GREASEING DEBATE

frank_f15 · Aug 6, 2002

not really important, but just wonder what you all do AFTER u grease you tractor, fel, etc. do u wipe the excess grease off? (i do) don't seem like anything outside of the pins or bearings will do anything but collect dirt and debris. some say u should leave it on, but i think it serves no purpose other that getting on your clothes , and looks like heck. opinions??

RobS · Aug 6, 2002

Hmm, this has potential to be another hotly contested debate /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I wipe the excess grease off the fitting and get what I can from around the pins (on my FEL anyway). Hard to get it all but if I don't at least try I'll be guaranteed to drag a shirt sleeve or something in it and make a huge mess. Other than that aspect, there is probably nothing wrong with leaving the grease. Any dirt it accumulates will stay safely outside of the bearing and it may even offer a bit more protection. I still don't like the look of all that excess grease hanging on my tractor though /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Hawkflyer · Aug 6, 2002

I usually wipe it off for the reasons you gave. Also I am not as certain as everyone else might be that the dirt that collects on the grease will always stay out of important places. Besides, wiping it off forces me to "preflight" all of the pins and linkages.

Turfman · Aug 7, 2002

I leave it. I think the coating of grease will catch the dirt and help keep it out of the bearing surface. I wash it off when I wash the tractor.

MDSteve · Aug 7, 2002

I wipe off the grease fitting but leave the grease where it comes out of the other side. I will wipe the grease when I clean the tractor over the winter.

Steve

edt · Aug 7, 2002

Hi All i wipe the grease from fitting and any real excess for the same reasons mentioned
EDT

cj7 · Aug 7, 2002

I would leave a little grease on the fitting to be wiped off just befor you grease the next time. I do this on all me vehicles to protest the fitting from dirt and water. Mostly water if your fitting rusts them you will have to replace it.

As for around pins and such. You are not hurting anything by leaving some grease around them. I would remove any excesive excess grease from them. Again leaving some there does help to keep out dirt and water.

Mosey · Aug 7, 2002

I wipe it off, but mostly because I'm kind of a "neat freak", I like things to look neat and tidy. Plus, if I leave it on it will fall off on the garage floor or in the grass and someone will step on it and track in the house, etc. Otherwise, it probably doesn't make any difference. The main thing is to remember to wipe off the grease fitting before pumping grease in or any dirt that is on it will get pumped into the bearing.

northcreek2624 · Aug 7, 2002

FRANK,This used to drive me crazy,when I restored my International I found red grease so it was'nt so obvious,but now(that I'm older)I'm not so fussy,besides I doubt If I could find grease in Kioti orange.
I just get the heavy off and let the pressure washer get the rest when the whole rig needs a bath...........Mike

Soundguy · Aug 7, 2002

I hadn't actually thought about that.. but now that you mention it.. NH grease is blue.. go figure...

Soundguy

<font color=blue>FRANK,This used to drive me crazy,when I restored my International I found red grease so it was'nt so obvious,but now(that I'm older)I'm not so fussy,besides I doubt If I could find grease in Kioti orange.

frank_f15 · Aug 9, 2002

thanks guys: seems like most of u wipe off the excess, was beginning to think i was the only neat freak. HEY MIKE i will see if i can scrounge up some grease in kioti orange color.

Youare · Aug 9, 2002

I wipe the grease I can get off easy that is on the outside. The grease that gets between the cylinder housing and the frame I figure prevents a metal on metal contact.

The one thing I don't like is Kubota recommends a grease with moly in it, nothing gets all over any more than that stuff. I'd like to find a good substitute. Seems like I am always getting some of that grease on my hand and transfering it to my clothes.

Randy

dgood1 · Aug 9, 2002

Youare,

Wear goves. Then you won't notice the grease on your hands.

Don

banjobj · Aug 9, 2002

I wipe and use synthetic grease. Nothing as nasty as grease./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

John_Mc · Aug 10, 2002

<font color=blue>The one thing I don't like is Kubota recommends a grease with moly in it, nothing gets all over any more than that stuff. I'd like to find a good substitute.</font color=blue>

One possible substitute would be a Lithium-Complex grease. We were using a moly-based grease where I used to work in one of our tougher applications. We had real problems with the bearings wearing out. Seems the coolant that was splashed on the bearing area kept washing the grease out. Switched to a highly waterproof EP-2 lithium-complex made by Chemtool (I believe it was called Rollube EP2). The stuff was amazing bearings lasted much longer, machine ran cooler. The only gripe was that the stuff was so waterproof, it was almost impossible to wash out of your clothes (It was originally made for use in steel mills, where open bearings on hot rolling mills were cooled with something resembling a fire hose).

I don't know if all lithium-complex greases work like this one, but it's worth looking into. Just make sure you also look for the EP (extreme pressure) rating.

Disclaimer: I'm no lubricantion engineer. Use at your own risk.

John Mc

Turfman · Aug 10, 2002

OK, You guys shamed me. I finished my 50 hour service this morning and the last thing I did was lube the FEL, 3 point links and hydro pedal. I kept thinking about all you neat freaks and started wiping them off after I greased them. About half way though I came to my senses (and ran out of rags) and left the grease on the rest of them.

banjobj · Aug 11, 2002

So what will you do next time? /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

cisco · Aug 11, 2002

This is exactly what those cheap "throw away" cloth towels, in packages of 50-100 at SAMS & COSTCO, are for. I use a lithium complex grease, rated for salt water use (outdrives of boats, boat trailors), and wipe off (not real compulsively) both sides of the fitting - otherwise, the whole area is covered with dirt that I have to scrape off just to get at the grease fitting the next time service is due - so, you're going to wipe it off (at least the zerk side) sometime, might as well be when you put the grease in.

bgott · Aug 11, 2002

I got the latest Eastwood catalog the other day and they have grease fitting caps, $7.99 a hundred. They come in red or black. If you've never heard of Eastwood they supply a lot of auto restoration parts, supplys, tools, paint and other neat stuff. They aren't cheap but you can find a lot of the stuff locally cheaper, some of it you just can't find anywhere else. It's worth a look. www.eastwoodcompany.com

frank_f15 · Aug 11, 2002

ahmen! i use rags on a roll. very cheap, can get them any where, and don't mind use them in excess. but u are right that grease gets all over everything BOY DID I START SOMETHING HERE WITH THIS POST/w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif