The Great Grease Gun Coupler Showdown

[MikePA]

Eddie, with all due respect, I don't own a solid tube grease gun, and have no use for one.

Ditto.

I have a Lincoln cordless grease gun. I can't remember the last time I used a lever grease gun. Too many zerks, in too many places, a solid tube grease gun would not fit.

 

[ovrszd]

It takes three hands to use the flexible hose. If I understand the reason for this thread, it's to find a coupler that stays on the zirk fitting while you use two hands to pimp the grease gun. With a solid tube, you never have to fight the hose coming off while you pump the greese.

For years I thought you needed to have a flexible hose. Then one day I realized that I could get to 90 percent of my zirk fittings with the solid tube that came with the grease gun. All it took was doing it that way once to realize how much easier it is.

Eddie

Sorry Eddie. I should have been more descriptive in the beginning. I haven't owned a lever grease gun in at least 30 years. So it's been a looooonnnnngggggg time since I've needed 3 hands to grease anything.

If you are still using a lever gun you would benefit greatly by stepping up to a pistol grip gun. If you have a friend or neighbor that has one, borrow it.

With a pneumatic or rechargeable gun and a long flex hose all one hand does is hang limp at your side gripping the gun and pulling the trigger when needed. This frees the other hand to guide and run the zerk coupler.

Lastly, I have little or no use for a setup that will only grease 90% of the Zerks. I simply don't understand that. So to grease my little JD mowing tractor I would need 2 guns if one was equipped with a solid tube?? Why would I bother to get out the solid tube lever gun if it won't do all the Zerks?? Not picking on you Eddie, just can't understand that at all. Why not just start with a pistol grip flex hose gun and complete the job??

But, that's why we have these discussions, to share ideas.

 

[ovrszd]

Just curious if such a device addresses those zerks that just spew grease until you find just the perfect angle. Otherwise I too, don't see the point.

The only zerks that I've ever saw that did that were damaged zerks. A common place to see those are on a tandem disc where the zerk is exposed to passing dirt which will eventually grind the tip of the zerk down until a coupler will not seal on it.

If I run into a zerk that does this, I replace it with a new one and it always seems to solve the problem.

 

[SPYDERLK]

It takes three hands to use the flexible hose. If I understand the reason for this thread, it's to find a coupler that stays on the zirk fitting while you use two hands to pimp the grease gun. With a solid tube, you never have to fight the hose coming off while you pump the greese.

For years I thought you needed to have a flexible hose. Then one day I realized that I could get to 90 percent of my zirk fittings with the solid tube that came with the grease gun. All it took was doing it that way once to realize how much easier it is.

Eddie

Sorry Eddie. I should have been more descriptive in the beginning. I haven't owned a lever grease gun in at least 30 years. So it's been a looooonnnnngggggg time since I've needed 3 hands to grease anything.

If you are still using a lever gun you would benefit greatly by stepping up to a pistol grip gun. If you have a friend or neighbor that has one, borrow it.

With a pneumatic or rechargeable gun and a long flex hose all one hand does is hang limp at your side gripping the gun and pulling the trigger when needed. This frees the other hand to guide and run the zerk coupler.

Lastly, I have little or no use for a setup that will only grease 90% of the Zerks. I simply don't understand that. So to grease my little JD mowing tractor I would need 2 guns if one was equipped with a solid tube?? Why would I bother to get out the solid tube lever gun if it won't do all the Zerks?? Not picking on you Eddie, just can't understand that at all. Why not just start with a pistol grip flex hose gun and complete the job??

But, that's why we have these discussions, to share ideas.

I find that I cant do all my greasing with either a solid tube or a flex hose setup. So i have both ... and variations of them. The most valuable for me is the solid tube with a knuckle grease head - very close to universal applicability. -- Im with Eddie. -- The base "beauty" of the rigid arrangement is that it is an extension of the hand. Among its substantive general applications is the priceless ability to allow reach into constricted areas where you cannot manipulate the tip by hand.
larry

 

[EddieWalker]

Sorry Eddie. I should have been more descriptive in the beginning. I haven't owned a lever grease gun in at least 30 years. So it's been a looooonnnnngggggg time since I've needed 3 hands to grease anything.

My bad. I misunderstood the meaning of the original poster here. I've tried numerous other types of grease guns and air powered ones from the low end at Harbor Freight to the top of the line from Napa with disappointing results. I admire those of you who have had success with anything other then the old fashioned, long handled grease gun. For me, it has been a bitter road of disappointment.

It takes at least an hour to great just my backhoe. I have the dozer, the compact tractor and some implements that also get grease. For me, I've found that I just want to get it done as quickly and painlessly as possible. I grab two grease guns, one with the solid tube, one with the flex tube and two extra tubes of grease. I set it all down on the hydraulic tank on the side of the backhoe and start making my way around it. The two places that I need the flex tube, I just pick it up, use it and then put it down again. Even though there are zirk fittings right next to the ones that I just used the flex tube on, it's still faster and easier to put it down and pick up the other grease gun.

What amazes me is all the threads and comments I've read on here over the years of guys struggling to use their grease gun, but don't realize how much easier it is with the solid tube. I'm also amazed that there are those who think it's easier to struggle along with the flexible hose because it's able to get to a couple of spots, so they use it on all of them instead of spending a couple of bucks on another grease gun to do those spots and then doing all the easy to get to ones with the faster, easier to use solid tube.

Eddie

 

[Ford850]

I'm curious if this new coupler will be difficult to release if under pressure from a plugged zerk etc.

 

[SPYDERLK]

The LnL is not.

 

[ovrszd]

I find that I cant do all my greasing with either a solid tube or a flex hose setup. So i have both ... and variations of them. The most valuable for me is the solid tube with a knuckle grease head - very close to universal applicability. -- Im with Eddie. -- The base "beauty" of the rigid arrangement is that it is an extension of the hand. Among its substantive general applications is the priceless ability to allow reach into constricted areas where you cannot manipulate the tip by hand.
larry

What type gun do you use??

 

[ovrszd]

My bad. I misunderstood the meaning of the original poster here. I've tried numerous other types of grease guns and air powered ones from the low end at Harbor Freight to the top of the line from Napa with disappointing results. I admire those of you who have had success with anything other then the old fashioned, long handled grease gun. For me, it has been a bitter road of disappointment.

It takes at least an hour to great just my backhoe. I have the dozer, the compact tractor and some implements that also get grease. For me, I've found that I just want to get it done as quickly and painlessly as possible. I grab two grease guns, one with the solid tube, one with the flex tube and two extra tubes of grease. I set it all down on the hydraulic tank on the side of the backhoe and start making my way around it. The two places that I need the flex tube, I just pick it up, use it and then put it down again. Even though there are zirk fittings right next to the ones that I just used the flex tube on, it's still faster and easier to put it down and pick up the other grease gun.

What amazes me is all the threads and comments I've read on here over the years of guys struggling to use their grease gun, but don't realize how much easier it is with the solid tube. I'm also amazed that there are those who think it's easier to struggle along with the flexible hose because it's able to get to a couple of spots, so they use it on all of them instead of spending a couple of bucks on another grease gun to do those spots and then doing all the easy to get to ones with the faster, easier to use solid tube.

Eddie

We'll just agree to disagree. I cannot think of a single instance where I would want a solid tube.

I buy grease by the case. I use 6-8 cases a year.

Eddie, I say this with no offense intended. If it takes you an hour to grease your backhoe, you need to adjust your greasing equipment. Takes a full tube of grease to lube the Grader. I do it in 20 minutes or less.

 

[ovrszd]

I'm curious if this new coupler will be difficult to release if under pressure from a plugged zerk etc.

I cannot report on that yet as I've not encountered that situation. I will be honest in my reply when applicable.

Understand, I don't have a dog in this hunt. I could care less which is the best coupler, LnL, Univer-Co, or standard coupler. I'll honestly report what I discover.