auto lube system

[Luberguy]

I am new to the forum and appreciate it's opportunity. It looks like this subject hasn't had any interest in a while. It is also interesting on how many opinions of the concept has been presented. The lube system industry has about 6 major players in the market with as many more sub players. Sadly the "which one you buy" program is typically based on the mfg that someone has asaked for it before or the 1st salesman in the door gets it and typically installation/education is the tale of the tape. There are also different types of systems to be applied to different types of machinery/environments. One shoe does not fit all. They can be good tools if treated as such. "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!" I will gladly offer any information I can to make life with this product easier. Look forward to responses. It has been around since the 30's. No reason why it can't help you too.

 

[D&GExcavating]

We have a few Lincoln auto-greasers on our equipment. We have one on the 980G, 950G, 308CR, and the 312C and they work really well.

 

[Luberguy]

They do work!

Excellent to hear good comments! (We don't hear those very much in the field!) a little maintaining, filling the things once in awhile and if the installation is good, they work! How do your personnel respond to the systems? Did you is the Cat/Equipment dealer involved with the systems or was it a regional distributor of the system that presented it to you? Have you had someone train your personnel on what they do and don't do? That has been the real problems I have seen is it is almost a "Hands Off approach" to the systems untill they break something then the name calling starts. I appreciate the response.

 

[GreaseJockey]

You were wondering...

We have auto lubes on the fire trucks here at work, and they definitely have helped with maint.

Has anyone priced them? Or better yet, where is a supplier for the tubing and fittings to run all your grease to one point on the chasis?

If you visit www.graco.com (Graco/Lubriquip/Trabon/Grease Jockey) you will find everything that you need in automatic lubrication systems. We are an American Company, manufacturing in America!... unlike the rest of the guys.
We'll get you set up.

 

[DJZ]

Lubecore is a newer Brandd to the market but hava very diverse product line for many different applications. www.lubecore.com. Lots of knowledgable people with many yrs of experience from different manufacturers and locations around the world as well.

 

[90plow]

I have a vogel system on my mack single axle. It recently ran out of grease. How do I find the fitting to refill or what kind of grease is used? Vogel has zero information that I can find.
Thanks
Eric

 

[Luberguy]

I have a vogel system on my mack single axle. It recently ran out of grease. How do I find the fitting to refill or what kind of grease is used? Vogel has zero information that I can find.
Thanks
Eric

Good afternoon Eric, You will need to get NLGI 00 or 000 grade of grease to use in the Vogel product. Several brand of lubricant manufactuers make this product. Check with your local Industrial lubricant suppliers (Not a Jobber). You will also need to get the female connector and a refill pump that typically fits on a 5 gal. bucket. Beka Max has the same type of systems(uses the post lubrication principle) as the old Vogel system. They don't promote it as much. Don't forget you will need to bleed the main line on the system if it has run out of grease to the point of the red light is on. This process is simple. Just go to the distributor by the axle loosen the plug and manual override the system and allow a little grease to purge out of the plug. then tighten it. The air paocket will work out pretty quickly. If you need anymore information let me know.

 

[blowerman]

I have a vogel autogreaser system on one of my Pete's. If it's running in warmer temps, we'll use NLGI 0. This is on a Express Blower truck, so it's not driving much, mainly on site operations. The guys typically bring 10 tubes of grease and field fill the tank on the truck. This is primarily because the truck may not make it back to our shop so then the guys can field service the truck.

 

[Luberguy]

I have a vogel autogreaser system on one of my Pete's. If it's running in warmer temps, we'll use NLGI 0. This is on a Express Blower truck, so it's not driving much, mainly on site operations. The guys typically bring 10 tubes of grease and field fill the tank on the truck. This is primarily because the truck may not make it back to our shop so then the guys can field service the truck.

The tank is 3 liters. NLIG 0 can be bought in tubes because it is thick enough. 00 was what we use to recommend for anything south of Canada and yes in Florida 0 was the norm. The only problem I see from that is that they have to drop the tank to put the grease in it and that will allow dirt in the system. The pump is a gear pump and it does not like dirt!! Their is a strainer in the neck of the fill port. Grease is a dirty lot even from the barrel. I would suggest the refill set up also buying in bulk is cheaper. The end is a parker fitting and the pump is a low pressure/high output unit that you can buy from motion, Grainger or any part house.

 

[kshansen]

All this talk, mostly in an old part of the thread, makes me want to voice my opinion on them. My main opinion is that they do reduce maintenance but do not eliminate it. This is a problem I see with some management types, they think you can install it and forget it. You still need to have someone who will take the time to give the machine a good look over to confirm the system is working and all points are getting grease. My preference would be for a system that allows you to regulate how much is put in each fitting and not just how often the pump cycles. And second would be for a system that will let you know if even one fitting has stopped taking grease, I know the old Trabon systems we had years ago had that feature.

One of the best systems I ever saw was the old Trabon oil based system that used 80W-90 oil. It's biggest short coming was the nylon lines used. They got brittle with age and would often break. That being said I know of one 966C Cat that had a very conscientious operator and the operator had the support of his boss allowing him to fix problems as soon as he saw them. I forget the hours it had when sold due to "old age" but know that that loader had the same pins and bushings in it that the factory installed when it was sold. And the machine was nice and tight. One other big advantage of the "oil system" was there was no build-up of grease, just some streaks of oil around the pins.

 

[RZucker]

I used to do custom work for this one company that had the absolutely most closed minded lead mechanic I ever met in my life. Company purchased a very low hour D8R, And this dip**** spent 20 hours of shop time removing the autolube system. Because "they don't work". Strange that he was the one that called me in to do anything more than oil changes.

 

[Nige]

I'm with ksh. An autolube system doesn't remove the need for maintenance, because you have to check it on a regular basis to make sure all the injectors are working and that everywhere is getting lubricated correctly.

With a Lincoln or Farval system it's easy enough to make sure that each injector is stroking correctly.

 

[kshansen]

I'm with ksh. An autolube system doesn't remove the need for maintenance, because you have to check it on a regular basis to make sure all the injectors are working and that everywhere is getting lubricated correctly.

With a Lincoln or Farval system it's easy enough to make sure that each injector is stroking correctly.

Someone needs to develop a squeak sensor like the knock sensors used on car engines. Hook it up through Vision Link system so at the frist sign of a squeak it sends out an email. Can I copyright that idea? Or am I too late?

 

[Nige]

How do you define a "squeak" though ...?

 

[kshansen]

That would be the tricky part. A machine working it a talc mine would sure make a different set of sounds from one digging in a grannet mine! And a steel track machine would be much harder to "define" normal on than a rubber tired loader.

 

[90plow]

Can anyone point me in the direction of what female connector and give me a link to the pump? I have no clue where to start.
Thanks
Eric

 

[Luberguy]

Can anyone point me in the direction of what female connector and give me a link to the pump? I have no clue where to start.
Thanks
Eric

Good afternoon Eric. Sorry for the delay in getting this information to you. You can call Bill Devers @ JA Lube Central - (757) 224-7720 and order the complete refill pump to fill your Vogel systems approx. price $167.14 + Shipping. Probably as cheap as you will find any where. Check out their website at www.jalubecentral.com and you will see that they stock the same product so you can have a source for parts or any new systems you may like to try.

 

[90plow]

So I got the system filled but the red warning light is still on and it's not pumping grease is there a reset button?

 

[90plow]

Anyone?

 

[Marklmoody]

I agree with dozer.. Manual greasing is much better than using a grease pump..but the long lasting of any grease depends upon the usage of a particular machine. Greasing in regular interval increases the working efficiency & life of the machine.

Personally, I like to grease manually, as it gives me the oppourtunity to inpect for loose pins, bolts and the likes.
Also getting off the machine is a nice break sometimes.

A cat guy told told me they inspected some pins and bushings on a 10,000 hour excavator with auto lube, and found them to be nearly new.

...Brad