manual grease gun

stevenf · Dec 3, 2004

I've got the old long lever variety with a ruuber hose and so to grease the tractor each zerk I have to stop, grab the hose, push it on, reposition hands without pulling the hose off and pump. My question is I've seen at TSC a regular size grease gun (not the small one) with a pistol grip actuator and metal feed tube are these type any good or ? It cost about $25.00 and I hate to invest if someone has used it and found it lacking. A compressor type although it would be nice is not an option as I have no barn yet.
Steve

EddieWalker · Dec 3, 2004

Not sure about the pistol grip guns, but I'd highly recomened going the air route.

If you don't have a compressor yet, it should be high on your list. You'll need it for building your barn and working on your tractor. It's not even close the difference a compressor makes in what you can get done.

I have a little pancake compressor that I paid $100 for brand new at my local discount tool store. Don't buy one of those oil-less compressors. All the reviews say they don't last.

I bought an expesive Lincoln air greese gun and it lasted about a day. I returned it and got another with similar results. Then I bought a cheap one from Northern Tool and it works great. My time spent greasing has droped in half, and its now an easy task compared to before.

markie61 · Dec 3, 2004

I got the same one from TSC and like it better than the lever one, especially when you are laying under tractor. However, I replaced the metal feed tube with a flexible feed tube to enable reaching all my tractor and implement fittings. The pistol grip allows you to use one hand to hold the gun and pump, while the other hand can pop the tip off and on the fittings.

Air would be nice, but no complaints here.

Mark

stevenf · Dec 3, 2004

Mark I know this sounds silly coming from a person who's life work is in a printshop but I'd like to keep my hands at least semi grease free when lubricating. I only just took delivery on it last wednesday and I'm working it hard already have over 20 hours on it and most has been grapple and loader work and I'm in the frame of mind to over lubricate rather than under so every 4 or 5 hours I'm jumping off and at least lube the loader parts in the field and then keep working.
The rubber hose forces me to end up with grease on my hands that requires either wiping what I can off on my jeans or go wash up. I figured with the solid tube I could push it on with the gun and therefore not grease myself in the process. Would the solid tube hold up for this or would I bend it putting it on and taking it off the zerks. Also does the mechanism that pumps on your pistol type seem to be able to pump the same pressure, as a M9000 is a rather large tractor and greasing good reguires it goes into and around 1-1/2" loader pins with a bucket that probably weighs 400lbs empty.

MicroPilot · Dec 3, 2004

Greasing the tractor is, well, greasy.

You'll get grease on your hands know matter what kind of gun you have.

I have a grease gun with the metal tube and it works well, but I did buy a swivel fitting for the end to help hit all the zerks. I tried one of the slotted 90* fittings, but it didn't work worth a ****.

Also keep a pair of gloves handy when your greasing. This almost keeps from getting your hands COVERED in grease.

Junkman · Dec 3, 2004

I keep a box of medical exam gloves in the garage. Cheap and saves a lot of time cleaning up. Sure beats trying to get into the kitchen to wash your hands when the wife is in there cooking. They don't understand tractor or car grease.... only cooking oil... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

markie61 · Dec 3, 2004

I agree with the others: I think you will always need a rag and gloves when lubing, but...

Yes, I think the solid feed tube will almost certainly stand up to the type of use you describe. It is pretty solid and would take quite a bit of pressure to bend. I have never found anything (except a damaged zerk filled with metal) that the pressure wouldn't push grease into, including the pivot pins on my loader and bucket.

Mark

stevenf · Dec 3, 2004

Thanks Mark I'll pick one up on the way back to the ranch tonight. They are forecasting rain again here so I may be wishing I'd gotten the cab model or at least a umbrella but where I'm at I was afraid I'd just end up bumping something and having a $7,500 piece of mangled plastic.

texbaylea · Dec 3, 2004

I have both an air powered grease gun - a cheapie chinese made one that works fine, and a Lincoln battery powered gun that is the cats meow. Sure makes it easier to get around to all the loader fittings. It has a long flexible tube so that allignment is not difficult and you don't have to stay bent over.

You WILL get greasy, just keep a jug of hand cleaner and paper towels handy.

Vernon

MikePA · Dec 3, 2004

<font color="blue"> A compressor type although it would be nice is not an option as I have no barn yet. </font>
Might look into a Lincoln battery powered grease gun. Expensive, but works great. I bought one before I had a compressor and I still use the battery powered one.

gsxr1100 · Dec 3, 2004

That is what I do. I get boxes and boxes of med gloves from my sister RN at Baystate Hospital or my dad visits the MA state police (now retired) and it is amazing what he brings home for his kids. From gloves, boots, rain jackets, raid jackets, some other “fun items”… /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

I got a Snap-on pistal gun and works perfect for me....cheap too.

PineRidge · Dec 3, 2004

We have the manual pistol grip as well as the pneumatic grease gun. Frankly after using both we prefer the pistol grip manual grease gun. With it you get some feedback from the grease gun itself so that you know the grease is entering the zerk. You don't get that feedback with an electric or a pneumatic style gun. Now if you are one of those types that just lets the grease fly until its dripping on the floor than you don't need feedback. Excess grease collects dirt and dust, sure you can use a roll of paper towels to clean up the excess but I think you have better control with a manual gun.

Soundguy · Dec 4, 2004

I have both that you speak of.. the long handled manual one with a rubber tube, and the pistol grip one with a rigid metal tube.. both were tsc purchases. The rigid one is great for 1 handed operation.. the hosed one is great for hard to reach spots..

Soundguy

RalphVa · Dec 4, 2004

I use the smaller pistol grip kind with a solid snorkle that feeds the grease to the zerk. It works fine. No one has mentioned almost the most important thing in one of these small guns. Buy one that has a release for the grease feed. Think I bought mine at TSC. After using it, I pull the release handle out and lock it back on a slot. What happens without a release is that grease eventually leaks past the pressurization seal and gets on both sides of it. You end up with grease behind the seal that you can't use. Having the release makes those small grease containers last a lot longer.

I always grease with a rag to first wipe the zerk and then to wipe away any excess around the gun snorkle. I also keep some hand cleaner nearby and have my sink to wash up with in the carriage house in warmer weather. It's not heated in the winter; so I shut off the water to it and drain the lines.

Ralph

Junkman · Dec 4, 2004

No one mentioned the type and quality greese that they use either.. I don't own a grease gun... when the Kubota wears out, I will buy a John Deere tractor and see if that one lasts any longer with less problems... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

RickB · Dec 4, 2004

I agree with PineRidge on the feedback issue. Matco sells a great quality manual pistol grip gun for under $30. I own two of them. Any gun can be equipped with a hose or steel tube, available just about anywhere. I prefer an 18" hose.

Larry_T · Dec 4, 2004

I also like the manual grease gun. have one with a hose one with metal tube&a air one.My L3010 only takes a few minutes to grease.The Idea of greasing is to flush the old grease out with new to get the dust & dirt out. So you are going to see grease come out along side of pins.

5030 · Dec 4, 2004

Paul:

Did you get them from the proctologist?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

5030 · Dec 4, 2004

Paul:

I know you are lyin'. Your wife told me so.

I have a number of grease guns. Each gun has a different type of grease in it. Different implements as well as different drives take various greases.

I also have a Z Line bulk greaser. It works off a 130 pound pail. It sits in the corner of the shop and has a 50 foot hose. I run a high viscosity general purpose grease on the bulk greaser. A full pail costs right around $1500.00. I get my greases from American Lubricants in Dayton, Ohio.

I thought about one of those Lincoln units, but you can buy a bunch of lever grease guns for the price of admission. For non-ag work, any good general grease is okay. Just make sure it has a high shear point and a high drop point too.

As far as greasy hands, well, it's like Corn Huskers Lotion. Keeps your skin pliable.

Dargo · Dec 4, 2004

You have me confused about your 130 pound pail of grease. I've sold hundreds of 1/4 barrels of the highest quality grease for right around $100 per 1/4 barrel, which is 120 pounds. What kind of grease are you talking about? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif