Grease - is there no better way? Can we talk about this?

[Santa Craig Cringle]

One of the things I hate most about working with equipment is grease. I recently decided I was going to make it easier by getting a battery powered grease gun. Then I opted to put a lube lock fitting nozzle thingy to try to reduce the mess.

It helps but the grease and mess still gets everywhere.

All over my hands. Ruined countless numbers of rags. All over the tractor in places I'd rather not have it. All over the grease gun and even some of my other tools.

Is there a better way? Are there any products I should look into?
Is there no newfangled alternate to grease that isn't quite so messy?

Grease makes the already unpleasant task of maintaining equipment even less pleasant.

 

[dodge man]

My best advice is just live with it and don’t wear nice cloths while on the tractor.

 

[big bubba]

getting greasy is almost inevitable whether using grease gun or changing oil. my biggest complaint is replacing cartridges as air is sometimes difficult to purge. that's when the real greasy mess occurs.
this is an overly discussed subject, you might do a forum search to making your lube needs easier

 

[EddieWalker]

A Dealer told me that most people use too much grease, and they need to learn to only put in enough to do the job.

I've gone back to manual pump grease guns. I have one with a solid tube and another with the flexible tube. I use the solid tube for almost all my fittings, which is fast and easy.

I've tried a few different brands of manual grease guns but haven't really noticed much difference in them. For most of my fittings, I only pump it a few times. I've been doing it so long I just sort of know when to stop so grease doesn't come out of the seals. Some might get 2 pumps, others get 5. On my backhoe I have a few places that get ten pumps, that's my most extreme fittings.

 

[masseyrider]

Years ago I was doing some tractor work for a local nursey.
I was supposed to go and rototill a field for planting.
I hitched up and went to get the grease gun to lube everything before starting. Just like I would do on the home farm.
When I couldn't find the GG I went and asked the owner.
He said, "I don't like to grease equipment. It makes a mess."
"OK"
I went to work.
After an hour one of the U-joints broke. The needle bearings were just rusty dust.
It was all my fault for abusing the equipment.
Next day he had a GG.
I was just there to get my 1 days pay and I was out of there.
Your equipment will stay nice and clean if you don't grease it.
It will be broken with no chance of getting dirty.

 

[RjCorazza]

I use semi disposable gloves, in the 8-9 mil thickness range.
I usually give the grease gun a quick wipe down after I'm done.

 

[LHF2019]

A Dealer told me that most people use too much grease, and they need to learn to only put in enough to do the job.

I've gone back to manual pump grease guns. I have one with a solid tube and another with the flexible tube. I use the solid tube for almost all my fittings, which is fast and easy.

I've tried a few different brands of manual grease guns but haven't really noticed much difference in them. For most of my fittings, I only pump it a few times. I've been doing it so long I just sort of know when to stop so grease doesn't come out of the seals. Some might get 2 pumps, others get 5. On my backhoe I have a few places that get ten pumps, that's my most extreme fittings.

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that went battery back to manual. More control and Less waste. Have 3 guns. 2 Deere and yellow lock and lube. Performance wise. Lock and lube.

 

[big bubba]

what techniques do you have for purging air in newly replaced cartridge manual grease gun? that's my only issue & don't mind getting messy when gun works properly. regards`
do pneumatic guns work better in that regard? my experience is no

 

[pmsmechanic]

I wear a pair of cheep leather gloves. I wipe off the grease fittings with them and what ever else needs wiping. Once they get too dirty I rub a healthy dose of hand cleaner into them and throw the gloves into the wash with my work clothes. I let them air dry and reuse them till they are worn out.

This keeps my hands and clothes relatively clean enough so that they not usually an issue to operate equipment.

The grease gun nozzle usually gets wiped off on the grass or tire or what ever else is handy. If it's really bad then a wipe with a paper cloth is usually sufficient to clean it up. Once in a long while the whole grease gun will get a bath in my varsol tank or more often lately just a good spray down with brake clean.

I'm of the opinion that a lot of people think that if a little grease is good then a lot is better. My mower deck bearings only get 2-3 shots. Any more and you run the risk of pushing the seals out. Any needle bearings don't need more than the same. Bushings I like to see the grease come out somewhere but I'm probably over greasing them. U-joints get grease till it comes out all 4 of the needle bearings. That way you know that all 4 got grease.

I don't grease the telescoping part of u-joints at all. Spraying WD40 is good enough for me. I hate it when the telescoping part gets so full of grease and dirt that it's a struggle to get it to move. Yes it wears out faster the way I'm doing it but it won't wear out in my lifetime. I'm good with that. I lube my pto connections the same way for the same reasons.

If you ever pressure wash your equipment make sure you grease it and use it a bit after. It pushes the water out of all the bearing surfaces. Your ball bearings will thank you by lasting longer.

 

[pmsmechanic]

what techniques do you have for purging air in newly replaced cartridge manual grease gun? that's my only issue & don't mind getting messy when gun works properly. regards`
do pneumatic guns work better in that regard? my experience is no

I unscrew the barrel a few turns after tightening it. I then pull the bottom T handle out and turn it a bit untill I can lock it into the plug that follows the grease up the tube. (There is no spring pressure involved in this step) Then the T handle on my hip and my hand pulling towards me on the barrel and start greasing into a garbage can. Once the air is purged screw the barrel tight and unlock and push the T handle up into the grease. On grease guns with an air purge valve at the top you don't need to unscrew the barrel. Just push on the valve instead.

I don't ever have problems purging the air.