Grease Gun and a Screwdriver

[RoyJackson]

Even put the gnarled part in a vice

It's "knurled"....so, ya learned something else...

Gnarly is defined as Unpleasant; disgusting...sort of like me

 

[BuckeyeWilly]

OK, Roy. Ya see, I have been married to a school teacher for 39 years and for 39 years she has loved to correct my english and my spelling so its kind of a touchy area with me.

Thanks for the correction now tell me how to get that tip to adjust!!

 

[k0ua]

I saw one "cheapie" that did not have the jaws and did not adjust, it had like a hairpin spring across the nozzle instead of the 3 or 4 jaws. Could you post a couple of close up pix of it? looking into the nozzle and a side view? maybe we could help

James K0UA

 

[tawilson]

Hey all,

I justhad to attach the pictures below. I am pretty dang sure that there is no knurled knob that retracts the four jaws of my grease nozzle.

As you can see I tried to use force and it failed. Oh well I am guessing that I will have to go out and buy a new tip. Grrr...!!!!

I am quite please to see that it has only taken me 29 years to learn how to properly use grease guns.

~Kevin

They look knurly to me.:laughing:

 

[RoyJackson]

Thanks for the correction now tell me how to get that tip to adjust!!

I don't have a Lincoln grease gun (got a $15 cheapie pneumatic type from Harbor Freight).
The only time I get grease out the sides of the tip is if I'm not set square on the zerk fitting or if I haven't pushed the tip far enough on to the zerk.

You wrote:

I took the tip off and tried my best to break it loose (somewhere?). Even put the gnarled part in a vice and had no luck. Am I missing something here? I see no place on this tip where it would seperate.

There should have been a collet with 3 or 4 jaws inside the tip....was there? And, if it works like mine, tightening the grease gun tip (doesn't take much) closes those jaws (resulting in a better fit on the zerk.
Did you get a manual with your Lincoln...and does it say anything about tip adjustment or replacement?

BTW, until this thread, I never realized the tips could be adjusted either. I thought the knurled end was just for removal and cleaning or replacement.

 

[BuckeyeWilly]

Ok guys heres a pic of the grease fitting. I hadn't taken a pic looking up into the nozzle yet but can tell you that it has the 3 jaws you talked about. I just can't figure how to adjust it to tighten or loosen on the zerk.

Roy, nothing in the instructions about adjusting the tip. In fact, it doesn't even mention the tip. Just tells you how to fill the gun. Sure seems that if the tip is adjustable they would sure mention it. Right?

 

[RoyJackson]

The inside of the tip should have a tapered section to close or open those jaws...not too dissimilar (in concept) to the chuck of a drill.
The jaws are probably made of some kind of spring steel (which would keep them in the opened or closed position, depending on how they were made). There should also be some kind of spring or shoulder behind them.

If they do not open or close as you thread the tip up and down the threads...you may be missing a component inside the grease gun.

 

[crazyal]

Has anyone seen the tire chucks that have the clip that holds it onto the valve stem and the lever on the side that releases it? Why don't they make a grease gun tip like that?

Something like this. Replace the aluminum air gun with a grease gun. Or maybe a quick disconnect like an air line would have that would work in the head of a zerk.

 

[k0ua]

Ok guys heres a pic of the grease fitting. I hadn't taken a pic looking up into the nozzle yet but can tell you that it has the 3 jaws you talked about. I just can't figure how to adjust it to tighten or loosen on the zerk.

Roy, nothing in the instructions about adjusting the tip. In fact, it doesn't even mention the tip. Just tells you how to fill the gun. Sure seems that if the tip is adjustable they would sure mention it. Right?

What happened to the the spring and the little shoulder piece.? You have the tip screwed off now. that is one piece. now if the spring and shoulder piece are in there, screw it back on just finger tight and go try it on a zerk. if it goes on and comes off too easy screw it down a little more, if it does not want to come off unscrew it a little. You can usually find a spot for a given size of zerk that will work so you dont have to mess with it. it will go on and off just about right. If you find some zerks of a different size, then adjust it, by screwing it in or out. The instructions are nearly useless on most of them. By the time you find the English page of the 2 inch square minature folded over piece paper, you are so disgusted with the instructions you throw them in the trash. ( at least that is what I do). if you have lost the spring and shoulder piece, well they sell new tips.

James K0UA

 

[dstig1]

Al - That tip wouldn't fit into half the places a grease gun needs to... Besides, they work pretty easily as is. If yours is not working right, it is 50 cents to replace and improve..

 

[crazyal]

I have an adapter set with things like needles and right angle to fit in tight locations. My biggest problem seams to be when I try pumping grease into a plugged zerk. Once the grease builds up pressure it's extremely hard to get the head off. I've even broke a zerk once because it was on so tight.

Also Zerks are not all the same size and what fits tight on some fits loose on others. So I find I have to make slight adjustments to the head or it will leak. If the head is on at an angle it also likes to leak.

Since the claws in the head are adjustable it seams like making it so they wont release unless a ring is pulled (or something) shouldn't be too hard. The biggest problem with greasing to me is it's messy.

 

[k0ua]

Since the claws in the head are adjustable it seams like making it so they wont release unless a ring is pulled (or something) shouldn't be too hard. The biggest problem with greasing to me is it's messy.


Al if you make a better one, I bet people would buy it! I dont think anyone enjoys using the ones we have.:laughing:

James K0UA

 

[dave1949]

Well, it's still raining and I was bored enough to read about grease guns :laughing: Jeez, what a surprise to find this nugget of info. I never knew. I always figured it was sloppy tolerances in the zerk manufacturing that I just had to live with.

As for the messy part, old grease, etc. my FIL always rubbed in vasoline on his hands before he started work on something. He claimed it made the old grease easier to get off when you clean up.
Dave.

 

[Gizmo2]

Well, it's still raining and I was bored enough to read about grease guns :laughing: Jeez, what a surprise to find this nugget of info. I never knew. I always figured it was sloppy tolerances in the zerk manufacturing that I just had to live with.

As for the messy part, old grease, etc. my FIL always rubbed in vasoline on his hands before he started work on something. He claimed it made the old grease easier to get off when you clean up.
Dave.

WD40 is the best cleaning agent I have ever come across for getting grease and the like off your hands. The stuff is amazing for cleaning your hands. Funny thing is I am not completely sold on it's other so call uses.

 

[tawilson]

I had a friend help me with some engine work last summer and he put on a pair of disposable latex gloves before he started and I've been sold ever since.

 

[chopped]

Has anyone seen the tire chucks that have the clip that holds it onto the valve stem and the lever on the side that releases it? Why don't they make a grease gun tip like that?

Something like this. Replace the aluminum air gun with a grease gun. Or maybe a quick disconnect like an air line would have that would work in the head of a zerk.

I have one it works great BUT the hold lever part nevr worked for me..
I assume that the pressures involved are to extreme for this type on catch

 

[RoyJackson]

I had a friend help me with some engine work last summer and he put on a pair of disposable latex gloves before he started and I've been sold ever since.

Yep...same here...
And I keep a shop rag with me.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Guys, I have never seen a grease gun tip that was not in two pieces. It has to be two pieces in order to put in the zerk holding tips. The joint is very tight and may not be visible to naked eye if tightened tightly which I find that the all are. If you cant get it apart, you arent putting out enough force on it. Put one end in a vise and use a small pipe wrench on the other end but keep your wrench clost to the end as the joint is not exactly in the middle if memory serves (mostly it doesnt anymore). I have had them so tight that if I had not known they unscrewed, I would have given up but they will come apart. For those of you that the zerks are already loose in, you need to replace the tip because it is already as tight as it will go. Loosening the tip end makes the grippers larger so if it doesnt hold now, you need a new tip.
As for $100 grease guns, not me. I'm like Roy. I bought a $25 pneumatic from Atwoods similar to Harbor freight type and it works perfectly and doesnt weigh much more than a standard hand pump type. Now I dont have to have my brother in law to pump while I hold the tip on the zerk which is almost a requirement when you put on a flexible rubber hose.

 

[BuckeyeWilly]

What happened to the the spring and the little shoulder piece.? You have the tip screwed off now. that is one piece. now if the spring and shoulder piece are in there, screw it back on just finger tight and go try it on a zerk. if it goes on and comes off too easy screw it down a little more, if it does not want to come off unscrew it a little. You can usually find a spot for a given size of zerk that will work so you dont have to mess with it. it will go on and off just about right. If you find some zerks of a different size, then adjust it, by screwing it in or out. The instructions are nearly useless on most of them. By the time you find the English page of the 2 inch square minature folded over piece paper, you are so disgusted with the instructions you throw them in the trash. ( at least that is what I do). if you have lost the spring and shoulder piece, well they sell new tips.

James K0UA

Ok, James, I think I understand what you are saying now. I thought the piece that I have the pic of was the entire tip and it needed to breakdown there. The spring and shoulders are in there so I will give it a shot this morning. Want to get the deck back on because I have a small window with no rain and I really need to mow!!

 

[BuckeyeWilly]

Well, I adjusted the tip down tight and it did hold the zerk better. I held the tip on the zerk while my wife pulled the trigger. I put all 240 lbs into it and the grease would just squirt out the sides of the tip. This happened on 2 of the zerks on the MMM. I had even bought new zerks and installed them. I have tried heat, squirting oil, and even blowing air through these 2 with no luck.

I love this grease gun but I do see where the rubber hose makes it hard to put pressure and keep the tip on the fitting. Also, even with the tip adjusted down tight it was still easy to pull the tip off the zerk. I think its times someone invents a better way to grease equipment!!!!! :laughing: