Stuff I Like: Grease Coupler and Hydro Top Link

[ritcheyvs]

I'd like to recommend a couple of recent purchases to other tractor owners.

First is the lock-n-lube grease gun coupler (LocknLube grease gun coupler ends greasing frustration.). Amazon has them for about $30. I used it, for the first time, last night on my finish mower and ALL the grease went into the zerk first time and every time. Several of those zerks are tricky and a lot of grease always escaped using a standard coupler. I did need to press the release lever to connect to each zerk vs just snapping it on like the standard coupler. It's a pricey alternative to the standard coupler but the lack of mess (zero wasted grease) makes it worthwhile to me.

The second (more costly) item is a hydraulic top link from Brian at Fit-Rite-Hydraulics. It's useful for a lot of minor things (like lifting the back of the finish mower for inspection or blade change) but it pays off big with a box blade. I've learned that fore-aft tilt is critical to the way a box blade functions and the hydraulic top link lets me adjust this "on the fly" without dismounting. For example, If I need to back-blade accumulated dirt, it's a simple matter to change the tilt, push it back, change the tilt back, and continue forward. It's a huge time and step saver. Brian was very helpful in finding the best routing for the hydraulic hoses and he even re-made the cylinder (at his cost) to resolve an unforeseen interference problem. I think it was the first one he made for my particular tractor model.

 

[ERE]

The lockNlube looks like what I need to get some zerks that are almost unreachable on my Kabota zero turn. I have to reach way in with one arm in a very awkward position, and fumble with the gun with the other hand while holding the coupling on because it wont stay on without being held.

Now, if I could just find a grease gun that didn't keep getting air bound in the middle of a job.

 

[Coyote machine]

I have both now thanks to others input here on TBN.
Haven't had much time to use the coupler yet, but it's worked well so far.
Brian made up a top-n-tilt for my DK-40, and as stated it is useful for many 3PH functions.

 

[Xfaxman]

I also have the Lock and Lube and think it is worth the high price. you can get it with free shipping direct from: LocknLube grease gun coupler ends greasing frustration.

Here are the other threads here on TByN: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/304889-locknlube-cupler-grease-gun.html and http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/307933-review-locknlube-grease-gun-coupler.html

Mine is on a high pressure lever gun with a hose, instead of the usual pipe, that makes it the best combination to get to the hard to reach zerks.

 

[Coyote machine]

The lockNlube looks like what I need to get some zerks that are almost unreachable on my Kabota zero turn. I have to reach way in with one arm in a very awkward position, and fumble with the gun with the other hand while holding the coupling on because it wont stay on without being held.

Now, if I could just find a grease gun that didn't keep getting air bound in the middle of a job.

Here's a definitive method to load and keep air and leaking grease oil from visiting your grease gun.
http://www.groz-tools.com/pdffiles/Grease Gun4.pdf

 

[lostcreekranch]

Agree on both points.

Brian made it very easy to do business with him and we bought hydraulic top link for Kubota B2710 primarily for use with box blade.

All the LockNLube reviews here on TBN and elsewhere seem to be very positive so, just ordered 2 of them from eBay with free shipping.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[ritcheyvs]

The lockNlube looks like what I need to get some zerks that are almost unreachable on my Kabota zero turn. I have to reach way in with one arm in a very awkward position, and fumble with the gun with the other hand while holding the coupling on ...

I'd like to emphasize that my new lock-N-Lube requires me to press the lever to get it ON the zerk. Then it has a death grip until you press the lever again and won't pop off like some conventional couplers. So you need two hands: one hand on the coupler and one on the grease gun. That may be a limitation in some tight spots,

By the way, I considered those pricey electric grease guns; many folks like them. In the end I bought a budget pneumatic gun which I can work with one hand:
Air Grease Gun - Save on this Pneumatic Air Grease Gun

Now, I drive the tractor up to the barn (where the compressor is) and drag out the air hose for the air grease gun. It's a small bother but faster than charging the battery (which is always dead when you need it) for an electric greaser. Of course, I still keep a big and small manual grease gun for work elsewhere.

 

[Xfaxman]

I'd like to emphasize that my new lock-N-Lube requires me to press the lever to get it ON the zerk. Then it has a death grip until you press the lever again and won't pop off like some conventional couplers. So you need two hands: one hand on the coupler and one on the grease gun. That may be a limitation in some tight spots,

I don't understand why you say you need to to hold the coupler? That is the advantage of the Lock and Lube, put it on the zerk, then one hand on the gun and the other on the lever.

Or sometimes two hands on the lever and the gun against my chest, for the ones that are hard to grease!

That is why I put mine on a hose, instead of the tube. Makes it easy to grease the wheel hubs on the mower deck, just lift it, rotate the wheel and lock it on.

 

[ritcheyvs]

I don't understand why you say you need to to hold the coupler? ...

My comment applies only until the coupler is locked on the zerk. My point was that you can't just snap this style coupler over the zerk by just pushing, like you can with a conventional coupler on a rigid tube. But once it's on, you can use both hands to work a lever-type gun, even with a flexible hose between the gun and coupling.

The thing I like most about this coupler is that no grease ever escapes around the zerk. I have several zerks that usually required more than one attempt to get a good connection with a conventional coupler. And every failed attempt produced a big glob of grease around the zerk.