Grease Gun Pains

[Surewhynot]

I just purchased a new "Plews" brand pro grease gun at a name brand store where you save big money. The problem is the spring will not compress into the end cap so that I can put it together again after inserting the grease tube.

1. Is there a trick to stop the spring from going every which way when you pull the T handle to lock it into the open position. I tried for an hour and nothing would keep the spring in line, it would spring sidways and not fit back into the main tube. And yes grease gets on everything

2. Is it worth the expense for the electric or battery operated grease guns? I will be greasing two Kubotas, snow blower, mower, other equipment as my toy chest grows.

Thanks for any assistance. Over to you for suggestions and sarcasm

 

[Skyco]

Did you pull the handle back while the end cap was still ON the gun? If not, remove the grease tube you inserted and put the end cap back on THEN pull the handle back and lock it, take the end cap off gun, insert grease cartridge, reinstall cap then release handle. You will have to push the handle back in manually.

 

[RickB]

Take the cartridge out of the barrel. Screw the base, plunger and spring back onto the bottom of the barrel. Unscrew the handle, pump, and head assembly from the opposite end of the barrel. Pull the plunger rod out through the lower end cap compressing the spring while it is trapped in the barrel. Lock the plunger rod into the end cap by whatever means is provided. Insert the cartridge plain end first. Replace the pump/handle end on the barrel. Release the plunger rod from the end cap to allw the spring to compress the follower plate and grease. You are working from the wrong end of the barrel.

 

[ray66v]

I am still looking for the "Holy Grail" of grease guns. I have 4 different ones, including 1 that is a brand name air powered unit. Every one gives me grief of some sort.

 

[Surewhynot]

Rick, my thought too, however that is not what the instructions say and the other end won't come off to do that, I thought that would be an easy solution as well. You have to remove the T handle end to insert the tube of grease. Believe me I tried every possible thing including pinching my hand several times trying to keep the &^%## spring in line to fit into the endcap.

 

[RickB]

Well we used to sell Plews at work and they load from the top like any other grease gun. If you can't figure out how to load the top end, go get a Lincoln. Plews stuff is low end junk anyway. The barrel is the only thing that's going to keep the spring in alignment under compression.

 

[Surewhynot]

Perhaps if I applied some brute force and ignorance I might get the top off and be able to load it like you suggested and I thought was correct. I will research the Lincoln brand and see who sells them here in Iowa. Thanks.

 

[Surewhynot]

I also agree the barel should have made sure the spring aligned into the endcap. No such luck

 

[Eagleview]

This is not meant as sarcasm , but if you have a spring in your hand you are definately working from the wrong end . The end with the handle DOES come off , thats how it is made , in 3 pieces . The headstock with the hose and handle , the cartridge tube and the base with the "T" handle and spring . If you got the cartridge in that way it is also in back to front as it has a lip on the top end that seals under the headstock . The other end has a bigger ID so the plunger can fit into the cartridge .

 

[Surewhynot]

OK so the rule is you have to be smarter than what you are playing with! I am going to use brute force and ignorance and force the head off so that I can insert the tube, put the head back in, release the T handle and use the gun as it was intended. I guess I was not using enough force to remove the head assembly. Thanks to everyone for the help. I was correct in my thinking, just have to put some force into it I guess. I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[Eagleview]

Best way to remove it is to put the head between something soft like between a pair of dual tyres on a truck or simmilar and turn the cartridge tube counter clockwise . Be very carefull if you use a vice to hold the head .

 

[Surewhynot]

OK...Brute force and ignorance = 1 Reading instructions = 0

The head came off and I loaded it just fine. I should have remembered the "mans rule for assembly" instructions..naaaa I can figure it out myself

 

[CurlyDave]

I am still looking for the "Holy Grail" of grease guns. I have 4 different ones, including 1 that is a brand name air powered unit. Every one gives me grief of some sort.

I am actually learning to like my Harbor Freight electric one.

There are a couple of tricks.

1. Make a loop of rope or baling twine which is about 8" long when doubled. To retract the plunger put one end of the loop around the T-handle and the other end on one of the hooks on your bucket, or other firm point so you can pull the grease gun with both greasy hands.

If you just hook the T-handle in the grab hook on your bucket it will break.

2. Priming these things is a pain in the donkey. So, outsmart the grease gun. When you take it apart to put the very first cartridge in it, before it is coated in grease, look at how the high pressure pump works. It is just a plunger running in a cylinder, and you can look right into the intake port in the cylinder, which is built into the head of the grease gun.

Take your finger and build up a lump of grease about the size of an apricot right on top of the intake port the first time you use the gun, before you insert the cartridge and screw the cartridge carrier back into the head. This eliminates the need to prime the gun.

After the first time, the lump can be smaller, about the size of a walnut.

Once I figured out this little trick, I never had to prime the gun again, which makes things much faster and eliminates the need to "bless the grease", which my wife prefers, and so does the pastor.

 

[Eagleview]

I use a simillar proceedure to bleed a hand gun Curly . When the gun is empty i unscrew the barrel a couple of turns and pull out the plunger , this allows air to enter the chamber and eliminates the vacuum . Then i unscrew the barrel and with the threaded end of the barrel i swirl the remaining grease in the head to cover the air hole in the grease above the piston . When i replace the barrel i only screw it on a couple of turns and release the plunger . This expels the air from the new cartridge via the barrel threads , i give the head a jiggle to help . After tightening the barrel i pump the gun into a piece of rag to bleed it . Its the easiest way to get a gun working again , trying to use the bleed screw is a non event as blobs of grease can block the escape of the trapped air .

 

[ray66v]

I use a simillar proceedure to bleed a hand gun Curly . When the gun is empty i unscrew the barrel a couple of turns and pull out the plunger , this allows air to enter the chamber and eliminates the vacuum . Then i unscrew the barrel and with the threaded end of the barrel i swirl the remaining grease in the head to cover the air hole in the grease above the piston . When i replace the barrel i only screw it on a couple of turns and release the plunger . This expels the air from the new cartridge via the barrel threads , i give the head a jiggle to help . After tightening the barrel i pump the gun into a piece of rag to bleed it . Its the easiest way to get a gun working again , trying to use the bleed screw is a non event as blobs of grease can block the escape of the trapped air .

This sounds like a plan, I will try it next time.

 

[Lawnjocky]

The best way I've found to keep air out when reloading the gun is to get a little grease on me. When I load the gun with a new tube I save the spent tube and finger out the little bit of grease thats left, be careful not to cut your finger. I then fill and mound the new tube (thats in the gun) with this left over grease. After doing this when you screw the head back on it forces out the air without needing to bleed or jack around with the gun. Usually a little grease will need to be wiped from the base of the head. I learned this trick because I'm tight and hated throwing away that little bit of lube in the spent tube. After that first time I found it got rid of the air as well. I've done this for years and it drives me nuts when I see someone load a gun and then fight an air pocket.

 

[Willis Fecon Bushhogging]

OK so the rule is you have to be smarter than what you are playing with! I am going to use brute force and ignorance and force the head off so that I can insert the tube, put the head back in, release the T handle and use the gun as it was intended. I guess I was not using enough force to remove the head assembly. Thanks to everyone for the help. I was correct in my thinking, just have to put some force into it I guess. I will let you know how it turns out.

If you do much greasing, buy a Lincoln 14V (18V better) Little pricey for a hobby, I think I paid $200 for the kit, it loads the same as a regular gun, but it takes most of the work out of greasing. I agree with the others, you took off the wrong end. I have owned a bunch of grease guns, but I never have seen one that you cant unscrew at the head.
Good Luck and keepem greased

 

[Cottonhawk]

You figured it out in couple of tries and that's pretty smart!
There are many stories regarding the new grease gun owners. I remember that when I first tried to load my first tube, it took couple of hours! Grease coated both hands, up to my elbows, over my shirt, and my brand new cement barn floor! By the time I brute forced the whole thing in place, there was only a third tube of grease left in the tube. But, I do remember the sense of accomplishment ....!
I bought a battery powered Lincoln shortly after that encounter!

 

[coobie]

Well we used to sell Plews at work and they load from the top like any other grease gun. If you can't figure out how to load the top end, go get a Lincoln. Plews stuff is low end junk anyway. The barrel is the only thing that's going to keep the spring in alignment under compression.

Ditto,on the Lincoln grease gun.coobie

 

[Egon]

Some grease guns have a little bleeder valve. Others have a set screw for getting the air out.

The method I use is to lock the handle so I can put much more pressure on the grease than the spring does and then pump the gun. That will get rid of the air. You can do this with the gun on a Zerk so no grease is wasted. Warm grease also makes things go easier!