What grade of grease should I use in my tool?

[Erik Mejia]

What grade grease do you recommend be used in Dewalt Rotary Polishers like the DWP849X and DW849? Will an NLGI #0 be ok?

The yellow grease in the DW849 wasn't too thick, I'm trying to find out what grease grade to replace it with. Need some help.

[DWalter]

There are actually quite a few factors in addition to NLGI grade that should be considered when choosing grease to replace the manufacturer’s recommended product.  While the following link will not tell you which grease to use in your tool, it does shed some light on the importance of selecting the correct grease:

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/798/grease-selection

Since all grease thickeners are not compatible with each other and mixing incompatible greases can lead to early failure of components, this link explains compatibility and provides a chart:

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/1865/grease-compatibility

The grease available from DeWalt for the DW849 polisher is part number 429698-00, but it’s way overpriced at $67/can.

Exxon “Lidok EP1†was specified as the factory grease on many DeWalt tools over the years, but I believe that it is no longer available through Exxon.  I understand that Exxon “Beacon EP 1†is the current equivalent.

http://www.exxon.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/NAUSENGRSEXBeacon_EP.aspx

If you can’t find the Beacon grease, Lubriplate GR-132 is rated as a portable tool grease:

http://www.lubriplate.com/products/greases/gr-132-portable-tool-grease.html

http://www.lubriplate.com/pdf/pds/3_4%20GR-132.pdf

If you do change greases just make sure that you clean out as much of the old grease as possible to avoid any potential compatibility issues. Hope this helps.