for use on threaded parts at risk of seizing, galling, and corrosive damage. These lubricants permit easy assembly and disassembly, and are often required when installing steel bolts into aluminum or other types of metal to prevent the bolts from becoming stuck. Automotive grease is primarily used on chassis parts, including ball joints, tie rods, idler arms, control arm bushings, wheel bearings, and more to provide lubrication, prevent accelerated wear, and noise.

Engine assembly lubricant is designed to be used on engine components before assembly to prevent galling and damage, ensuring that these parts are assembled and lubricated properly during an engine overhaul. Dielectric grease prevents water from getting into your electrical systems, and keeps small particles from damaging electrical connections. You can apply dielectric grease to light bulbs, trailer connections, battery terminals, spark plug boots, and more. Dry lubricants and graphites can also reduce friction of surfaces that should not be greased, like locks, to prevent particle buildup that could prevent the item from being used properly.

How Often Does a Vehicle Need Grease?

How often you need to re-lubricate the surfaces on your vehicle will depend on vehicle type, lubricant type, and operating conditions. It is best to check your owner's manual for service intervals and lubricant types for a lasting repair. Gears, bearings, and more will often need to be lubricated by hand, but some parts, like chassis components, will require a grease gun. Grease guns, and the grease cartridges or bulk grease for your vehicle, can be found at your nearest O'Reilly Auto Parts store. You can also learn more about how to use a grease gun to complete your automotive maintenance with our article.