Should I lube the dry Backhoe pins?

[joeeye59]

Being new to this I need to ask about them few pins that pivot the backhoe bucket, they are them smaller pins with no grease fittings, should they be oiled? or graphite?

I see them dry and some I've seen have been oiled/greased.... I really think a graphite spray because using graphite dirt don't stick like oil or grease... or are them pins made of a HSS?

[Catpower]

Who's machine is it? JD should have them on the ends is it and Cat's are on the side of the weld or is it the other way around. It has been 6 months since was on one. They should be greased unless it is a new machine and they have changed things? If it is an older machine look very closely at the 45* positions and wipe that area off, someone may have broken them off if mud was there? I almost did that when I went back on the 410 with that area full of ice . Alittle toooo much ambition.

[Orchard Ex]

Got an pics? I don't ever remember seeing a backhoe pin that didn't get greased, but I've been wrong before:D

[joeeye59]

I called JD dealer and talked with the service manager about why the backhoe bucket have them grease less bucket links pins....

First to say if you've ever seen the stock hoe bucket on a 1988 JD 310c backhoe there are 4 pins, but my machine has been fitted with a WainRoy easy removable bucket also with 4 pins, where two are with grease fittings, one greased pin is attached to the dipper stick end, and the other greased fitting is attached to the piston end link to pivot the bucket, then them two grease less fittings work with the links.

The JD dealer manager said back then thats what JD was doing and there was never anything really known to him how JD said to maintain them, because this goes back to 1988 and what he remembers it was something along the lines of, "if they wear out replace them"... being every machine is exposed to all types of conditions...

So what I have noticed is the 5th large fat pin that pertains to my WainRoy bucket thats the pin you pull so to instantly detach the bucket need lube periodically cause I hear it squeak if its not lubed, and for them other two dry link pins I keep oiled and have been keeping an eye on them for what works best, I'll try graphite later because oil makes the dirt stick...

If anybody else has the same situation like me I'd like to hear how it's been working out for you, like with them wearing out and them squeaking....

[AtlasRob]

I called JD dealer and talked with the service manager about why the backhoe bucket have them grease less bucket links pins....

First to say if you've ever seen the stock hoe bucket on a 1988 JD 310c backhoe there are 4 pins, but my machine has been fitted with a WainRoy easy removable bucket also with 4 pins, where two are with grease fittings, one greased pin is attached to the dipper stick end, and the other greased fitting is attached to the piston end link to pivot the bucket, then them two grease less fittings work with the links.



So what I have noticed is the 5th large fat pin that pertains to my WainRoy bucket thats the pin you pull so to instantly detach the bucket need lube periodically cause I hear it squeak if its not lubed, ...

....

I'd really like to see a picture of this 4 pin bucket :beatsme or do you mean it has 2 different positions that each pin can be placed in.
I find it very hard to believe that two of the possibly most moved pins on a machine are not lubricated by the manufacturer.

[greywynd]

A friends 210 JD about the same age has a couple pins that don't have grease fittings too. Every time it gets greased, he shakes his head at it. What he's been using is bar oil for chainsaws, cheap, sticks well, but seems to help.

If I can find the camera I'll try to remember to take pics next time I see it.

[joeeye59]

Being I'm old school with out dated camera equipment it takes me forever with my digital soft wear to take a picture and post it :bash .... I will get one posted pretty soon... mean while if your able to get a hold of a older JD manual they have a picture of it in there books, the stock hoe bucket in the manual book almost looks like none of the link pins are with lube :beatsme but that only what the picture looks like because the pin diameter is so small looking in the manual.... I'll try later on to get that over due picture posted....

[digger242j]

On my Case 580 and 680 hoes, the lower pin on the bucket (meaning the one not attached to the end of the dipper--the one that was attached to the link arms that came off the end of the cylinder), never had a fitting either. I'd take it out and smear some grease on it from time to time.

[Catpower]

[SIZE="3"][FONT="Times New Roman So it is an 88. I read it as a different position?:beatsme The old 580 Case was about that age but I don't remember too much about it? Glad you got an answer.

[joeeye59]

Here are the long over due pictures of the hoe bucket pins that dont have grease fittings... In the top left photo you can see the dipper stick pin that gets greased, and next to it's left is the piston greased fitting, then the bottom of the photo is the dry link pin, and the other dry link pin is above at the top of the picture. Its very odd that it was made like that, perhaps a lower cost to maintain and to build? So is it typical for most hoe buckets to have all greased fittings?

[AtlasRob]

Thanks for the pic update Joeeye. Still find it incredible that there is no lube for those pins :beatsme

Is it standard for that back link to not have a spacer between the two sides. Would seem to me once wear set in there would be a tendacy for the link arms to twist with the sideway play.

[Iron Horse]

That pin seems too long , it has probably been replaced with a piece of bright bar . The original one probably had a grease nipple in the end of the pin and a gallery to the bushes . I have drilled a pin lengthwise before to take a nipple and then sideways where the grease needs to be directed . I also agree it seems to be missing a spacer between the links .

[Dig-UP]

My 97 deere 310E is pretty much the same way... It is completely stock, and damage free. There are no grease fittings on a couple of the pins... will try to get pics... joeeye, this is the way it was designed, and your machine is most likely not damaged.. When my bucket starts to squeak, i just put a few drops of oil on the pins, and all is well...

[joeeye59]

My 97 deere 310E is pretty much the same way... It is completely stock, and damage free. There are no grease fittings on a couple of the pins... will try to get pics... joeeye, this is the way it was designed, and your machine is most likely not damaged.. When my bucket starts to squeak, i just put a few drops of oil on the pins, and all is well...

Yeah Dig-up, thats what I also do is add some oil for the squeaks... Its not a problem, I just find it odd that is was designed like that...... But! think about it... its just occurring to me the stabilizers don't have any greased pins and links either and they take just as much stress on them, if not more than them two hoe bucket pins and the stabilizers wear pretty good....

Speaking of pins has anybody ever unplug a grease fitting from being plugged? well not the actual small grease fitting but the whole link/pin assembly from accepting grease. I have a pin on the bottom of my loader bucket that stopped taking grease, I think dirt got into it like when I scrape the bucket in the dirt like a plow. I hate to take it apart because I'd think the pin is in there tight? but it looks like I'll have to, any suggestion? anybody have this happen? I already blew air and soaked oils in it, now I think I should try a paint thinner rather than the liquid wrench & WD-40?

Also it's too bad the grease fitting on the steering piston plugged up as well and nobody ever took the time to fix it, so it's become so worn out its pretty bad from no grease, so it makes a lot of banging noise, very obvious it has a bad part in the front end....

[Iron Horse]

I have had good luck using a red hot piece of fencing wire poked up the hole which melts the grease plug . You must use long gloves and stand to the side as the grease can spatter . Use an oxy or blow torch to keep heating the wire . You can also get a gadget that you fill with oil and put over the nipple and give it a whack with a hammer , i'd dig out some of the old grease first but . Sorry about the advice i gave on the pin with no nipples , i have never heard of that before , must be very good quality steel they have used .

[joeeye59]

I have had good luck using a red hot piece of fencing wire poked up the hole which melts the grease plug . You must use long gloves and stand to the side as the grease can spatter . Use an oxy or blow torch to keep heating the wire . You can also get a gadget that you fill with oil and put over the nipple and give it a whack with a hammer , i'd dig out some of the old grease first but . Sorry about the advice i gave on the pin with no nipples , i have never heard of that before , must be very good quality steel they have used .

Yeah, thats what I figured as well with the pins and bushings that are grease less, they have to be made of a very hard steel, because they still look great.... I'll try that to use some heat to melt the clogged passage... good idea to get that pin pretty hot inside where the grease flows.

[ATCOEQUIP]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; I don't build 'em, I just work on 'em. I'm with AtlasRob, the pin for connection of links to bucket coupler should have a spacer between the links. That's like; well duhhh! And I mean that to the manufacturer, which goes back to my "I don't build 'em" reference. Same as the links, they should have a grease fitting in them at the attachment to the bucket coupler pin, but from what I see (with limited photo views), what good would they do, since I dont see any "pin retainers" that prevent the pin from rotating in the pin bosses of the bucket coupler. It's hard to tell just by looking at a photo, but it sure looks like the pin boss is worn in the bucket coupler from the pin rotating, and I doubt there's a bushing in those pin bosses. If that's so, very poor design. As for the loader bucket pin not taking grease; Joeeye, is this your own machine? If it is, knock the pin out for Pete's sake! Fix the darn thing! Usually what happens is the bushing has a hole in it to allow grease to enter the pin area, but it's not always in alignment with the grease fitting hole. All it take is a small amount of dirt to clog that hole and no amount of pressure from a grease gun or any other tool will knock that dirt out while the pin is installed. Get the pin out, clean the dirt from the hole with a pick, then try to clear the hole with a grease gun. If that doesn't work, press the bushing out, clean everything, and start over. And always do this, apply Never Seize to any pin and pin boss you take apart from that machine. The manufacturer does not do this because it's not part of the assembly line concept of put the machine together and move it down the line. But now that you are the owner of the machine, Never Seize any pin connection you take apart. Now, why are you putting off fixing that steering pin?

[pinesd3400]

I have a big Ford, same thing, no fittings. The main bucket pin has one on the dip stick
and two on the outside of the pin and one on the cylinder. Thats it. I swear this is
just to sell parts. A rainy day thing. I weld up the worn areas turn down on lathe..
and I oil these points with gear oil. I would like to rifle drill this pin, but I would have
to annel it, and thats a project so I'll stick with the oil can. sam

[Johnsoils]

Have any of you guys tried a heavy duty spray grease on these pins? AMSOIL has an aerosol spray grease for fifth-wheel plates and open gears that might do the trick. It is super tacky and you can spray it into tight areas with limited clearance. It is very wash-out resistant in wet areas. You could use the straw and spray it into those pin and bushings and get the lubrication you looking for. I've attached a link from my web site with more product information and descriptions:

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/gfw.aspx?zo=1378438

If you try a can, remember to turn it upside down and clear the nozzle and straw like you would a can of spray paint. Otherwise when the carrier solvents evaporate the nozzle and straw can plug.

Thanks,

John

[Dig-UP]

I have been using "Fluid Film" due to it not being sticky... I like the fact that the dirt wont stick to it...

[CAT_D-8N]

my 78 JD 310 A is set up the same way as well:Banghead thoght about takeing the links off drilling and taping holes for grees fittings just havent got to it:beatsme

[AtlasRob]

my 78 JD 310 A is set up the same way as well:Banghead thoght about takeing the links off drilling and taping holes for grees fittings just havent got to it:beatsme

Would it not be easier to get a couple of through the pin, replacement pins.

[CAT_D-8N]

ya i supose but it dosnt see that much work so i dont relly wont to put to much munny at it

[Iron Horse]

You might have some fun drilling those pins , they will be as hard as ....

[CAT_D-8N]

You might have some fun drilling those pins , they will be as hard as ....

not talking about the pins just the link where the pin slides trugh

[Iron Horse]

Ah , so sorry .:D

[CAT_D-8N]

no worys iron hors just clearing the air:tong

[groundsmechanic]

I was just looking at our 310D today and it doesn't have the grease fittings for the pins. It has started squeaking a lot in the last week. I guess I should pull the pins and grease them. It wouldn't hurt that is for sure.

[joeeye59]

Are you talking about them two smaller diameter pins on the hoe bucket that don't have grease fittings? And the other two pins that do have grease fittings on the hoe bucket are the larger diameter pin?

If this is what your talking about I keep a can of heavy weight motor oil hear by all the time so I can give them two dry pins a shot of oil once in a while to keep them from making noise.... I keep my machine out side so its a good idea that I oil them each time I use it, plus if your digging in the mud you need to keep oiling them...

[groundsmechanic]

Are you talking about them two smaller diameter pins on the hoe bucket that don't have grease fittings? And the other two pins that do have grease fittings on the hoe bucket are the larger diameter pin?

If this is what your talking about I keep a can of heavy weight motor oil hear by all the time so I can give them two dry pins a shot of oil once in a while to keep them from making noise.... I keep my machine out side so its a good idea that I oil them each time I use it, plus if your digging in the mud you need to keep oiling them...

If you were talking to me, yes those are the pins I am talking about. And it is stored outside during the non-winter months. The oil is a good idea. I found an oil can in the shop and that would work great for lubing up those pins.

[joeeye59]

If you were talking to me, yes those are the pins I am talking about. And it is stored outside during the non-winter months. The oil is a good idea. I found an oil can in the shop and that would work great for lubing up those pins.

Last year while I was talking with someone in service at the John Deere dealer in Wallingford, the guy said that this was the thing JD did when this bucket was designed back in the day, which was to make them two pins replaceable for when they wore out.... It seems like it would be okay to do, depending how hard them sleeves are press fit in there....

[unioncity1]

Its just like Sex you can never go wrong with more lube!