Greasing your machine....The hate/hate relationship.

[GeoHorn]

WD40 in aerosol cans costs approx $1/oz.

In gallon cans it costs approx half that.

I use it because it’s a clean solvent with a pleasant aroma. I use it instead of liquid soap in a bucket of water using a mop to wash my aluminum airplane. I haven’t had to re-polish that airplane in 24 years of ownership.

But there’s another solvent that may be similarly efficient at cleaning up grease and grime and costs about 5-cents per oz.

Diesel.

 

[Soopitup]

Water has to reach more than 212 degrees, to form steam.
A "hot pressure washer" does not quite make steam.

You're right, it doesn't.
But it's pretty close.

 

[DeepWoods]

When I have to grease my tractor FEL and attachments I go around with a Q tip and a box of Kleenex to clean all the recessed zerks before getting the grease gun out. Both are cheap and when filled with grease, get tossed in a bucket. I find that it is much quicker to grab another Kleenex when the grease starts to smear on the paint. Greasing the backhoe takes longer because of the number of zerks, and most of them are recessed, but usually can be done in less than an hour. I’m in the crowd of leaving a bead of grease around the pivot point to provide some protection from intrusion. Still one of my least favorite things to do, but know the importance of it.

 

[Siesta Sundance]

Consider paying a little more for a better grease, Look for the EP2/NLGI2 that Kubota requires, the grease that Kubota dealers is crap. When I bought the SVL I noticed it was not the same grease and know I have learned and know why.

Every 10 hours the zerks get greased, and it uses about 3/4 tube of grease per 10hours and I was using generic and Kubota brand greases.

On the SVL, the grease is even more of a problem, because globs of grease fall into the frame of the machine. Last year I recently looked into what grease was shipped from factory and a better look into the manual etc. Anyways that hydroxystreate soap additive seems to make less of mess of the equipment, pretty soon all my equipment will be using the Shell grease.

So, consider a multipurpose, extreme-pressure grease based on a blend of high viscosity index mineral oils that has the lithium hydroxystreate soap thickener.

Hopes this helps y'all out!

Shell changed names/equivalent

Shell Gadus S2 V220 2 - 400g

Shell Gadus S2 V220 2 grease is a high quality multipurpose, extreme-pressure grease based on a lithium hydroxystreate soap thickener.

www.lubefinder.com

 

[Siesta Sundance]

Personally I wouldn't like any solvent in the joint. Or all over the tractor.

^ This.

And if someone needs a solvent, save your money and just use diesel, no way would I waste money using WD40 etc.....

It’s impossible to “over grease” a plain bearing or pin such as on a FEL.

NO, there are zero seals on the pins, pushing out excessive old grease ensures sand/soil debris is removed from the pivot areas, which is less wear/tear with fresh grease.

 

[jaxs]

Any towels, Tee shirts, denim, sweatshirts in poor condition or way out of fashion, I cut up and use for rags.

WHAT!!!!!!!! Go to any high school or college campus and you will see there's market for selling tattered garments to young women. I tease my granddaughters about getting into fights with wildcats.

 

[L35]

I loathe greasing my machine/s: However, I do it all the time due to the 'voices in my head'.

The thing I hate as much/(possibly more) is cleaning up, and lately I have been neglecting the "clean up" part.

The over arching question here is : What do you use to clean heavy amounts of grease off?

"Back in the day" I/we used "trike" (trichloroethane or trichloro-triflouronethane???? possibly both?) and it worked great from what I remember.............. Best of all it was free ......

About 15 gallons ended getting "accidently" taken home with a Marine that I knew, but 'he' has long since run out and therefore, "we" have had to find alternatives.

Currently I use a butt load of rags and "brake cleaner", but was wondering if anyone has a better solution?

Here are the before and after pics of my most recent "cleaning spree"....

View attachment 122347

View attachment 122348

View attachment 122349


After:

View attachment 122350

View attachment 122351

I use old rags damp with diesel fuel. Gets the gunk right off. Wear rubber gloves!

 

[Tractor Gal]

And, I use the old, strained T-shirts and jeans to wear when I work! It is not a pretty picture!

TG

 

[jaxs]

And, I use the old, strained T-shirts and jeans to wear when I work! It is not a pretty picture!

TG

For close to 30 years now according to my grandson I have been wearing dirty pajamas when I work. One day when he was about 5 I had on coveralls in the shop, he asked why I was wearing dirty pajamas and it has stuck since.

 

[Tractor Gal]

I currently have 2 grease guns...one for backhoe and one for loader and other things. Would the Shell Gadus that Sundance mentioned above work for both applications? I'm getting a DeWalt 20V gun with a Locknlube and it would be nice to be able to use grease in it that would work for everything. Or, is there another grease that would work for both? If this is too basic a question, bear with me.

TG

 

[fried1765]

I currently have 2 grease guns...one for backhoe and one for loader and other things. Would the Shell Gadus that Sundance mentioned above work for both applications? I'm getting a DeWalt 20V gun with a Locknlube and it would be nice to be able to use grease in it that would work for everything. Or, is there another grease that would work for both? If this is too basic a question, bear with me.

TG

The grease brand/type issue is one that has been beaten to death here on OTT.
Congratulations, on the DeWalt 20V grease gun, and the Lock-N- Lube.
You have made an excellent greasing method choice.

 

[Showmedata]

I don't use brake cleaner on painted surfaces. After wiping, I'm partial to citrus degreasers. I like the stuff sold for cleaning bicycle or motorcycle chains, if you can find a bulk-size quantity so it's not overpriced.

 

[Russell King]

For ro

I currently have 2 grease guns...one for backhoe and one for loader and other things. Would the Shell Gadus that Sundance mentioned above work for both applications? I'm getting a DeWalt 20V gun with a Locknlube and it would be nice to be able to use grease in it that would work for everything. Or, is there another grease that would work for both? If this is too basic a question, bear with me.

TG

For anti friction bearings you don’t want the rolling element to skid, on a pin type joint that skidding motion is how that joint works.

Molybdendnum greases at some percentage of content will cause skidding in an anti friction bearing. Those bearings are wheel bearings and other places on the tractor or implements you may be greasing. Most people avoid any moly grease in those places so avoid having a grease gun with moly grease in it. So the use something like the Shell Gadus grease in all joints and bearings.

I just have one grease gun so am in the camp of non moly grease since I use the grease in wheel bearings on my utility trailer. If I was just using the grease gun on my tractor and my implements that have only sliding joints then I would probably be fine with molybdenum all the time

You can read for hours about what the best grease is, but any grease is better than no grease.

 

[fried1765]

For ro

For anti friction bearings you don’t want the rolling element to skid, on a pin type joint that skidding motion is how that joint works.

Molybdendnum greases at some percentage of content will cause skidding in an anti friction bearing. Those bearings are wheel bearings and other places on the tractor or implements you may be greasing. Most people avoid any moly grease in those places so avoid having a grease gun with moly grease in it. So the use something like the Shell Gadus grease in all joints and bearings.

I just have one grease gun so am in the camp of non moly grease since I use the grease in wheel bearings on my utility trailer. If I was just using the grease gun on my tractor and my implements that have only sliding joints then I would probably be fine with molybdenum all the time

You can read for hours about what the best grease is, but any grease is better than no grease.

"any grease is better than no grease".
So..oo...ooo true!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I currently have 2 grease guns...one for backhoe and one for loader and other things. Would the Shell Gadus that Sundance mentioned above work for both applications? I'm getting a DeWalt 20V gun with a Locknlube and it would be nice to be able to use grease in it that would work for everything. Or, is there another grease that would work for both? If this is too basic a question, bear with me.

TG

For the record, I have no special knowledge nor expertise in greases or oils.

I have heard that "moly" greases are better for pins, verses roller bearings, but I don't get all wrapped around the axle about it either way.

I am with most people here, and believe that greasing often is the key in most respects.

I have been using Lucas "Red and Tacky" for years and years on basically everything except my boat.

Yes, I actually bought "Yamalube Marine grease" for that, (and a separate hand pump grease gun) but since there are only 2 fittings on my boat, one tube is basically a lifetime supply.

If you want to use Gadus, go for it. It sounds like a good grease to me.

You will appreciate that Dewalt GG, and the Loc-n-lube, I know I love mine. (Greasing still sucks ass, but at least its faster now)

 

[Tractor Gal]

My quandry is in the type of grease to use. WSM says multipurpose grease for tractor and MMM. Moly EP for both loader and backhoe.

When I first got this thing, I bought two types of grease...the "red and tacky" as runs with scissors mentioned above and what I think was moly ep. The tube in one grease gun is black and just really messy if you get it on yourself or clothes (despite stains already there). That's what I have used on the backhoe and loader. The red and tacky has been used for the mower and tractor. I bought what I did because it showed a backhoe on the label as one of the kinds of machines for it. I had no clue...stiff iffy, apparently!

In a post above, Russell says the % of moly can cause slipping but what percentage would that be?

Yes, any grease is better than none, as stated. I have been faithful to grease regularly but I hate to put the black stuff in the new gun if I don't have to!

Choice of grease must be a personal thing and I can go with that, but I have to decide which way to go. That's why I come to "the brains" to help me out!

TG

 

[Russell King]

My quandry is in the type of grease to use. WSM says multipurpose grease for tractor and MMM. Moly EP for both loader and backhoe.

When I first got this thing, I bought two types of grease...the "red and tacky" as runs with scissors mentioned above and what I think was moly ep. The tube in one grease gun is black and just really messy if you get it on yourself or clothes (despite stains already there). That's what I have used on the backhoe and loader. The red and tacky has been used for the mower and tractor. I bought what I did because it showed a backhoe on the label as one of the kinds of machines for it. I had no clue...stiff iffy, apparently!

In a post above, Russell says the % of moly can cause slipping but what percentage would that be?

Yes, any grease is better than none, as stated. I have been faithful to grease regularly but I hate to put the black stuff in the new gun if I don't have to!

Choice of grease must be a personal thing and I can go with that, but I have to decide which way to go. That's why I come to "the brains" to help me out!

TG

The black grease is most likely molybdenum grease and that type of grease meets your description. I recall that 5% and less can be used on roller bearings.

Your use of the red and tacky on the mower is probably on the spindles which have anti friction bearings that are turning at a pretty good speed (2500 RPM?).

Your use of the molybdenum on the loader and loader is probably just pin joints.

You could decide to continue using two greases one in the existing manual grease gun and the other in the new electric gun. I would recommend using the electric grease gun for the grease that you use the most of each month.

 

[McMXi]

Yes, I actually bought "Yamalube Marine grease" for that, (and a separate hand pump grease gun) but since there are only 2 fittings on my boat, one tube is basically a lifetime supply.

I did the same and bought a grease gun just for the boat and Yamalube marine grease. I have the DeWalt and two hand pump grease guns but really need a fourth for all the Mobil1 grease I use on the Jeep, trucks and trailers.

I have no issue with both of the greases that the local Kubota dealer sells. I use the Polyurea Multi-Purpose Grease on the tractor and the Moly-Lithium All-Purpose Heavy Duty Grease on the loader. Works fine for me.

 

[Siesta Sundance]

The use of moly grease/EP2 is just a 'recommended in the FEL manual, Not a requirement!! I've been a mechanic most of my life, to include 11 years of as a crew chief working on 45 million dollar helicopters. I buy grease in cases/bulk, the Shell grease is about $20 more per case, and meets the Kubota verbiage of a "high quality grease". If the Shell High Performance Multipurpose Lithium Extreme Pressure Grease, is good enough for the SVL 75-2 skidsteer that has higher break out force than my tractors, I think its perfectly suitable for using it on the FEL of my tractors.

Like others said, grease brand/specs is a preference.... any use of grease is better than no grease!

 

[McMXi]

The use of moly grease/EP2 is just a 'recommended in the FEL manual, Not a requirement!! I've been a mechanic most of my life, to include 11 years of as a crew chief working on 45 million dollar helicopters. I buy grease in cases/bulk, the Shell grease is about $20 more per case, and meets the Kubota verbiage of a "high quality grease". If the Shell High Performance Multipurpose Lithium Extreme Pressure Grease, is good enough for the SVL 75-2 skidsteer that has higher break out force than my tractors, I think its perfectly suitable for using it on the FEL of my tractors.

Like others said, grease brand/specs is a preference.... any use of grease is better than no grease!

I buy grease in cases too. In a perfect world I'd have one grease for everything but that's just not the case for me (pun intended).

Holy crap! What kind of helicopter costs $45M? A couple of friends up here are pilots and own or co-own aircraft and it's amazing to me how much money is buzzing around the skies. They've told me that an electronics upgrade can easily cost $100k or more and that could be on a 50 year old Cessna or something.