Severe-Duty High-Temperature Grease — STM-3® SiC at 10% Concentration

Honest layered framing because temperature performance has multiple components. SiC ceramic component — stable at far higher temperatures than the grease itself. Pure Silicon Carbide remains chemically stable in air up to approximately 800°C before significant oxidation begins; in non-oxidizing environments SiC is stable at higher temperatures still. The ceramic layer at the metal interface remains intact at temperatures well beyond any practical grease working range. Lithium-complex grease carrier — typical thermal characteristics for the high-temperature lithium-complex grade: dropping point typically in the 500–600°F range (the temperature at which grease structure breaks down and oil separates); useful sustained working temperature typically up to 350–400°F continuous (the temperature at which grease maintains protective film for extended service); short-duration peak excursions tolerated higher. The "above 500°F" claim means the formulation is engineered to maintain protective film characteristics at sustained temperatures where standard multi-purpose grease softens or breaks down. What this means in practice for severe-duty applications: for sustained service in the 350–500°F range typical of foundry, steel-mill, glass-plant, paper-dryer, and certain mining-bearing applications, Hi-Temperature Lithium Grease maintains its working characteristics where Multi-Purpose Grease would soften and lose protective function. The SiC ceramic layer continues providing wear protection at temperatures even further above the grease's working range, supporting bearing protection during temperature excursions. For applications above 600°F sustained, consult equipment manufacturer's grease specification — some extreme-temperature applications require specialty grease formulations beyond what any general-purpose lithium-complex grease provides regardless of additive package.

Layered honest answer. Lacquer thinner (typically a blend of acetone, toluene, MEK, and similar solvents) is an aggressive solvent that will dissolve most petroleum-based grease carriers — including the lithium-complex carrier in Cerma Hi-Temperature. What survives is the SiC ceramic layer at the metal-grease interface — the ceramic is bonded to the metal and is unaffected by solvent exposure. The practical meaning: in applications where bearings or greased components are exposed to harsh solvents (paint shop equipment, ink-handling machinery, parts-washer-adjacent equipment, industrial cleaning operations), conventional grease can be washed completely out of bearings, leaving them unprotected. With Cerma Hi-Temperature, the grease carrier may be displaced by solvent exposure but the SiC ceramic layer remains, providing residual wear protection at the metal interface until the equipment can be regreased. This is meaningful protection that conventional grease can't provide — but it's not "the grease is impervious to solvents." When you regrease solvent-exposed Cerma-treated equipment, the new grease application reinforces the existing ceramic layer and restores the grease film component of protection. For critical solvent-exposed applications, Cerma Hi-Temperature is appropriate; the ceramic interface protection during solvent exposure events is one of the strongest reasons to choose Hi-Temperature over standard greases.

Honest framing on the choice. For ~95% of greasing applications — automotive chassis, fleet maintenance, agricultural equipment, general industrial bearings, marine deck equipment, routine maintenance — Cerma Multi-Purpose Grease is the right and more economical choice. Multi-Purpose has the same SiC ceramic technology, the same lithium-complex compatibility, and the same dual-protection mechanism (grease film + ceramic interface), at lower per-pound cost especially at bulk sizes. Choose Hi-Temperature when your application has specific severe-duty requirements: (1) sustained operating temperatures above 350°F continuous — foundry, steel mill, glass plant, paper dryer, kiln support bearings, hot-process industrial equipment; (2) exposure to harsh solvents — lacquer thinner, paint thinner, industrial degreasers, parts-washer-adjacent equipment; (3) severe shock loading on critical bearings — heavy mining equipment, demolition excavator pins, dragline bearings, rock crusher bearings, hammer mill bearings; (4) bearings whose failure has serious consequences — production downtime impact, safety implications, expensive repair, hard-to-access service. Don't use Hi-Temperature where Multi-Purpose is sufficient — the price premium (approximately 20% more per pound at consumer tier, 30% at bulk drum tier) is worthwhile only when the application's wear environment justifies the higher SiC concentration. For shop and fleet operations, the most economical practice is stocking Multi-Purpose as the default workhorse and Hi-Temperature only for specifically severe-duty equipment.

Yes, Cerma Hi-Temperature Lithium Grease works for all wheel bearing applications, but for most everyday automotive and trailer wheel bearing service, the lower-cost Cerma Multi-Purpose Grease is sufficient and more economical. Choose Hi-Temperature for wheel bearings when: (1) the vehicle/trailer experiences severe braking heat (heavy commercial trucks descending mountain grades, performance vehicles with track use, fully-loaded heavy trailers in mountain terrain); (2) high-speed continuous operation generating sustained bearing heat; (3) extreme-environment exposure (saltwater immersion on boat trailers, severe contamination on agricultural or off-road trailers); (4) high-value or hard-to-service bearings where the small additional grease cost is justified by reliability. For routine automotive wheel bearings, light-duty trailer wheel bearings, and standard service applications, Cerma Multi-Purpose Grease provides the same SiC ceramic technology at lower cost and is the typical right choice. Hi-Temperature compatibility with most lithium-complex greases means it can be used without purging existing grease for routine relubrication, but for full repacks on critical or precision bearings, conventional best practice applies — clean old grease before fresh fill to maximize ceramic concentration at the bearing interface.

Cerma Hi-Temperature Lithium Grease is generally compatible with most other lithium-soap and lithium-complex greases — these are by far the most common general-purpose grease types and the most likely existing grease in service equipment. However, grease incompatibility is a real risk with severe-duty equipment — incompatible grease mixing can cause structure breakdown, oil separation, and accelerated bearing failure, with particularly serious consequences on the severe-duty equipment Hi-Temperature is targeted for. Compatible: lithium-soap grease, lithium-complex grease (most common compatibility profile). Incompatible — do not mix: calcium-soap grease (older industrial equipment, vintage applications); polyurea grease (some sealed-for-life electric motor bearings, some food-grade applications, some specialty industrial); calcium-sulfonate grease (severe-duty marine, some heavy industrial); bentonite or clay-thickened grease (some specialty high-temperature applications); aluminum-complex grease (some food-grade and specialty applications). Best practice for severe-duty equipment: if you don't know the existing grease type or you're transitioning from a known incompatible thickener, clean the bearing and apply fresh Cerma rather than relying on simple over-greasing to displace old grease. For full grease changes on critical bearings, document the transition in maintenance records and monitor bearings for any unexpected behavior in the first service cycle. For critical applications or unknown grease history, call 239-344-9861 for compatibility consultation before transition.

Honest framing: the SiC ceramic layer at the bearing-grease interface provides wear protection that's distinct from the grease film, and the higher 10% SiC concentration in Hi-Temperature means a more robust ceramic interface than standard grease provides. This supports modest extension of re-greasing intervals in some applications, particularly applications where bearing wear (rather than contamination ingress, oxidation, or seal function) is the dominant failure mode. However, this does not mean you can drastically extend factory grease intervals safely. Greasing schedules exist for multiple reasons beyond maintaining a fresh oil film: purging contamination from bearings, replacing oxidized oil with depleted additive function, providing bearing seal function, and providing routine inspection opportunity. For severe-duty equipment specifically, conservative greasing intervals are usually appropriate even with premium grease — the consequences of bearing failure on severe-duty equipment (production downtime, safety, expensive repair) generally justify maintaining conservative intervals rather than aggressively extending them. Best practice: follow equipment manufacturer's specified intervals as the baseline; if considering extension, do so cautiously with vibration monitoring or oil/grease analysis programs that provide data-driven interval optimization. Cerma is compatible with standard industrial grease analysis programs — the SiC particles do not interfere with typical analysis parameters. For multi-site mining or industrial operations evaluating fleet-wide interval optimization, oil/grease analysis with sampling protocols is more reliable than general claims about "extended-life" greases.

Yes. Standard grease guns: the 14 oz tube fits all standard lever-action and pistol-grip grease guns from Lincoln, Alemite, Plews, Jason, and other major manufacturers. NLGI 2 consistency works in standard hand and pneumatic grease guns. Bulk dispensing — 35 lb lug, 120 lb keg, 400 lb drum: works with standard bulk grease pumps including drum-and-pump systems, follower-plate pumps for kegs and drums, and lever-operated pumps appropriate for NLGI 2 grease consistency. Pneumatic grease pumps with 50:1 ratio work well for lugs and kegs; for 400 lb drum operations, consider a higher-ratio pump (60:1 or higher) for adequate dispensing pressure. Centralized lubrication systems: generally accept NLGI 2 grease without modification; for systems specifically tuned to NLGI 1 (some heavy-truck centralized systems), verify compatibility with your system supplier — Cerma Hi-Temperature in NLGI 2 may require slightly different system parameters versus NLGI 1 grease. Cold-weather operation: below approximately 30°F ambient, expect slower delivery from bulk pumps and consider warming the grease container before use or staging the keg/drum in a heated area. Severe-duty cold-weather operations (mining in northern climates, cold-region construction) often use heated grease storage as part of normal practice. For specific industrial pump model recommendations (Graco, Lincoln, Alemite, ARO, etc.) or centralized lubrication system compatibility, call 239-344-9861 — we can advise based on your specific system.

Yes — severe-duty industrial, mining, and heavy-fleet operations are primary use cases for Hi-Temperature Lithium Grease. Bulk pricing is built into the size structure — the 35 lb lug, 120 lb keg, and 400 lb drum offer significant per-pound discounts versus the consumer tube tier (35 lb lug ~29% off, 120 lb keg ~37% off, 400 lb drum ~40% off per pound). For volume beyond single-drum orders: multi-drum, pallet quantities, multi-site mining operations, industrial-distributor wholesale, or institutional procurement, call 239-344-9861 for direct pricing quotes. We support industrial accounts with appropriate documentation, payment terms, and dedicated account service for qualifying mining operations, industrial maintenance organizations, foundry/steel/glass plant operations, paper mills, and large heavy-equipment fleet operators. For mining operations specifically: we understand the operational reality that severe-duty mining bearings can consume large grease volumes per service interval, and pricing structures for high-consumption mining accounts can be discussed for ongoing supply relationships. For institutional or government procurement requiring formal bid response, MSDS/SDS documentation, specific certifications, or procurement-specification compliance, contact us with your procurement requirements and timeline. Cerma Hi-Temperature Lithium Grease is not currently on a federal procurement schedule (GSA Schedule, DLA approved) — purchasing requires individual procurement processes appropriate to your organization. For distributor relationships in regions where local Cerma representation may be appropriate for mining or industrial markets, distributor inquiries are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.