Grease around fittings. . .

[LHF2019]

The reason is, is because I don't know any better. This is my first tractor, and I just don't know any better. I've asked numerous people how often I need to grease, but I never asked how much. I just assumed that it was full when I could see the grease just oozing out around the pivot pins.

I appreciate the info. I'm just learning as I go.

Your owners manual tells you how many hours the grease fittings are. So for my tractor the tractor grease fittings are 50hr so every 25 hours on the meter it gets grease. The MFWD universals gets pumps until I see the slightest movement. Same with the steering. The pivots get 3, drive shaft 3. The loader which is 10hr may or may not get greased depending what I have been doing with it recently. When I do grease it it gets 1-3 pumps.

By going with the hour meter you don't have to remember to grease. Allows you to grease enough that your not over doing it or under doing it and for me makes it easier to know when it needs greased. Same tractor has 600hr fittings that get 2 pumps every oil change 200-250 hrs.

 

[workinonit]

Without a Loc N Lube, some grease gun tips are messy

All I ever heard about was Lock and Lube so I bought one. Tried to use that thing several times. It doesn't work for me. I saw it laying somewhere when I cleaned the shop the other day. One thing is it is way to big. It won't fit in half the places I have to grease.

 

[rScotty]

The reason is, is because I don't know any better. This is my first tractor, and I just don't know any better. I've asked numerous people how often I need to grease, but I never asked how much. I just assumed that it was full when I could see the grease just oozing out around the pivot pins.

I appreciate the info. I'm just learning as I go.

OK. Learning makes sense to me. He is my contribution.

The most common measure is to grease the joint until you see grease emerging. I don't think anything is gained by pumping until new grease emerges, just until old grease does. Wiping involves a container of shop rags. Greasy rags are a fire hazard, so dispose of them immediately once greasy.

Dman (#16) brought up a good point about unloading the pressure on a joint before greasing it. Like he says, I do that for the front axle pivot too. And I suspect that for the absolute best grease job we should be doing every joint that way - and sometimes I do. Especially on the backhoe.

Not all greases are compatible. The simplest grease is basically a fine clay with oil suspended in it. Many are still made like that. But there are lots of different types of clays, and two incompatible greases will combine in the joint to form a hard solid that does not lubricate & has to be scraped out. So it pays to either study up on the subject or choose one grease chemistry and stay with it. I use Deere's improved poly urea "green" grease - TY6341. Available everywhere & not too messy.

We do keep one grease gun loaded with that nasty staining ugly Molybdenum black grease because messy as it is, Moly is noticibly better for the 2 or 3 really heavily loaded joints on the TLB - like the main swing table pivot on the backhoe. No other joint on the FEL or tractor is loaded nearly that heavily, so they all just get the green grease.

luck, rScotty

 

[Vigo327]

Not enough is not enough.
Enough is enough.
Too much is also enough, just messier.

I will pressure wash a greased fitting with abandon.. but i regrease it afterward.

In my opinion service intervals for grease fittings are just a reminder to grease them at all. Just like oil changes on your engine, it would technically benefit the engine or a greased joint to do them as often as you can stand to, but as long as you do them often enough youll be ok.


Also, a loose joint needs greased more often than a tight joint. Loose joint will pound out the grease quicker and has more chance for intrusion of outside particles/debris.

Cleaning the outside of a greased joint is PURELY by preference. The grease won’t hurt paint and about the worst that will happen is if a big glob of grease falls off the tractor and then you step on it

 

[Hoobie]

I put on fresh clean clothes and walk anywhere within 20 feet of the tractor. Polishes off excess grease beautifully.

 

[Michiganguy]

This is what I use to wipe up the excess grease. Works great for grease on the tractor or hands. Wipe and toss.

 

[SARG]

Tub O' Towels ...Now that looks like a good idea ...... gonna buy some.

 

[SmallChange]

I've mostly heard, "pump until you see grease coming out", but if the grease comes out someplace you can't see this is way too much. I pump until I see grease coming out or until 3 pumps, whichever is first.
I don't worry about cleaning it much. Sometimes I wipe up, as I do like it clean. Sometimes I just go around with something like a wooden popsicle stick to spoon heavy accumulations out of whatever space they're hiding in. I think some excess grease around the outside of a bearing seal provides additional protection.
I buy the recommended grease from the tractor dealer. I only have one tractor, only 25 hp, and it's relaxing to tinker around on it, so I think I can easily do more than the necessary and feel satisfied with the state of things.
I do avoid dropping clumps of grease, because the tractor lives in a bay of my pole barn that I had paved with asphalt. Grease attacks asphalt, or so I was warned by the paving company.

 

[Fallon]

The loader & most all the other greaseable joints on our tractors don't have any seals. Only some of the U joints or drivetrain components, possibly steering parts have seals. You can overgrease things with seals & blow out the seals. But if you overgrease open joints it just drives dirt & old grease out. Messy, but not problematic.

I scrape the piles of grease off every so often so it's less messy. I pressure wash the machine occasionally, but always re-grease afterwards. It splatters a bit of grease around.

I'm looking at getting getting a hot water pressure washer. Heat breaks up the grease & oil way faster as well as helping it not letting it stick elsewhere. I end up needing to clean off mud & snow residue as often as grease or oil.

I just picked up a 65 year old JD 420c crawler loader. Leaky cylinders & hoses so it's caked in hydraulic oil, dirt & the usual grease. So I've got an increased need beyond keeping things tidy or cleaning up after a leak.

 

[Gregster613]

The loader & most all the other greaseable joints on our tractors don't have any seals. Only some of the U joints or drivetrain components, possibly steering parts have seals. You can overgrease things with seals & blow out the seals. But if you overgrease open joints it just drives dirt & old grease out. Messy, but not problematic.

I scrape the piles of grease off every so often so it's less messy. I pressure wash the machine occasionally, but always re-grease afterwards. It splatters a bit of grease around.

I'm looking at getting getting a hot water pressure washer. Heat breaks up the grease & oil way faster as well as helping it not letting it stick elsewhere. I end up needing to clean off mud & snow residue as often as grease or oil.

I just picked up a 65 year old JD 420c crawler loader. Leaky cylinders & hoses so it's caked in hydraulic oil, dirt & the usual grease. So I've got an increased need beyond keeping things tidy or cleaning up after a leak.

Fallon, I've also been wanting to get a hot water pressure washer. Been looking at a lot of different brands but haven't yet purchased. There are lots of different choices and prices, but I think I'm mainly going to focus on the type of pump. If you do get one please inform us of what brand and how you like it.
Thanks, Greg