Greasing Machinery

[d4dozer]

Now please don't laugh, because this is a serious post - I am not a Diesel Mechanic and am completely self taught.

I regularly grease my machine, always ensuring the greasing is done somewhere between 8 and 10 machine hours.

My machines have now become pretty messy due to my greasing and I suppose I am probably a bit liberal with the grease. I have always been led to believe that:
1) you grease until you see grease coming out of some point remote from the nipple;
2) you then wipe off the excess grease with a rag.

I have also noticed that grease nipple jaws become very loose very quickly. Often more grease ends up on the ground than going in the nipples. I have replaced the nipple jaws and things are good for a grease or two and then reverts back to being loose.

So I am interested in comments as to how much grease really should be put in to a joint and if others experience nipple jaws leaking - is it that I have low quality jaws or are they normally to be replaced very frequently.

Thanks and please don't laugh at such a simple post.

 

[Paul Six]

Nothing to laugh about , your way of greasing is correct , try another nipple suplyer and see if it last longer , it also depends on the machine you are greasing , personnaly on larger equipment 20T and above we use central greasing systems it is automatic and greasing while the machine works spreads the grease better

 

[d4dozer]

Thank Paul Six - it seems you are suggesting the nipples to be at fault rather than the nipple jaws? A self greasing system is something I dream of!

 

[rsherril]

Sometimes I curse the grease nipples that are tucked away and difficult to get to. My front steering and lean wheel zerks on the grader are well protected, but difficult to see and harder to get to. Can a grease fitting be extended with a flexible line to a more accessible position? Is there a source for such a device or do they need to made to fit?

 

[Queenslander]

I posted this link awhile ago in the safety issues section, thought it might be relevant to this thread.
Cheers, Greg

http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/news/agriculture/general/news/dont-palm-off-farm-safety/2684697.aspx

 

[d4dozer]

I normally wear rubber gloves, firstly because I create such a mess and to help keep my hands clean, but after reading that, they probably provide protection as well. It is a sobering article.

 

[clintm]

A couple of months ago I found a locking grease gun end it's distributed here in the states but it's from south africa the name of it is ( Lock N Lube) it locks on to the nipples has a lever that you have to press to release ( I think it was about $30.00 US) it work's pretty good I don't use it every day , it on my personal grease gun We have a air gun in the fuel truck that use most of the time. and yes a lot of times it's the grease fitting thats causing the leakage sometimes they get bumped and deformed or get to where they just won't seal right .

 

[d4dozer]

Lock N Lube - I must try one!

 

[d4dozer]

Lock N Lube are on Ebay about $53 posted to Australia - "it works pretty good" sounds like a recommendation?

 

[clintm]

Iv'e used it probley 6-8 times time will tell if it last's but it does give you a free hand you still have to hold it fairly straight to fitting. I have noticed some fitting that comes on some Equipment is not shaped right to fit grease gun's especially the metric fitting's

 

[ol' Grump]

One problem I've seen was over greasing sealed joints 'til the seals blew out. When that happens, it's not long before dirt gets in and then it's time to replace 'em. Another thing I've seen was failure to wipe the zerk off before putting the gun to it. .nothing like pumping the grit and dirt into the joint.

 

[Delmer]

Agree that a lot of the time it's a beat up zerk that is leaking. But it sounds like your grease couplers are loosening up also. Just take two pairs of pliers and tighten the front part on the back part. That makes the jaws grip tighter. You have to play with it to get the point that it holds but isn't too hard to get on and off.

 

[Landclearer]

You might want to try Lincoln brand gun tips. We have tried others but they do not hold tight and if they do, they wear out quickly and become loose. The Lincoln's hold tight and last a long time.

 

[Shimmy1]

I have been fighting the coupler war for probably 10 yrs now. Never use to have a problem with couplers. I use Lincoln guns exclusively. But, there is not a worse coupler made. The new ones leak out of the package. The last couple years, I have been using Lubrimatic, but now they are $#!? since they partnered with Plews (the most worthless garbage you've ever had your hands on). The Lubrimatic couplers used to last me about a month; this summer, one would last a week or two, the next a few days, no method to the madness at all. It's all in the quality of the steel in the jaws. What I would like is a set of chrome jaws for the coupler. As far as the greasing question, I believe the pump until you see it is a necessary evil on pins and bushings. Otherwise, how do you know you've put enough in?? The only time I feel it's not acceptable is when you are greasing bearings. IMO, the two most problematic pin and bushing areas in construction, the bucket hinges on excavators and wheel loaders, are caused by dirt, not improper greasing. I don't care how good of an operator you are, if you don't have a pin grabber on the hoe, that hinge pin is running in dirt, unless your taking half buckets all day long. Same goes for the loader, I don't like spilling over the back, but it happens. If I'm in a hurry, sometimes quite often. No seal made is going to save those pins from dirt. On a side note related to the hoe, one other factor can be an issue as well. Shimming the side play on an excavator bucket is also crucial to keeping the bushings intact.

 

[Shimmy1]

You might want to try Lincoln brand gun tips. We have tried others but they do not hold tight and if they do, they wear out quickly and become loose. The Lincoln's hold tight and last a long time.

Where do you buy your Lincolns from? I tried them a couple times this summer, every one leaked out of the package. An this is greasing my hoe that has 600 hrs on it.

 

[Landclearer]

Where do you buy your Lincolns from? I tried them a couple times this summer, every one leaked out of the package. An this is greasing my hoe that has 600 hrs on it.

I have been ordering them from either our local True Value or Napa. I tried a Napa brand one, put it on fittings and took it off and threw it in the woods.

 

[Shimmy1]

I have been ordering them from either our local True Value or Napa. I tried a Napa brand one, put it on fittings and took it off and threw it in the woods.

Was it a three jaw or four? I tried a one of each this summer, too. I did the same with the three-jaw. The four worked for awhile.

 

[Landclearer]

I think it was a 4 jaw. Friend of mine gave me a different brand 4 jaw from (Sosametal)and I just took it off on Friday. I was adjusting the tracks on our 963 and it would not hold so I changed it out. I am thinking about getting the Lock and Lube that Clint was talking about.

 

[pondo]

Has anyone tried to add an extension or remote grease nip for mini ex?. ..a couple of grease nipple on boom are only accessible by climbing and balancing on machine. I am sure safety guy would loose his mind if and when he catches me doing this
Don't need auto grease system...just a fitting accessible from ground.

 

[Shimmy1]

I think it was a 4 jaw. Friend of mine gave me a different brand 4 jaw from (Sosametal)and I just took it off on Friday. I was adjusting the tracks on our 963 and it would not hold so I changed it out. I am thinking about getting the Lock and Lube that Clint was talking about.

I have thought hard about it, too, problem is on my old loader and scraper there are too many pins where they put the zerk in the hole and that coupler won't fit.

Has anyone tried to add an extension or remote grease nip for mini ex?. ..a couple of grease nipple on boom are only accessible by climbing and balancing on machine. I am sure safety guy would loose his mind if and when he catches me doing this
Don't need auto grease system...just a fitting accessible from ground.

Ah, if you stretch the hoe out, I do not believe there will be a fitting you can't access from the ground, unless you're 5' tall.