Grease Guns

[Willie B]

I don't own a lot of heavy equipment, or do I?
Anyway, I have a Case backhoe I grease near every day I use it. Many of the grease fittings are protected from damage by being in the middle of a pocket. It takes 15 minutes with electric grease gun to grease, but 45 minutes to clean the fittings before greasing.
I use a paper towel to wipe the excess grease squirts out as I remove the lock & Lube nozzle after greasing. Those on a pocket are a bear to clean. I use a folded paper towel & a screwdriver to chase it around & it's pretty time consuming. It occurs to me half the grease goes to waste. A lot quicker to clean out with a blow gun & compressed air. Then I need a bath & change of clothes, clean my safety glasses. I recently used a old style grease coupler, first fitting I couldn't get the coupler off the zerk, had to pry it off with a screwdriver. It still squirted extra grease everywhere even worse than the Lock & Lube lever style coupler.

Lock & Lube now offers a valve for your specific brand gun to relieve back pressure. It is a little hand rotated valve. It looks good, but it must be opened & closed each fitting. My backhoe has sixty grease fittings That is 120 extra steps to grease it.

Anyone got a solution?

 

[fast_st]

I'm wondering why you have so much blow back, have plenty of equipment and don't get more than a little dab after uncoupling and almost no back pressure unless the zerk is clogged, Are your fittings taking grease smoothly or is the gun straining and clacking? How long is your grease hose? I don't have the lock-n-lube just a regular end, if grease leaks out when greasing I'll change that fitting because its damaged. What brand of gun is it?

I've had bushings that were installed wrong and really restricted grease flow, but pressing them out and back in fixed the issue. I don't spend much time cleaning around grease fittings, a spin with a screwdriver and a whip with a rag and grease it up.

 

[BC Placer gold]

Some of your zerks may need replacing if a lot of grease is oozing out when releasing….and/or as fast_st says restriction.

I use an old school long lever Lincoln & when greasing a pocket protected zerk can be really hard to release (much more so with a new tip) had this happen last week where had to actually use a lever to get released…

I used to be fussy when cleaning around zerks; these days I just give the face of the zerk a quick wipe with a shop towel. Recessed pockets of course I clean out quick (small screwdriver) to allow full engagement of the tip. Have a lock & lube but don’t use it much as pretty restrictive as to where it fits…

 

[fast_st]

Some of your zerks may need replacing if a lot of grease is oozing out when releasing….and/or as fast_st says restriction.

I use an old school long lever Lincoln & when greasing a pocket protected zerk can be really hard to release (much more so with a new tip) had this happen last week where had to actually use a lever to get released…

I used to be fussy when cleaning around zerks; these days I just give the face of the zerk a quick wipe with a shop towel. Recessed pockets of course I clean out quick (small screwdriver) to allow full engagement of the tip. Have a lock & lube but don’t use it much as pretty restrictive as to where it fits…

I have an antique lincoln that I'm certain would explode a stuck grease fitting.

 

[Willie B]

No, first machine I ever owned with all the fittings freely take grease. No great volume, probably half teaspoon each fitting squirts out.
Sitting here now, it occurs might my hose probably three feet long be expanding a bit with each fitting, then contracting?
Milwaukee gun, & no it isn't struggling. I store the gun in heated space in winter.
When I use a new conventional nozzle it can be tough to get it off the fitting, An old worn out nozzle works better, but in winter it doesn't seal well & grease doesn't always go into the fitting.

 

[AllDodge]

I recently used a old style grease coupler, first fitting I couldn't get the coupler off the zerk, had to pry it off with a screwdriver.

Agree, Either the zerk is clogged or the pin is. It should never build pressure enough that you need to pry it off

 

[fast_st]

No, first machine I ever owned with all the fittings freely take grease. No great volume, probably half teaspoon each fitting squirts out.
Sitting here now, it occurs might my hose probably three feet long be expanding a bit with each fitting, then contracting?
Milwaukee gun, & no it isn't struggling. I store the gun in heated space in winter.
When I use a new conventional nozzle it can be tough to get it off the fitting, An old worn out nozzle works better, but in winter it doesn't seal well & grease doesn't always go into the fitting.

So what if you gave it say five seconds after greasing before releasing the coupler? I'd guess the check ball in the fitting would add some back pressure.

 

[Willie B]

So what if you gave it say five seconds after greasing before releasing the coupler? I'd guess the check ball in the fitting would add some back pressure.

I don't believe the check in the fitting is failing on 60 grease fittings on one machine & another 60? other fittings on other machines. I believe the excess grease is coming from the hose.
This new gadget I found looked very good until I realized I need to close this valve 60 times & reopen it 60 times. I'm one of those unfortunate people with two hands. Gun in one hand, nozzle in the other, opening a valve, then closing is freeing one hand 120 times. That ain't speeding the task!
It occurs to me there must be a check valve in the head of the grease gun. Excess comes under pressure after the pump is stopped.

 

[fast_st]

I don't believe the check in the fitting is failing on 60 grease fittings on one machine & another 60? other fittings on other machines. I believe the excess grease is coming from the hose.
This new gadget I found looked very good until I realized I need to close this valve 60 times & reopen it 60 times. I'm one of those unfortunate people with two hands. Gun in one hand, nozzle in the other, opening a valve, then closing is freeing one hand 120 times. That ain't speeding the task!
It occurs to me there must be a check valve in the head of the grease gun. Excess comes under pressure after the pump is stopped.

Not suggesting a failure but the residual pressure needed to open the ball, maybe leaving a couple hundred psi in the hose. I use a pair of dewalt guns and there's only a small amount of grease from a 3' hose.

 

[cfherrman]

I've seen chemical line type checks and little turn valves to stop this

 

[Oxbow]

No, first machine I ever owned with all the fittings freely take grease. No great volume, probably half teaspoon each fitting squirts out.
Sitting here now, it occurs might my hose probably three feet long be expanding a bit with each fitting, then contracting?
Milwaukee gun, & no it isn't struggling. I store the gun in heated space in winter.
When I use a new conventional nozzle it can be tough to get it off the fitting, An old worn out nozzle works better, but in winter it doesn't seal well & grease doesn't always go into the fitting.

If it is not pressure and just a tight coupler, you can unscrew the coupler a bit, not where it attaches to the hose but in the coupler itself, and that will reduce the pressure on the coupler teeth for lack of a better word. Once it wears a bit just snug it up.

 

[materthegreater]

No, first machine I ever owned with all the fittings freely take grease. No great volume, probably half teaspoon each fitting squirts out.
Sitting here now, it occurs might my hose probably three feet long be expanding a bit with each fitting, then contracting?
Milwaukee gun, & no it isn't struggling. I store the gun in heated space in winter.
When I use a new conventional nozzle it can be tough to get it off the fitting, An old worn out nozzle works better, but in winter it doesn't seal well & grease doesn't always go into the fitting.

Try a shorter hose and see if it's any different?

 

[treemuncher]

Lock&Lube sells a foot pump greaser with a pressure relief when you lift up the pedal. It's a really good unit. Not cheap but worth the cash and holds a fair amount of grease for long periods without refill.

I can't say that I ever bother to clean fittings prior to latching then unless they are in a pocket and full of debris. I don't bother to wipe them off after greasing, either. I use mostly air grease pumps on 120 lb kegs to speed things up.

If you have 60 grease points and want to save time (and time = money), put in manifold distribution blocks and remote lines. I grease 10-12 fitting points with equal amounts of grease from 1 input point. Instead of climbing around a machine to hit every point, I latch on one location and count the seconds required to see grease ooze out of a known fitting. Longer count in cold weather, shorter count in hot conditions. I score manifolds from Ebay and hoses & fittings from autolubeparts.com, making my own custom lines with reusable hose ends. One of the best time investments that I have made to my equipment.

 

[materthegreater]

Lock&Lube sells a foot pump greaser with a pressure relief when you lift up the pedal. It's a really good unit. Not cheap but worth the cash and holds a fair amount of grease for long periods without refill.

I can't say that I ever bother to clean fittings prior to latching then unless they are in a pocket and full of debris. I don't bother to wipe them off after greasing, either. I use mostly air grease pumps on 120 lb kegs to speed things up.

If you have 60 grease points and want to save time (and time = money), put in manifold distribution blocks and remote lines. I grease 10-12 fitting points with equal amounts of grease from 1 input point. Instead of climbing around a machine to hit every point, I latch on one location and count the seconds required to see grease ooze out of a known fitting. Longer count in cold weather, shorter count in hot conditions. I score manifolds from Ebay and hoses & fittings from autolubeparts.com, making my own custom lines with reusable hose ends. One of the best time investments that I have made to my equipment.

404 error; not found. Autolubeparts.com doesn't seem to be a good site.

 

[treemuncher]

That sucks if they went under. They had a great catalog of fittings and hose for reasonable prices. Looking at an old receipt, their info is as follows:
Automated Maintenance Solutions, LLC

Dba Lubecore Midwest, LLC

Mail: 4402 Pine Lake Drive

Shipping: 2993 Pearl Road

Medina, OH 44256 USA

P: 1-330-871-4006

C: 1-330-283-6111

@:[email protected]

[WWW.Autolubeparts.com]www.autolubeparts.com

Maybe try giving them a call tomorrow?

 

[willie59]

If you're getting excessive pressure that causes difficulty disconnecting the coupler, also causes the hose to swell with each pump of the gun, then there's no doubt you have a restricted grease path. The only solution for that is knock the pin out and in some cases the bushing if the grease path flows through the bushing to grease the pin and clear what's causing the restriction.

 

[JAJ]

Just thought i would comment on an interesting discussion you guys are having... I have a Milwaukee cordless grease gun and I think one of the best things about it is the long hose so I wouldn't trade that for a short one. I have added an other coupler to mine and it might help with some of the problems you are having. The one I have is a "Macnaught KY+ coupler". I think they are awesome to use and have had a couple of them now. I don't know if you have "Macnaught" in the US but I assume you do. I'll add a YouTube link with a video on how they work. Compared to other quick coupler styles I have had they are much smaller in the size of the nozzle end, about the size of a standard one, so still fit into tight spots. It compares them in the video too.

 

[Oxbow]

Just thought i would comment on an interesting discussion you guys are having... I have a Milwaukee cordless grease gun and I think one of the best things about it is the long hose so I wouldn't trade that for a short one. I have added an other coupler to mine and it might help with some of the problems you are having. The one I have is a "Macnaught KY+ coupler". I think they are awesome to use and have had a couple of them now. I don't know if you have "Macnaught" in the US but I assume you do. I'll add a YouTube link with a video on how they work. Compared to other quick coupler styles I have had they are much smaller in the size of the nozzle end, about the size of a standard one, so still fit into tight spots. It compares them in the video too.

I like the looks of that! I don't believe I have seen those here.

 

[AllDodge]

I like the looks of the KY+ and have found them online. Looks like $30 so not bad

Edit: they make a XL (longer) for $40

 

[AllDodge]

Buy the stuff directly from Macnaught it's free ship. They also have fuel xfer pumps cheaper the Fill-rite