Centec 2B Mill Lubricants modern Equivalents

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Hello,

I am currently renovating a Centec 2B mill. I have searched the Forum but have been unable to find the answers. I wonder if somebody could help me with identifying what the modern equivalents are to the following lubricants. These were the manafacturers recomendations at the time of its production but as far as i can research are no longer available. I have contacted ExxonMobil’s technical help but have had no response. I thought this would be straight forward using Google but apparantly not. It appears the grease in the bearings is not suitable as it is emerging from around the 2MT socket (Drive shaft) for the Horizontal arbor. Current gearbox oil is ISO 100 Hydraulic oil.

#Grease
**Shell** Livona Grease 3
**Mobil** Grease BB

#Gear Oil
**Shell** Vitrea Oil 41
**Mobil** D.T.E Oil Heavy

#Worm Box

**Shell** Unedo Grease 1
**Mobil** Grease AA NO

 

Many Thanks

Anthony

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

Anthony, I would try ringing Lubefinder and/or C. Bennis Supplies. They may be the best people to ask.

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Hi Bill,

Thank you for the reply. Just checked lubefinder and that confirms that Mobil DTE Oil Heavy is indeed ISO 100.

Unfortunately only lists Shell modern greases. Its a start! much appreciated. I will try contacting C. Bennis Supplies next week.

Regards

 

Anthony

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Grease??

The only grease points are on the vertical head.

Anything in the gearbox is splash lubed from the gears like a car gearbox. There are oil galleries between the shafts in the column that need a pipe cleaner through them as they clag up.

[Dave Halford]

On Dave Halford Said:

Grease??

The only grease points are on the vertical head.

Anything in the gearbox is splash lubed from the gears like a car gearbox. There are oil galleries between the shafts in the column that need a pipe cleaner through them as they clag up.

And the knee gearbox on a 2B

Bill

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Hi Dave,

I was hoping you would reply you seem to be the person all things Centec!

Rightly or wrongly i assumed the two taper bearings (front and rear) on the horizontal drive shaft in the gear box were greased with Mobil Grease BB and this would prevent the gearbox oil from running down the front column in the centre of the dovetail. I’m obviously missing something if this is not the case. Could you enlighten me please, the only manuals i have managed to obtain (leave something to be desired) don’t show any oil seal.

Regards

 

Anthony

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Hi Bill,

The knee gearbox on the Centec, upon re-assembly i did pump grease into it. I had to meake a new shaft as it was bent and was binding the micrometer when i rotated the handle. Upon disassembly it was filled with grease which i duly refilled with grease, albe-it not Mobil BB. Is this correct?

Regards

Anthony

[amgray]

On amgray Said:

Hi Bill,

The knee gearbox on the Centec, upon re-assembly i did pump grease into it. I had to meake a new shaft as it was bent and was binding the micrometer when i rotated the handle. Upon disassembly it was filled with grease which i duly refilled with grease, albe-it not Mobil BB. Is this correct?

Regards

Anthony

My 2B was ex university engineering dept. tech’s workshop and came with that knee gearbox greased.
Many years ago I bought a large tub of an aircraft spec ELF red grease, which I use for most things; it seems to work well enough.

From an addendum to the manual I found some time ago; I don’t know who wrote it

“Lubrication. All parts provided with oilers should be lubricated with Shell Vitrea 41 or near equivalent. Grease nipples should be lubricated with Alvania 3 or near equivalent. Oiling should be once a day and greasing done at 2/3 monthly intervals. The gear box oil in the 2A and 2B milling machine should be completely drained and refilled once every six months: remove the side plate which holds the two speed change levers and thoroughly clean out the gear box compartment – use a small powerful magnet to collect any metal “dust” which may have accumulated. It should be refilled with Shell Vitrea 41 and the side plate re-secured with a trace of nonhardening gasket cement. 

If the machine is used in a location where there are wide changes in temperature during any 24 hour period change the gear box oil more frequently to remove water fom condensation – which forms on the inside wall of the housing and runs into the sump.”

From what I can make out the Alvania 3 replacement is Shell Gadus S2 V100 3

Vitrea 41 seems to be equivalent to Mobil DTE Oil Heavy, showing as out of stock at the moment, but the spec is there.
Personally, living in Sheffield, I just used to go to Pennine Lubricants and ask for an equivalent.

Bill

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Hi Bill,

Excellent, i’m a bit further down the line now. Thank you.

As per Daves comments, do the roller taper bearings on the main drive shaft (carry’s the 2MT socket for horizontal milling) need to packed in grease (the right kind if any)? The front of the dovetail column seems to seep oil, and diluted grease or is this normal?

Many Thanks

Anthony

[amgray]

On amgray Said:

Hi Dave,

I was hoping you would reply you seem to be the person all things Centec!

Rightly or wrongly i assumed the two taper bearings (front and rear) on the horizontal drive shaft in the gear box were greased with Mobil Grease BB and this would prevent the gearbox oil from running down the front column in the centre of the dovetail. I’m obviously missing something if this is not the case. Could you enlighten me please, the only manuals i have managed to obtain (leave something to be desired) don’t show any oil seal.

Regards

 

Anthony

There is an old skool labyrinth seal on or just behind the spindle plate if I remember, it’s just a series of grooves, but will need the drains cleaned of grease to work properly and oil the front bearings of the gearbox shafts.

I wouldn’t like to say if the grease will just wash out without any intervention.

My spindle does not leak neither front nor back with the GITs leather one. Which is more than I can say for my vertical head.

 

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Hi Dave,

Think i remember the grooves when i put it back together last summer (can feel a stripdown coming!). Sorry Dave what is ‘GITs leather one’? Can’t think at the minute.

Many Thanks

Anthony

 

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Having looked at an exploded diagram of the machine the gearbox has a series of rings/ grooves to stop oil leaking down the spindle and I suspect a drain hole back to the sump – but no sign of oil seals ! I would lube the taper bearings before assembly and then rely on the splash lube – NO grease ! A 75/80 gearbox oil should work fine, box holds 2pints. For grease I would use a good automotive type. I have a 2B  with the Mk 3 vertical head. Do you have the Lathes .Co Manual ? Noel.

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Hi Noel,

I think i think based on all the contributers, contribution; that i will strip down the gearbox and remove the grease in the taper bearings and clean out the galleries. Lubing the bearings i guess you mean wilth oil. I have the manual but i guess i must have missed a trick somewhere!

Many thanks

Anthony

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Hi Anthony, Yes oil ! That manual is not great and rather expensive but the exploded diagram is interesting ! Good luck, Noel.

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Many Thanks for your input Noel, much appreciated.

 

[amgray]

On amgray Said:

Hi Dave,

Think i remember the grooves when i put it back together last summer (can feel a stripdown coming!). Sorry Dave what is ‘GITs leather one’? Can’t think at the minute.

Many Thanks

Anthony

 

It’s a GITs oil seal, pre neoprene it’s on the back has gits written on it.

You didn’t miss anything, the setup doc is intended for machine shops. A gearbox stripdown would involve too much money. They would call in Centec to fix it.

[amgrayParticipant @amgray]

Noel/ Dave/ Bill,

I would like to extend my thanks to all you input. As a good friend said to me in the Refinery….you ‘don’t know what you don’t know’! Probably saved me another 2 months of google!

Once an apprentice always an apprentice!…….why else would we do it?

Cheers

Anthony (gearbox strip coming!)

 

[amgray]

On amgray Said:

Noel/ Dave/ Bill,

I would like to extend my thanks to all you input. As a good friend said to me in the Refinery….you ‘don’t know what you don’t know’! Probably saved me another 2 months of google!

Once an apprentice always an apprentice!…….why else would we do it?

Cheers

Anthony (gearbox strip coming!)

 

Send me a PM with a real email address, and I’ll upload a large zip file to a free server and send you a download link.
Probably suitable for computers only as it’s about 67MB
There is a Centec io group as well as a Facebook one

Bill

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