1、Designation: D 4950 08An American National StandardStandard Classification and Specification forAutomotive Service Greases1,2This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4950; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or, in the case of revision
2、, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon () indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.INTRODUCTIONThis specification describes current categories of lubricating greases for automotive service-fillapplic
3、ations. A specific designation is assigned to each category. The system is open ended, that is,new designations are assigned for use with new categories as each new set of grease performancecharacteristics is defined. Grease categories are referenced by automotive manufacturers in makinglubrication
4、recommendations and used by grease suppliers and users in identifying products forspecific applications.1. Scope1.1 This specification covers lubricating greases suitable forthe periodic relubrication of chassis systems and wheel bear-ings of passenger cars, trucks, and other vehicles.1.2 This speci
5、fication defines the requirements used todescribe the properties and performance characteristics ofchassis greases and wheel bearing greases for service-fillapplications.1.3 The test requirements (acceptance limits) given in thisspecification are, as the case may be, minimum or maximumacceptable val
6、ues for valid duplicate test results. No additionalcorrections for test precision, such as described in PracticeD 3244, are to be applied inasmuch as the precision of the testmethods was taken into account in the determination of therequirements.1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded a
7、sstandard. No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.4.1 ExceptionTest Method D 2596 reports test results inkgf units. Until that standard is revised, Classification andSpecification D 4950 will show kgf units in parentheses afterthe SI units for information only.2. Referenced Doc
8、uments2.1 ASTM Standards:3D 217 Test Methods for Cone Penetration of LubricatingGreaseD 566 Test Method for Dropping Point of LubricatingGreaseD 1264 Test Method for Determining the Water WashoutCharacteristics of Lubricating GreasesD 1742 Test Method for Oil Separation from LubricatingGrease During
9、 StorageD 1743 Test Method for Determining Corrosion PreventiveProperties of Lubricating GreasesD 2265 Test Method for Dropping Point of LubricatingGrease Over Wide Temperature RangeD 2266 Test Method for Wear Preventive Characteristics ofLubricating Grease (Four-Ball Method)D 2596 Test Method for M
10、easurement of Extreme-PressureProperties of Lubricating Grease (Four-Ball Method)D 3244 Practice for Utilization of Test Data to DetermineConformance with SpecificationsD 3527 Test Method for Life Performance of AutomotiveWheel Bearing GreaseD 4170 Test Method for Fretting Wear Protection by Lubri-c
11、ating GreasesD 4175 Terminology Relating to Petroleum, PetroleumProducts, and LubricantsD 4289 Test Method for Elastomer Compatibility of Lubri-cating Greases and Fluids1This classification and specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTMCommittee D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants and is t
12、he direct responsi-bility of Subcommittee D02.B0.04 on Automotive Greases.Current edition approved Dec. 15, 2008. Published January 2009. Originallypublished in 1989. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as D 495001(2004)1.2This classification and specification was developed as a cooperative effor
13、tamong the American Society for Testing and Materials, the National LubricatingGrease Institute (NLGI), and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).3For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org. For Annual Book of ASTMStand
14、ards volume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.1Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.D 4290 Test Method for Determining the Leakage Tenden-cies of Automotive Wheel Bearing Grease Un
15、der Acceler-ated ConditionsD 4693 Test Method for Low-Temperature Torque ofGrease-Lubricated Wheel Bearings2.2 SAE Standards:4AMS 3217A Standard Elastomer Stock-Test SlabsAMS 3217/2B Test Slabs, Acrylonitrile Butadiene (NBR-L)-Low Acrylonitrile, 65-755AMS 3217/3B Test Slabs Chloroprene (CR)-65-75SAE
16、 J310 Automotive Lubricating Greases3. Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 lubricant, nany material interposed between twosurfaces that reduces the friction or wear between them.D 41753.1.2 lubricating grease, na semi-fluid to solid product ofa dispersion of a thickener in a liquid lubricant.3.1.2.1 Di
17、scussionThe dispersion of the thickener forms atwo-phase system and immobilizes the liquid lubricant bysurface tension and other physical forces. Other ingredientsimparting special properties are often included. D 2173.1.3 thickener, nin lubricating grease, a substance com-posed of finely-divided pa
18、rticles dispersed in a liquid to formthe products structure.3.1.3.1 DiscussionThe thickener can be fibers (such asvarious metallic soaps) or plates or spheres (such as certainnon-soap thickeners) which are insoluble or, at the most, onlyvery slightly soluble in the liquid lubricant. The generalrequi
19、rements are that the solid particles be extremely small,uniformly dispersed, and capable of forming a relatively stable,gel-like structure with the liquid lubricant. D 2173.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 automotive service grease, na lubricating greasesuitable for the periodi
20、c relubrication of serviceable-type,chassis components or wheel bearings of passenger cars,trucks, and other vehicles and distinct from factory-fill greases(also known as initial-fill and OEM greases) initially installedby the original equipment manufacturer.3.2.2 category, nwith respect to automoti
21、ve servicegrease, a designation, such as LB, GC, etc., for a given level ofperformance in standardized tests.3.2.3 chassis grease, nan automotive service grease usedto lubricate ball joints, steering pivots, universal joints, and,other lubrication points designated in the vehicle ownersservice guide
22、.3.2.4 classification, nwith respect to automotive servicegrease, the systematic arrangement into categories according todiffering levels of performance.3.2.5 “G” category group, nautomotive service greasesof such composition, properties, and performance characteris-tics as to be suitable for the se
23、rvice lubrication of those typesof wheel bearings that require periodic relubrication.3.2.6 “L” category group, nautomotive service greases ofsuch composition, properties, and performance characteristicsas to be suitable for the service lubrication of those types ofsuspension, steering, and drive-li
24、ne components that requireperiodic relubrication.3.2.7 multipurpose grease, nan automotive service greasesuitable for both chassis and wheel bearing lubrication.3.2.7.1 DiscussionCommercial lubricating greases otherthan automotive service greases are often designated as mul-tipurpose greases.3.3 Abb
25、reviations:ASTMAmerican Society for Testing and MaterialsNLGINational Lubricating Grease InstituteSAESociety of Automotive Engineers4. Performance Classification64.1 Automotive service greases are classified into twogeneral groups. Those designated with an “L” prefix (chassisgreases) are intended fo
26、r the service lubrication of ball joints,steering pivots, universal joints, and other chassis componentsas designated by the equipment manufacturer. Those desig-nated with a “G” prefix are intended primarily for the servicelubrication of wheel bearings. These groups are further subdi-vided into cate
27、gories with intended service applications asfollows:4.1.1 LAService typical of chassis components and uni-versal joints in passenger cars, trucks, and other vehicles undermild duty only. Mild duty will be encountered in vehiclesoperated with frequent relubrication in noncritical applications.4.1.2 L
28、BService typical of chassis components and uni-versal joints in passenger cars, trucks, and other vehicles undermild to severe duty. Severe duty will be encountered invehicles operated under conditions which may include pro-longed relubrication intervals, or high loads, severe vibration,exposure to
29、water or other contaminants, etc.4.1.3 GAService typical of wheel bearings operating inpassenger cars, trucks, and other vehicles under mild duty.Mild duty will be encountered in vehicles operated withfrequent relubrication in noncritical applications.4.1.4 GBService typical of wheel bearings operat
30、ing inpassenger cars, trucks, and other vehicles under mild tomoderate duty. Moderate duty will be encountered in mostvehicles operated under normal urban, highway, and off-highway service.4.1.5 GCService typical of wheel bearings operating inpassenger cars, trucks, and other vehicles under mild to
31、severe4Available from Society of Automotive Engineers, 400 Commonwealth Drive,Warrendale, PA 15096.5With respect to elastomer AMS 3217/2A, the elastomer specification has beensuperseded by AMS 3217/2B. Per SAE, the elastomers are identical, however thesynthetic lubricant immersion fluid used to refe
32、rence the elastomer has beenexchanged from ARM-200 to AMS 3021. Reference fluid AMS 3021 betterrepresents current market aviation fluids.6The letter designations for the grease categories and the correspondingPerformance Classification descriptions in Section 4 were developed by an ad hocpanel of th
33、e NLGI Literature Subcommittee in cooperation with ASTMD02.B0.04.02, (Subsection on) Automotive Grease Specifications. Although thesedesignations and descriptions of the categories have been adopted in toto in thisstandard, the NLGI Literature Subcommittee retains jurisdiction over them aspublished
34、in, “Chassis and Wheel Bearing Service Classification System,” availablefrom the National Lubricating Grease Institute, 4635 Wyandotte Street, Kansas City,MO 64112. It is the intention of Subcommittee D02.B0 to include in this standardfuture revisions to these descriptions providing they are deemed
35、acceptable byASTM.D4950082duty. Severe duty will be encountered in certain vehiclesoperated under conditions resulting in high bearing tempera-tures. This includes vehicles operated under frequent stop-and-go service (buses, taxis, urban police cars, etc), or undersevere braking service (trailer tow
36、ing, heavy loading, mountaindriving, etc.).5. Performance Description75.1 The performance characteristics of the several catego-ries of automotive service greases are described as follows:5.1.1 LAThe grease shall satisfactorily lubricate chassiscomponents and universal joints where frequent relubric
37、ationis practiced (at intervals of 3200 km or 2000 miles or less forpassenger cars). During its service life, the grease should resistoxidation and consistency degradation and protect the chassiscomponents and universal joints from corrosion and wearunder lightly loaded conditions. NLGI 2 consistenc
38、y greasesare commonly recommended, but other grades may also berecommended. (NLGI Consistency Numbers are shown inTable X1.1 of the appendix.)5.1.2 LBThe grease shall satisfactorily lubricate chassiscomponents and universal joints at temperatures as low as40C and at temperatures as high as 120C over
39、 prolongedrelubrication intervals (more than 3200 km or 2000 miles forpassenger cars). During its service life, the grease should resistoxidation and consistency degradation while protecting thechassis components and universal joints from corrosion andwear even when aqueous contamination and heavily
40、 loadedconditions occur. NLGI 2 consistency greases are commonlyrecommended, but other grades may also be recommended.5.1.3 GAThe grease shall satisfactorily lubricate wheelbearings over a limited temperature range. Many products ofthis type are limited to bearing temperatures of 20 to 70C.No additi
41、onal performance requirements are specified for thesegreases.5.1.4 GBThe grease shall satisfactorily lubricate wheelbearings over a wide temperature range. The bearing tempera-tures may range down to 40C, with frequent excursions to120C and occasional excursions to 160C. During its servicelife, the
42、grease shall resist oxidation, evaporation, and consis-tency degradation while protecting the bearings from corrosionand wear. NLGI 2 consistency greases are commonly recom-mended, but NLGI 1 or 3 grades may also be recommended.5.1.5 GCThe grease shall satisfactorily lubricate wheelbearings over a w
43、ide temperature range. The bearing tempera-tures may range down to 40C, with frequent excursions to160C and occasional excursions to 200C. During its servicelife, the grease shall resist oxidation, evaporation, and consis-tency degradation while protecting the bearings from corrosionand wear. NLGI N
44、o. 2 consistency greases are commonlyrecommended, but NLGI No. 1 or No. 3 grades may also berecommended.6. Performance Requirements76.1 The greases identified by these categories shall conformto the requirements listed in Table 1 and Table 2.Aguide to therequirements of all the grease categories is
45、given in Table X1.2of the appendix.6.2 The consistency requirements in Table 1 and Table 2cover NLGI Consistency Numbers 1 through 3 (see TableX1.1). However, because the equipment manufacturers recom-mendations may be more restrictive, it is recommended thatgrease containers display the consistency
46、 number as well as thegrease category designation.6.3 Some grease makers market products under the termmultipurpose grease, implying or stating that such products aresuitable for both chassis and wheel bearing lubrication. Tocomply with this specification, greases intended and suitablefor both chass
47、is and wheel bearing lubrication may carry suchdesignation but, in addition, shall carry both an “L” and “G”7The Performance Descriptions and Performance Requirements for the greasecategories, as described in Sections 5 and 6, were developed by ASTMD02.B0.04.02 in cooperation with the NLGI Literatur
48、e Subcommittee. ASTMSubcommittee D02.B0 retains jurisdiction over these descriptions (see Footnote 7).TABLE 1 “L” Chassis Grease CategoriesCategory Test PropertyAcceptanceLimitLA D 217 Consistency, worked penetration, mm/10 220340AD 566 or D 2265 Dropping point, C, min 80D 2266 Wear protection, scar
49、 diameter, mm, max 0.9D 4289 Elastomer SAE AMS 3217/3B Compatibility:Volume change, % 0 to 40Hardness change, Durometer-A points 15 to 0LB D 217 Consistency, worked penetration, mm/10 220340AD 566 or D 2265 Dropping point, C, min 150D 2266 Wear protection, scar diameter, mm, max 0.6D 4289 Elastomer SAE AMS 3217/3B compatibility:Volume change, % 0 to 40Hardness change, Durometer-A points 15 to 0D 1742 Oil separation, mass %, max 10D 1743 Rust protection, rating, max PassD 2596 EP performance:Load wear index, N (kgf), min 295 (30)Weld poi
