what kind of grease to use in KA stand mixer?

[vacuumfreeeke]

My Kitchen Aid Classic stand mixer has been making some new noises lately. I decided before shopping for a new one, I'd open her up and see what's going on inside.

I've decided to get rid of the old nasty grease and put new grease around all the gears. The web site I'm linking below helped A LOT with how to take the mixer apart. But, the person who told what to do said he just used (automotive) bearing grease. I do not want to do that because KA mixers can sometimes leak (the gears are right over the bowl). I don't want dangerous grease or residue to have a chance to fall into my food products! I've read on a Kitchen Aid forum that the factory uses a special grease that is FDA approved because they know that the grease is likely to leak.

I've got the silly thing apart in a million pieces and I want to get it back together and operational again before I lose all the screws. What kind of grease would you use if you were doing a job like this? Where to buy it?

Thanks )

http://www.artisanbreadbaking.com/discussions/kitchen-aid.htm

 

[aquarius1984]

I use FOOD SAFE SILICONE grease in my Kenwood chefs.

You need to go to what you call a "Mom and Pop" repair store I would imagine like I do in the UK and ask them to order some in.

Next time I feel like rummaging in my tool box il tell you what mine is and the ingredients/grade just so you can be sure but Im sure that as long as its food grade/safe silicone you cant go wrong.

Rob

 

[jeffg]

The service manual calls for Shell Darina #2:

http://downloads.mendingshed.com/KitchenAid_Service_Manual.pdf

 

[jetcone]

I used auto bearing grease

it's thick and won't break down for as long as I have the unit in serivce.

You should be warned : from the Shell site"Shell DARINA Greases 1 and 2 are approved by the USDA for H2 use in meat and poultry processing plants where there is no possible contact between lubricant and edible product."

SO as long as the stuff doesn't leak out its safe.

 

[gansky1]

Excellent - thanks for this thread and link! I have a Hobart K5-A that has cleaned up beautifully and now will get new grease!

 

[irishwashguy]

Nice!

This is always good to know! I have two of them, although, i have never been brave enough to open it up and look inside!

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Thanks for the responses. I think I am just going to end up using car bearing grease after all. Even though I've read stories about other mixers leaking, mine never has. And, I will test it first and I always watch it when I use it.

The thing is, if I buy the "right" kind of grease and pay for shipping, I might as well just put that money toward a new used mixer... AND I'm not even sure the noise was coming from the gears. It could be the motor, so I don't want to invest much in this mixer not knowing what the real problem is!

 

[rp2813]

What Sort of Noise

is it making? My mom's Hobart-made K45 started to make a sort of chirping screeching sound and my dad got her a new "Classic" model to replace it. I took the back end off the Hobart machine and found a sort of fan blade thing that apparently needed a little lube on its spindle. I shot it with WD-40 and it's been silent ever since. My sister used it for many years until I traded her our "Ultra Power" model for it. So now I have the Hobart again, safely stored in the original box the "Classic" came in. We have the larger "Professional" model in our kitchen (complete with Alton Brown-approved flame decals) but I had to get my hands on the Hobart again. I suspect it could outlast the "Professional" even if the pro model claims to have all metal gears. I also am waiting for my partner to start wishing he had a tilt-head model again--it's only a matter of time. Even after all the years my mom used the Hobart and the Classic, neither has ever had issues with grease.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Does it make the noise when there is a paddle or hook on the shaft? Or all the time. Mine made a noise with the whip on it, come to find out the bowl was too high and the bottom of the whip was rubbing. There is a bowl adjustment screw that will let you lower the bowl ever so slightly--my noise ended.

I will say my KA is the best money I ever spent--Well next to my Kirby.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

I can't really describe the noise... it was just louder and "whinier". It happend with the paddle on and off.

I was shocked to see all the metal gears in the mixer... there might be one plastic one (the one that fails if the mixer gets overloaded)... but I thought it would be a lot worse!

 

[aquarius1984]

I personally would not risk using car grease, even if it does not drip out anywhere.

There is always that risk.

Surely the food grease cannot be so expensive across the pond, here in the UK I last paid £5 for the actual Kenwood branded food grade grease needed to do a proper job - the whole tube does 1 machine with a drop left over,

I guess this is around $8 I think. Hardly enough to break the bank and give total piece of mind that you have done the job properly.

Go have that word with a local repair shop and see what they suggest but I personally would steer clear of using potentially carcinogenic greases to save a few cents if that.

Rob

Link to the grease in question, its at the bottom of the page

http://www.torreelectrics.co.uk/acatalog/kenwood_a901_Gearbox_spares.html

 

[aquarius1984]

$15 for the KA grease here, quite a bargain I think, especially as these machines are well built and also considering we are menat to preserve old machines I would feel sad about throwing one out just becasue it needs a few repairs, just my opinion and feelings.

Especially when you get to know one particular mixer inside out as I have done with mine.

http://buyitnow64.stores.yahoo.net/kimigrforgeb.html

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

The grease I was looking at also had a 10 dollar shipping charge... I can buy a whole new used mixer for between 50 and 100 dollars... plus I'm just guessing that's what the problem is. Could be motor brushes or something else entirely. I just hope the silly thing runs after I get SOME kind of grease in it and put it back together!

 

[retro-man]

I have had one for about 10 years now. It will occasionally drip some oil out of the back end by the motor. I feel it on the fingers when I lift it out of the shelf in the closet. I think I remember when I bought it and I think I still have the box downstairs, that these are gauranteed for life. If you have a problem you pay shipping back to the factory they rebuild it and send it back to you. Please correct me if I am wrong, then I can throw away the box.
Jon

 

[xyz]

I would agree with the above post on Silicone grease. This is what I use when out of chicken grease. But really, I have used old cooking oil from the Frydaddy to oil motor shafts.

 

[mrboilwash]

How about Vaseline ?
I don`t know if it will withstand the mechanical and thermal stess in a KA without liquefying, but it`s cheap, easy to get and probably has a low toxicity.

 

[xyz]

I have an old jar of vasoline (contents have turned brown) that is still in it's original box. I bought it at a flea market years ago. I really don't know the age of it but it is pretty old as the jar itself has embossed lettering on it. The directions and uses on the back of the box says that it can be used as a temporary treatment for "constipation." But on newer boxes it says to not take internally. I guess that what used to be not poison is now poisoness. Just thought that the above post deserved that as he says that vasoline may not be as toxic.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

thanks for the responses

I finally got the thing back together today! I was reading on a Kitchen Aid forum, and a guy who actually repairs the mixers said that auto bearing grease would be just fine. He said that even the "food safe" grease isn't food safe if it gets into the food! Plus, the food safe grease liquifies under heat and is why it breaks down and leaks. Bearing grease is too thick to break down so it can't leak. So, I bought bearing grease and finished the job today. It was pretty labor intensive to put back together. Partly because I'm not mechanically inclined. I got the whole thing back together and realized that I forgot a washer inside! I was so mad! Also, I had trouble getting the "planetary" part back onto the shaft of the mixer. I found out by first hand experience what the guy meant when he said don't "mushroom" the pin that holes the shaft together. The end got flattened because I tried to hammer it back in. I should have purchased a rubber mallet. The whole mixer was covered in red grease at one point (as were most surfaces in my apartment kitchen and bathroom)... I had to clean it off with engine de greaser and brake cleaner. What a mess! I got so frustrated at one point that I actually got on eBay to order a Jenn Air Attrezzi. I didn't go through with it though... I persevered and finally got it finished.

It runs, but I'm not sure I improved anything. It sounds different... not sure if that means better yet or not. It has quite a few more scratches due to the process... I may re-paint it one day!

So, it's done... thanks for all your support here!