Lube management deserves attention

Pure lubes aid in long trouble-free vehicle life

By John Baxter

For the cost-conscious operator of 10 or more trucks, bulk lubricant storage – or at least storage of 55-gallon drums – is the rule, which means heeding several important details regarding storage and disposal.

The choice between bulk and packaged lubes depends on the economies of scale, says Richard Hassebrock, field engineer for BP Lubricants USA. “There is a cost to the tanks and equipment needed to store lubes in bulk, and that must be weighed against the savings that can be had by purchasing in bulk,” he says. Those savings, which vary by product, can be 10 to 20 percent.

Another consideration is product turnover rate. Storing lubricants in a bulk tank too large for the operation so that the turnover of the product is too slow can result in degradation of the product before it gets used.

Also, tank headspace should be minimized to avoid condensation contamination of the lubricant, as well as oxidation and corrosion of the inside surfaces of the tank, the byproducts of which can contaminate the lubricant and result in wear to the equipment in which it is used.

Storage precautions