Substitute for Black Graphite Grease Please

[ruthandken CDN]

Our manual for our Curt 5th Wheel Hitch says to use (not on the plate) black graphite grease for other parts of the hitch.  We live in Canada, we have gone to Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Napa Auto Parts, other Auto parts stores, everywhere we can think of.  No on has black graphite grease.  Does anyone know of a substitute that we can use???

Thanks so much.

 

[carson]

Hi Ken & Ruth....
  I assume Graphite GREASE is indeed a greasy substance, the kind that will attract dust and dirt.

That said, Graphite has been used for eons as a lubricant. My first thought for an alternative was a product that I ran across in the 60's.  It was called moly-lube and other similar names. Extremely slippery and very black. I still have a can in my garage...a keepsake.

  I suggest you Google  Molybdenum Disulfide and wade through the myriad information available there.
I don't think you can buy it in a grocery store but it certainly is still available; I'll let you do the heavy work in searching for a supplier.

  Just a little historical information.

Cheers, Carson



 

 

[stephen44]

look at napacanada.com at part number 75101 - will that help ?

stephen
1999 Tradition

 

[ruthandken CDN]

Thanks for the link.  We have found Graphite Grease but not Black Graphite grease.  What the heck is the difference?????

 

[Alfa38User]

The colour?? .... Just kidding!!  I have never heard of it called Black Graphite Grease, simply Graphite Grease. It is a grease compound with graphite mixed in. 

Graphite (powder) is normally black in colour anyway and is often used in a fine powder form to lubricate locks. I have a small container of it in my garage and I am sure Canadian Tire sells it in this form.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Graphite grease is typically black, as opposed to lithium greases which are typically white or off-white, or basic petroleum greases (axle/bearing grease), which are typically brown.  I think the manual is just trying to give you a descriptive color clue about the right type of grease, i.e. graphite. If it's not black, it probably isn't graphite.

Graphite itself is a silvery-black powder, so a grease containing it will be black. It is also available as  dry lube (no grease), but Curt apparently wants you to use the grease-based compound, which makes the graphite cling to moving parts. However, the grease also collects dirt and so should be replaced periodically.

Just ask for a graphite grease. If you can't find it, here is an online source:
http://www.graphitestore.com/itemDetails.asp/promo/tpc/item_id/1371/cat_id/28

 

[10-95]

I know this is an old thread, but I ran into the same problem when I bought our Q20 Curt hitch. Couldn't find black graphite grease and no one knew what could be substituted.

I called Curt today and was told that if you can't find black graphite grease, use Multipurpose Synthetic Grease. The tech specifically said Valvoline and Quaker State has a grease that is labelled exactly that. I found Valvoline, Royal Purple and many others that offer this grease.

Hope this helps someone.