New BX2380 owner....grease question

[PNWBXer]

Before I started searching this forum.....I was of the opinion that all grease was mostly the same.....boy was I wrong.

I'm in need of a grease gun....and more importantly ....I think I might need two of them.

I have a FEL, MMM, and Snowblower. It seems the FEL needs Moly type of grease...and the MMM needs multipurpose EP2 (NLGI Grade 2)...whatever the heck that all means...and the Snowblower just says "Grease" lol. The only grease and gun i own is a tube of synthetic multipurpose grease made by Greengrease.net and a small gun I got off of amazon for the 14 oz tube. I must have picked up a an auto shop...and the only needed it to grease the two zerks on my Mountain Bike (yes, Santa Cruz made a mountain bike with zerks at one point for two joints on the rear suspension). That little tube, besides being most likely the the wrong grease, will not cut the mustard when dealing with what, at least 25-30 new zerks i need to service?

Is there a synthetic grease that will cover all my bases without having to get more than one new gun? Or do I need two guns and two greases. No way I would try swapping tubes.....that is just stupid. I'm thinking I want a pistol grip and lock n lube tip at the very least. But trying not to break the bank with the MRS after making this huge purchase.

Lastly, can I get away with one gear oil for both the Snowblower (2816) and the MMM (60" finish)?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Caution Opinion Ahead:

A synthetic EP grease will cover everything including the loader.

Get one good quality grease gun with a hose, and one good quality grease!

 

[SidecarFlip]

Caution Opinion Ahead:

A synthetic EP grease will cover everything including the loader.

Get one good quality grease gun with a hose, and one good quality grease!

Agree 100%. Cheap grease of any brand is just that, cheap.

My opinion and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Creature Meadow]

Will be lots of opinions on grease just as mine is just that an opinion.

I've used Lucas Red n Tacky for years on everything from my mower, implements, tractor everything.

Bulldog likes Amsoil so I thought I would try it and recently switched to it and no plans of ever changing again. I use the heavy duty with 5% moly in it and that is some sticky stuff.

When I tried to wipe it off things it just smears, sprayed brake cleaner on it and it just smears, I'm sold. It is not cheap, I paid $88.00 for a case of 10 about $3.50 more a tube than the Red n Tacky but so far it's been worth it.

Grease is not grease! If it continues to stay in place in the end it may actually end up being cheaper! We will see at my next greasing interval.

Jay

 

[Bulldog]

I good gun will make it easier to grease and more likely to keep it greased. I remember the old pistol grip type and the hand cramps to go along with them. Thank goodness for air and electric operated ones now.

Creature Meadow is right, I'm a big fan of Amsoil. I use this https://www.amsoil.com/p/synthetic-polymeric-off-road-grease-nlgi-2-gpor2/ in everything except auto wheel bearings. I use Amsoil multipurpose for that. You'll get lots of opinions so here's mine. I have been greasing equipment and implements for 40+ years. Amsoil is the best I've ever used hands down. It may seem high priced but grease is always cheaper than repairs.

Don't know the requirements for the gear oil. Do they both call for 80w90 or something like that? You have to be careful because some applications require very specific lubricants.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I’ve been greasing equipment for 55 years with inexpensive grease and never had a failure due to the grease used. As a former auto-tech and current aircraft mx I’ve always used the cheapest specified grease and never “designer” brands. (But I never mix different types of grease and own 5 grease guns, two pistol-grips and three lever-types.)

George, not everyone dances to your drummer, me included but then I own an air greaser and buy my grease in 150 pound open headed drums from my jobber, which happens to be Lubrication Engineers synthetic. It's right for me, may not be for you.

 

[GeoHorn]

I’ve been greasing equipment for 55 years with inexpensive grease and never had a failure due to the grease used. As a former auto-tech and current aircraft mx I’ve always used the cheapest specified grease and never “designer” brands. (But I never mix different types of grease and own 5 grease guns, two pistol-grips and three lever-types.)

There is a youtube video of a non-scientific/amateur test of greases which is convincing and highly praises Lucas “red and tacky” however. It does not use it in actual service, but only on a friction-test machine.

 

[GeoHorn]

George, not everyone dances to your drummer, me included but then I own an air greaser and buy my grease in 150 pound open headed drums from my jobber, which happens to be Lubrication Engineers synthetic. It's right for me, may not be for you.

Clearly, I’m more frugal than you.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I probably use 10 times the grease you do.

 

[GeoHorn]

Here’s the grease test to which I referred earlier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmSQSjraSE

 

[PNWBXer]

Here’s the grease test to which I referred earlier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmSQSjraSE

Funny you posted this. I’m been watching Project Farm on YouTube for about a year! Pretty entertaining from a truth in advertising aspect. Never thought to look for grease on there. Thank you.

 

[Bulldog]

It's funny that a grease discussion is almost as bad as oil. With 20+ years of mining experience I got to see first hand how cheap grease can affect the bottom line and that included red grease. We used about 1200-1600 lbs of grease a year and I have seen hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted caused by nothing more than simple grease failure. In the end we each have the choice to use what we feel is best but cheap grease is cheap for a reason.

It makes more sense to me to spend a couple extra dollars per lb on quality grease that last twice as long and you use half as much. I just don't see any savings in cheap grease.

 

[GeoHorn]

Lubrication college online: https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/798/grease-selection

 

[i7win7]

I have 2 electric grease guns with the lock 'n lube couplers. One has regular grease for most applications. The other has high temp grease for mower deck and pto shafts. When I run out of the regular grease I'll probably use high temp on everything.

Once you go electric you will never go back to manual. Clamp on the lock 'n lube squeeze trigger move onto next fitting. I would recommend Milwaukee or Dewalt if you already use those tool brands

 

[GreensvilleJay]

When I bought my BX23S, I also bought 6 tubes of the grease Kubota dealer uses and a NEW grease manual gun. It's ONLY used on the BX23S, ONLY.
Every 10+-hrs, I squirt a bit of grease into every Zerk and man there are a LOT of them. While a battery gun would be nice, the cost isn't besides I only use it once a month....

 

[SidecarFlip]

I have 2 electric grease guns with the lock 'n lube couplers. One has regular grease for most applications. The other has high temp grease for mower deck and pto shafts. When I run out of the regular grease I'll probably use high temp on everything.

Once you go electric you will never go back to manual. Clamp on the lock 'n lube squeeze trigger move onto next fitting. I would recommend Milwaukee or Dewalt if you already use those tool brands

Once you go pneumatic grease gun and 150 pound open head barrel, electric cartridge or manual cartridge guns become obsolete, key word cartridge. No mess, no grief. I happen to have a 100 foot grease hose on mine so the power unit stays inside the shop. Only the grease gun comes outside. A 150 pound drum lasts me about 3 years and I have a couple hundred fittings to lube.

 

[SidecarFlip]

It's funny that a grease discussion is almost as bad as oil. With 20+ years of mining experience I got to see first hand how cheap grease can affect the bottom line and that included red grease. We used about 1200-1600 lbs of grease a year and I have seen hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted caused by nothing more than simple grease failure. In the end we each have the choice to use what we feel is best but cheap grease is cheap for a reason.

It makes more sense to me to spend a couple extra dollars per lb on quality grease that last twice as long and you use half as much. I just don't see any savings in cheap grease.

Worse actually....lol

 

[SidecarFlip]

Lubrication college online: https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/798/grease-selection

George... I'm sure you have your masters too...

 

[RCW]

While back a similar question was asked.

I thought I knew all I needed to know about grease. Hell, been greasing stuff for 50 years....

I don't buy cheap, but hell it's just grease, right?!?!

Realized I didn't know nothin'....

 

[GeoHorn]

A definition of terms might be appropriate.

“Cheap” can mean two different things.

It can mean a substandard product that can only command a low price because of it’s low quality (cheap) and/or low demand. I don’t use that kind of “cheap grease”.

It can also mean a quality grease which meets an important specification but which is offered at an attractive price (cheap) compared to highly-marketed similar products. This is what I look for, and when I find it, I buy it in quantity which usually ends up being comparable but less-expensive (cheap).

An example is Shell product which is exactly the same Mil-Spec as a Mystic product which sells for 1/3 less. I buy the Mystic.