cgraham
Silver Member
My 7-year-old Kioti LB1914 TLB (400 hours) has numerous unsealed pins without grease channels in them and the zerks are placed in the middle of the sleeve or cylinder trunnions surrounding the pins. Consequently, the grease takes the least path of resistance, eventually emerging at one or the other end of the pin, presumably leaving the other half un-lubricated. This is obviously not good, but I do not see a simple way around the problem, short of manually lubricating the pins which I am not going to do - I do not even know if the benefit would last long enough to be worth the effort. (I do not have the equipment to improve the pins, or time to remove them all.)
I have recently noticed build-up of old, hardening grease which prevents admission of fresh grease at one zerk and probably adds to the general unevenness of grease distribution at others. I suspect this build-up is due to the hot, dry S. New Mexico climate, but also to my use pattern. I tend to use the machine for two or three (usually light) jobs on my property after greasing it, and then it goes back in the shed for up to 6-9 months sometimes. I do not grease the backhoe or loader if I know I am not going to use one of them, so the greasing interval can be quite long for some pins. (Frankly, I hate greasing, and I am not going to do it more than I have to.)
Do I need to grease on a regular basis irrespective of use (if so, how often), or perhaps there is a grease that is not susceptible to drying out? I would appreciate your suggestions on minimal frequency and alternative grease to general purpose lithium.
A related question is whether it would be worth flushing the pin housings by pressure- forcing in Kroil via the zerks using a Grease Joint Rejuvenator, to soften the hardening grease before forcing it out with new grease. (I realize Kroil will seek the path of least resistance with the mostly horizontal pins, but I could tilt the tractor to each side in turn to help overcome that tendency). I have a few days while the tractor can sit absorbing Kroil before I must start the next job.
Thank you for your suggestions and advice.
C
I have recently noticed build-up of old, hardening grease which prevents admission of fresh grease at one zerk and probably adds to the general unevenness of grease distribution at others. I suspect this build-up is due to the hot, dry S. New Mexico climate, but also to my use pattern. I tend to use the machine for two or three (usually light) jobs on my property after greasing it, and then it goes back in the shed for up to 6-9 months sometimes. I do not grease the backhoe or loader if I know I am not going to use one of them, so the greasing interval can be quite long for some pins. (Frankly, I hate greasing, and I am not going to do it more than I have to.)
Do I need to grease on a regular basis irrespective of use (if so, how often), or perhaps there is a grease that is not susceptible to drying out? I would appreciate your suggestions on minimal frequency and alternative grease to general purpose lithium.
A related question is whether it would be worth flushing the pin housings by pressure- forcing in Kroil via the zerks using a Grease Joint Rejuvenator, to soften the hardening grease before forcing it out with new grease. (I realize Kroil will seek the path of least resistance with the mostly horizontal pins, but I could tilt the tractor to each side in turn to help overcome that tendency). I have a few days while the tractor can sit absorbing Kroil before I must start the next job.
Thank you for your suggestions and advice.
C
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