Truckers. If you haven’t been one, you surely know more than a few. They haul our soybeans to market and keep rural economies moving.
So when a soy-based innovation makes life easier for truckers and creates new opportunities for quality soybean products, it’s something Nebraska farmers can proudly support and share.
Enter Gear Head Lubricants, a family-owned company based in Cedar Falls,IA. They have been formulating specialty greases and lubricants for trucking, railroad maintenance and other heavy equipment since 2019. And their fifth-wheel grease pads are a prime example of soy product being put to work in smart, practical ways.
They’ve simplified one of the messiest parts of the job: greasing a fifth wheel. The innovation? Leveraging soy oil as a natural lubricant to create a solid, soy-based pad that transforms under pressure into high-performing grease without the usual hassle of guns, mess or waste.
It’s not just a clever idea. It works. Truckers and fleet managers who try it don’t go back, citing time savings, better protection and a cleaner ride. Demand continues to grow, with distribution expanding nationwide and early traction taking hold in key global markets as word spreads.
And while most farmers may only need to grease a fifth wheel once or twice a year, they can still play a big role in this product’s momentum. Spreading the word to trucking friends, neighbors and local parts suppliers helps fuel demand. And that demand fuels more use of soy in new, value-added ways.
“This is a poster child product for soy. The more it’s supported, the more it encourages other innovators to bring soy-based solutions to market,” said Todd Whiting, Director of Product Development for Gear Head Lube.
In a time when farmers face market uncertainty and weather stress, new markets, even small ones, can make a difference. Supporting soy-based innovations—especially ones that serve the shared working world around us—is a smart way to keep our communities and industry strong.
"Greasing the fifth wheel is the worst part of the job... with Gear Head Lube's soy-based pads, I can hold it in my hand with no mess. All you do is take two pads, place them on your fifth wheel, hook your trailer up and go about your day." - Billy Clark, Independent Truck Operator
