Greasing questions

[ctgoldwing]

OK I consider myself a newbie here as its been over 20 years since my last tractor. I greased my FEL today and it seemed to me that it took a lot of grease. I used over a tube solely on the loader. I just kept pumping until the grease was forced out of the ends of the joints. Seems like a lot of grease to me. The machine has a total of 10 hours on it but probably only 1/2 are with using the loader. It looked like the joints had been properly greased initially as there was grease everywhere there should have been. . .

Another issue I just don't remember from days gone by. The gun seemed awfully hard to get grease to flow initially and a couple of times during use I had to put pressure on the piston rod to get it flowing again. Any thoughts? I am using a moly grease if that matters and the temp outside today was about 60F.

 

[Willl]

New loader ?, and if so, first time greasing it ?

 

[rimshot]

"The gun seemed awfully hard to get grease to flow initially and a couple of times during use I had to put pressure on the piston rod to get it flowing again. Any thoughts?" (CtGoldwing)
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You probably need to prime the unit and get the air purged out of the system. Try this, after loading a new cartridge unscrew the barrel slightly. With the barrell partially unscrewed (so air can escape) push to plunger back and forth a few times. Now screw it back tightly and try pumping. You should get grease now.

rimshot

 

[WH401]

What make of grease gun are you using? I've had similar problems with cheap auto parts branded guns and haven't since I switched to quality Lincoln guns. Pop the cartridge in, prime it, and it's good to go. It never has a problem pumping, and doesn't loose it's prime between uses, which could be days or weeks.

 

[whistlepig]

I went to a good Lincoln gun a year ago. They are worth the extra money. No air pockets and no bleeding. I thought priming and air pockets always came with a grease gun. Not so with a good Lincoln.

 

[ctgoldwing]

New loader ?, and if so, first time greasing it ?

Its new (10 hours total on my L3400) but it looks like it came properly greased - one of the first things I checked after taking delivery.

What make of grease gun are you using? I've had similar problems with cheap auto parts branded guns and haven't since I switched to quality Lincoln guns. Pop the cartridge in, prime it, and it's good to go. It never has a problem pumping, and doesn't loose it's prime between uses, which could be days or weeks.

It is a Lincoln - I've gone the cheap route before
The most bewildering thing is how is stops supplying grease while I'm using it.


So how much grease should it take just to do the FEL?

 

[whistlepig]

It's getting air and losing prime. The gun could be worn out or just broke. Try a Lincoln 1442 Powerluber. I have never had to bleed it and it doesn't loose prime.

 

[rimshot]

I have never used a whole tube for just my FEL but I have when I do the tractor plus backhoe including the FEL. I only insert grease until I see it escape and then stop. This assures me I have squeezed some new grease to joint pushing moisture and dust away. I still seem to end up with too much grease at some joints.

I'd like to steam clean my whole TLB annually because it gets so greasy but in reality that would more than likely do more damage than good.

BS5

 

[Chilly807]

Moly is a bit tougher to pump than most greases, in my experience.

Are you using bulk grease or cartridges? Bulk is worse, since it tends to form air pockets when you load the gun.

I assume you have a 463 loader on your tractor? I just gave mine the first greasing, and it took maybe 4 or 5 pumps per fitting at the most. I'd say yours had some grease smeared on the pins when it was installed and was left dry otherwise.

Hope you're enjoying the new tractor, mine has been a real pleasure to own so far.

Chilly

 

[ctgoldwing]

Moly is a bit tougher to pump than most greases, in my experience.

Are you using bulk grease or cartridges? Bulk is worse, since it tends to form air pockets when you load the gun.

I assume you have a 463 loader on your tractor? I just gave mine the first greasing, and it took maybe 4 or 5 pumps per fitting at the most. I'd say yours had some grease smeared on the pins when it was installed and was left dry otherwise.

Hope you're enjoying the new tractor, mine has been a real pleasure to own so far.

Chilly

Thanks for all the responses & yes Chilly I am really having fun with it ("The difference between Men & Boys. . ."). It looked like the joints had been well greased - it was coming out of most of the pin ends.

I am using cartridges and will grease by BH this weekend. I probably now have about 6 hours real use on the fel & bh. I just trenched for some electrical wire and it was a real pleasure - tho not so much when I came up next to large trees big roots are still a pia but I have a pretty good technique down now to rip them.

I may resort to the air grease gun I have in the basement to see how that goes. . .