What Is White Lithium Grease Used For?
What Is White Lithium Grease Used For?
White lithium grease is one of the most versatile lubricants in any shop or garage. It's a heavy-duty grease that stays in place, resists water, and handles moderate heat — making it the go-to for a wide range of metal-on-metal and metal-on-plastic applications.
What Is White Lithium Grease?
White lithium grease is a petroleum-based grease thickened with lithium soap. The white color comes from the lithium soap thickener. It's available in both tube and aerosol spray form — the spray is useful for getting into tight spaces, while the tube form stays put better on vertical surfaces and high-load applications.
What Is White Lithium Grease Good For?
- Door hinges and latches — prevents squeaking and corrosion on vehicle and building door hardware
- Garage door tracks and rollers — one of the best lubricants for garage door hardware
- Trailer hitch balls and couplers — reduces wear and prevents galling on hitch components
- Sliding mechanisms — drawer slides, seat tracks, sunroof tracks
- Cables and linkages — throttle cables, parking brake cables, shift linkages
- Plastic-on-plastic and plastic-on-metal — safe for most plastics (unlike petroleum-based oils that can degrade plastic)
- Wheel bearings (light duty) — adequate for light-duty applications; use marine or high-temp grease for heavy-duty wheel bearings
- Threaded fasteners — anti-seize on bolts in moderate-temperature applications
What Is White Lithium Grease NOT Good For?
- High-temperature applications — white lithium grease is rated to around 300°F. For exhaust hardware, brake caliper slides, or wheel bearings on heavy vehicles, use a high-temp or moly grease.
- Rubber components — petroleum-based grease degrades rubber over time. Use silicone grease for rubber seals and O-rings.
- Wet or submerged applications — it's water resistant but not waterproof. Use marine grease for submerged or constantly wet applications.
Spray vs. Tube: Which Should You Use?
| Form | Best For |
|---|---|
| Aerosol spray | Hinges, cables, tight spaces, quick application |
| Tube / cartridge | Hitch balls, bearings, high-load surfaces where grease needs to stay put |
Shop Lubricants at Chem Nut Supply
Chem Nut Supply carries white lithium grease, moly grease, marine grease, and a full range of shop lubricants. Shop our Penetrants, Lubricants & Grease collection for the full selection.