SKF LGEP 2 High Load Extreme Pressure Bearing Grease

An EP grease for heavy machinery and vibrating equipment

SKF LGEP 2 is a mineral oil based, lithium soap thickened grease with extreme pressure additives. SKF presents it as good lubrication for general applications under harsh conditions and vibration. The three highlights in the leaflet are excellent mechanical stability, extremely good corrosion inhibiting properties and excellent EP performance.

Its industrial list is a catalogue of hard-working equipment: pulp and paper making machines, jaw crushers, dam gates, work roll bearings in the steel industry, heavy machinery and vibrating screens, crane wheels and sheaves, and slewing bearings. What these have in common is heavy load, shock, vibration and often moisture, rather than high speed or very high temperature.

Technical specifications

Pack sizes

SKF lists LGEP 2/0.4 (420 ml cartridge), LGEP 2/1, LGEP 2/5, LGEP 2/18, LGEP 2/50 and LGEP 2/180. For electro-mechanical dispensers there are 380 ml refills, LGEP 2/MR380B (with battery) for the TLMR 101 series and LGEP 2/MR380 for the TLMR 201 series.

Where LGEP 2 fits and where another grease is better

With an upper limit of 110 C, LGEP 2 is a medium temperature grease. Where bearings run hotter, SKF lists other EP greases in the range, such as LGWA 2 (to 140 C) or the calcium sulphonate complex LGHB 2, so check the housing temperature before specifying. Compared with extremely high viscosity greases with solid lubricants, LGEP 2 has a base oil of 200 mm2/s at 40 C, which suits moderate rather than extremely slow, heavily loaded bearings. Confirm the operating temperature, load, presence of water and any machine builder specification, plus the pack designation. Listed values are typical values.

Our SKF TLMR automatic dispenser page covers the hardware for the MR380 refills, and related products appear under Electric Motors.

Heavy-duty bearings are often relubricated by hand or from a centralised system, so keep one grease per machine and record the interval. SKF offers LubeSelect (skf.com/lubeselect) to calculate the grease choice, frequency and quantity for a particular application. On vibrating screens and crushers, relubricate on schedule rather than waiting for noise or heat, since by then the bearing may already be damaged.

Key properties of LGEP 2

• EP additive package with a four-ball welding load of at least 2 800 N, giving protection when contact surfaces are loaded hard enough to break through the oil film.
• Mechanical stability: penetration change limited to +50 after 100 000 strokes and after the roll stability test, so the grease stays in place rather than softening and leaking under vibration.
• Emcor rating 0-0 even in the water washout version of the test, which points to strong rust protection in wet bearings.
• Water resistance rating of 1 maximum to DIN 51 807/1.
• NLGI 2 consistency, the most widely used grade for rolling bearings, pumpable in most centralised systems.

How the specification translates into practice

The DIN 51825 code KP2G-20 summarises the grease in one line: K for rolling bearing grease, P for EP additives, 2 for the consistency class, G for the upper temperature and water behaviour, and −20 for the lower operating temperature in °C. The 200 mm²/s base oil is thicker than in general-purpose greases, which helps build a load-carrying film at the moderate speeds typical of crushers, screens and crane wheels. The other side of that viscosity is higher churning resistance at high speed, so for fast electric-motor bearings a lower-viscosity grease is usually the better choice.

Good relubrication practice

• Clean the grease nipple and the gun coupling before every shot; dirt pumped into a bearing does more harm than a missed interval.
• Avoid mixing LGEP 2 with greases of a different thickener without checking compatibility, and purge old grease when changing over.
• Do not overfill housings on faster bearings; excess grease raises temperature and can push past seals.
• Use the same grease in the gun, the automatic lubricator and the stores, and label each to prevent mix-ups.
• Store containers closed, indoors and out of direct sun; the five-year shelf life assumes reasonable storage conditions.

Conditions in Oman and the GCC

Quarries, cement plants, steel mills and port cranes across the region match the heavy-load, shock and dust profile this grease is designed for. Two local factors deserve attention. First, ambient heat adds to bearing temperature, so measure housing temperatures in summer: if they approach the 110 °C limit, move to a higher-temperature grade. Second, fine dust is abrasive; keep seals intact and consider shorter intervals that flush contaminated grease out of the seal area. In coastal and marine equipment, the strong corrosion results are useful where salt-laden humidity reaches the bearings.

What to include in your RFQ

• Designation with pack size, such as LGEP 2/0.4, LGEP 2/18 or LGEP 2/180.
• Number of packs, or total quantity in kilograms.
• For automatic lubricators, the refill type and the dispenser series it must fit.
• Application details if you want the grease choice reviewed: equipment, speed, temperature and water exposure.

Choosing between cartridge, pail and drum

Small cartridges suit maintenance teams that grease scattered machines by hand gun. Pails of 18 kg feed bucket pumps and small centralised systems, while drums are economical for plants with central lubrication serving many points. Choose the pack that will be used up well within the shelf life once opened, and keep the lid sealed between uses to keep dust and moisture out of the grease.

Documents and quotation

The SKF data sheet is attached. Send the designation with pack size, for example LGEP 2/18, quantity and delivery point for a quotation.