12 Things You May Not Know About Greasing

[@tomjubell5749]

Excellent video. Just a couple thoughts. I am a forklift technician, that's not to say tractors are the same as forklifts, but.... Most likely the pivot points on the loader or backhoe have bushings, not bearings. What's the difference and why would I bring this up? Well, typically a bushing is fixed in place with a pin that travels through the pivot point. The shaft where you apply your grease is also fixed by an outer bolt going through a ear. The shaft will has a grease path through the center with a outlet hole at each of the bushings. When grease is applied it will come out on, whichever side of the bushing it happens to be on. So, if you always grease you loader in the same position, one side of you bushing get the majority of the grease while the other may starve. So how do you remedy this? Apply you grease in the loaders resting position, then change position of the bucket and loader arms and do it again. By changing position of the loader arms and bucket you also change the position of the outlet grease hole on the pivot shaft, thus changing where the grease hits the bushing. Sorry for the long winded explanation.

[@LarryTait1]

I had a scary incident with the Zerk on a dry packed bearing. I had rotated the joint etc, and still the Zerk didn’t seem to take the grease. I could barely move the handle. I decided to wind off the Zerk. As it was near the end of its thread, the Zerk exploded into the sky! Standing there stunned, I heard the Zerk hit ground at least 5 seconds later! If my face had been in the line of fire I could have lost an eye. The Zerk was fine and allowed significant pressure to build in the joint but there was no way out. Scared the crap out of me. I was wearing brown coveralls fortunately...😉

[@integr8er66]

FYI, the fitting that snaps on it does not actually depress the ball as you said, the pressure from the grease gun does that job.

[@francopedro4910]

instablaster...

[@doncook4009]

Here down south the grease fitting is usually called an alemite! Best investment I ever made was a 20V Dewalt grease gun! Great informative videos, Thanks so much! Made me laugh when you made the "GREASE SOUNDS"!

[@robertheinkel6225]

As a kid in the farm, each tractor had a grease gun mounted on a fender. No cabs back then. A good grease gun would shoot about 20 feet. Great for aiming at road signs as you drove down the road. Even back then, some bearings has a seal of sorts. As you pumped the gun, you could feel when it got full, otherwise it would blow out the seals. Mostly found on PTO knuckles.

[@RngrDngr1]

Digging those sounds effects of the grease creeping out! The Lube Shuttle is an awesome addition to your tools and you will grease more often as it makes the job so much better. Buy yourself a good assortment of zerks for your tractor and have them ready so you can change them out quick when they do get grit down in them and won't take new grease. Mike is the Man!

[@btj1844]

Your sound effects are much like mine Tractor Mike!! That's exactly what it sounds like, good job!

[@wsfd4321]

If you have a greasable joint that hasn't been greased in a LONG time and has been sitting for a LONG time, I have had to use a propane torch to heat the old grease to loosen it enough for the new to go in. I have also removed the zerk, position the resulting hole upward and flood the inside area with penetrating lube. Let it sit for a bit to soften that old grease and try it again. Yeah, using the machine will sometimes loosen that crap up, but sometimes that old grease sets up like concrete too.....sign of poor maintenance.

[@GeoffPSU]

I’d like to see a video on zerk replacement and sizes/types etc. I find that if a zerk is stuck, using a jewelers screwdriver or an awe and pushing on the ball sometimes loosens it enough to take the grease.

[@CamppattonFamilyCompound]

Most times when a Zerk won't take grease, dirt has gotten into the bearing/sleeve and it has "dry pack". Dry pack is grease dried out with dirt and it has packed into the channels of the bearing or sleeve and wont allow the new grease to enter the channels. Most times you can free it up by moving the attachment around a little. especially with the loader bucket assembly or backhoe. But it will need to be taken apart and cleaned to get all of the dirt out.

[@davehoward2791]

I grease religiously every 10 hrs, every fitting on the tractor and backhoe, which I clean with brake parts cleaner before I do. PTO implements get greased every time they’re used. I’m a mechanic by profession and I know the importance of greasing. I use polyurea (Lucas Xtra HD or John Deere SD) which is overkill I know, but it isn’t that much more money (about a buck a tube) than lithium greases and gives a measure of additional protection in extreme circumstances. But in 50 years of servicing vehicles and ag equipment the one thing that has been a game changer for me has been the Lock ‘n Lube grease gun fitting. It has been a blessing, making what was a a droll, PITA chore something I no longer dread. I now actually look forward to greasing. Thanks for the excellent video Mike, keep them coming. 👍

[@denjhill]

Grew up calling them Alemite fittings. Still a valid identification. Also, sometimes when they won't take grease the mechanism requiring grease may need to be rotated. For example a loader arm may be in such a position that the pivot joint is closing off the Alemite/Zerk orifice. Rotate it a little bit and it usually opens up.

[@m16ty]

I've heard them called that also. Alemite is actually a trade name for a brand that makes grease fittings and greasing equipment.

[@swampwhiteoak1]

A pneumatic grease gun is wonderful for me. Go to Northern Tool and check out the Lincoln pneunatic grease gun. Or check out the Milwaukee M18 battery powered grease gun. both of these use standard grease cartridges so you can avoid those costly specialty tubes. For the best grease try red waterproof grease.

[@keithnavarro2930]

Good video. Perhaps you could have mentiond that, if possible, slowly rotate or spin the bearing being greased. Also, you can buy dust covers to keep dirt and moisture off the fitting. These covers come in lots of colors, too, so you can use different colored caps for daily, weekly or monthly greasing. Nice sound effects, too.

[@fondy44]

Just found out the hard way that the deck wheels on my brand new finish mower lack any kind of wheel bearing. Nothing in there but a wheel, a bolt and a big, open cavity between the two that requires probably half a tube each from my baby grease gun (I’ll be upgrading soon). Moral of the story is be generous with the grease because when it comes to preventing premature failure, greasing may not just be your LAST line of defense. It may very well be your ONLY line of defense.

[@donaldhindle9735]

This is the best video I have ever seen. Perfect, in every way. Especially if you, like me, needed to learn these things.

[@mcpiddler1135]

I'm kinda late to this game but I will add that bearings such as roller bearings and bushings in loader arms and such take a different grease all together. In a perfect world, bushings get high moly grease and bearings get a synthetic such as Mobil SHC 100. The higher the speed of the bearing rotation, the more important this becomes. Just something I've learned over the last 65 years.

[@machine7767]

LockNLube grease gun couplers work like a champ. They lock onto zerks tight so the grease goes in not out. Lever allows easy removal so you don't have a tug a war getting the coupler off the zerk.

[@kfulk1457]

Love the sound effects of the grease coming out. 😃😆👍🏼

[@scottcampbell7180]

I love your posts and while some are basic they still serve as good reminders. In this video there are two points I'd like to elaborate on. First there is only one bad kind of grease...that's the kind that stays in the tube! Secondly, because I'm frugal I have frequently removed a non-working Zerk fitting, carefully placed it in my vise, cleaned out the existing grease (and the obstruction), poked at the ball, then attached the gun and often times it works again. If not I have a kit with assorted sizes and configurations of fittings when one needs to be replaced and find that an absolute necessity.

[@brandonspeed3142]

In reference to your #6, how do you know when you're done? Most equipment that I've used says to grease until you see new grease coming out, meaning that you've flushed out the old, used grease. Also, I just bought a dewalt 20v grease gun and put the lock n lube top on it. I use it almost daily and can go through 6+ tubes of grease on a single battery charge. We also took delivery of a brand new tractor in February... Less than half of the zerks had ever been greased and I also found a few loose hydraulic line fittings that I had to tighten. Always check your equipment and grease grease grease

[@shandor2522]

Brandon Speed: Yes! If you're old enough to remember Tom McCahill's car maintenance books and articles, he said Audie Duesenberg told him "Keep 'em full of fresh oil & grease and they'll never wear out!"

[@Gunbudder]

5:32 THANK YOU! I did grow up around equipment that took grease, but i was never taught or allowed to grease the fittings for whatever reason. there are random holes in my knowledge of this kind of stuff, so it was driving me insane that i couldn't find a straight answer to this basic question about greasing!

[@mikeskidmore6754]

The Coupler does not push the Ball back .. Grease pressure does.. and a spring pushes it back to close it . works like a check valve..

[@phpdreams]

One thing I didn't see mentioned in the video or the comments is to be careful if you're cleaning your tractor with a pressure washer. Try not to hit the zerks directly with the high-pressure stream. You could inadvertently inject a bit of water into a fitting. Granted it wouldn't be much, but any is more than desired. Also, if you're pressure washing, wipe off as much surface grease as you can first or you'll wind up wearing most of what gets blasted off....don't ask me how I know.

[@bigearny6]

Here in the UK we like to call them grease nipples. I've never heard them call zerks ever!

[@jamesd2128]

Same here in Canada.

[@dougcamponovo8658]

Good sound affects along with the INFO

[@Tom-ej8bb]

Had a zerk that wouldn't take grease. thought it might have been a blind hole? Not. Lost the middle spindle bearing! Never thought to change the zerk. Nice Job!!

[@piperjones9922]

the barber shop opened up here about a weak ago got an appointment on the third day now i don't have to hide from the dog catcher. good vid.

[@JERRYMATT1]

JUST BOUGHT 110 ACRES AND BOUGHT BIG BOY TOYS AND THIS VIDEO WAS GREAT!

[@peacefieldfarm_mn]

Great Topic, Mike. Thanks for posting. I, too, love the sound effects! Cheers!

[@allenduff1597]

Purchased a Lock n' lube grease gun for my dad for Father's Day. His gun that his dad passed down to him has bit the dust. Excited to give it to him and see him use it.

[@steelman86]

Great tips, but his animations and all of his sound effects were hilarious!!! 😃

[@gimpygardner3377]

Most of us tractor owners are weekend Warriors. And only use a few tubes of grease per year. So buy the good stuff, your baby is worth it.

[@richardbunch7014]

I bought a JD brush hog a few years ago and the dealer told me the gear box was full of gear oil. When I got it home, I got to looking at the plugs on the gear box and decided they had never been removed. I removed them just to be safe than sorry. I took a long zip tie and worked it all way to the bottom of the gear box and when I removed it, it just barely had a little oil on the tip of it. I’m glad I checked it! Y’all have a good-un!

[@toddfordahl4419]

Ditto for me on a rotary cutter I bought at Rural King. Bone dry.

[@americanbluejacket209]

Great sound effects.

[@danallen578]

Lucas red and tacky #2. Best grease out there!!

[@ashlandgunclub1000]

Grease pressure pushes the ball in the zerk in not the connector. Always wipe off your zeros before greasing. Best grease is the one you use, the best grease setting in the barn doesn’t work. Always wipe off excess grease, it will attract dirt/grime. We Americans tend to over grease ie: put too much in.

[@philipmcdougal9946]

I have read that when greasing a zerk fitting to give 3 or 4 pumps . If you keep pumping until you see grease coming out you may rupture the grease seal allowing contaminates to get into the bearings.

[@TheSonsOfSimon]

Great video. I have been greasing for a while, but I haven’t known all of this information!

[@cascaderetriever7618]

I put zerk caps on to help keep them cleaner. Cheap and easy

[@sloppyjoe6243]

Mike, I'll put a quick plug for WD-40. If the zerk wont take grease. Squirt it with WD-40 and that will clean and clear the zerk to work properly. The zerk needs to be removed, squirted with WD-40, wiped down and put back on.

[@vihreelinja4743]

Imagine how many ton's of grease have been dripping to the fields we grow our food in the past 100 years. i think sealed bearings would be a WIN WIN.

[@markchoate9021]

Mike, how can you say that "grease" is not exciting. It is a thrilling subject to me! I know, I need to get a life...…… By the way, loved the impression of the sound of the grease going into the fitting. fabulous..... ha. Love the video.

[@tjrplows]

I love greasing my equipment

[@chevyon37s]

Sounds like you don’t have enough equipment

[@rgd2598]

Well... it’s easy and doesn’t take but a couple of minutes when you only have a small dipstick. Lol

[@grwolf272]

Great sound effects by the way!

[@kirkbarley4999]

Mike, thanks for another great video

[@christopherbrosz5003]

Use the grease that is specified in your Operator's Manual, not all grease is the same. Some greases are better for high loads and some are better for faster rotational speeds. Also do not mix greases, they can react with each other.

[@BobSmith-iu3hx]

Yes, you a right!

[@sidneyeaston6927]

To technical, Agricastrol for engines diesel and petrol including small Briggs and Stratton. Castrol gear oil for gear boxes and diffs. Castrol general purpose grease. We ran our cars on it as well.

[@clarkansas6590]

Great information

[@johnos4892]

The lube shuttle gun is great, get one if you don't have one.

[@semco72057]

I have to grease up all of my equipment and get it ready before Winter so they will be ready for next Spring and Summer. Since I don't use my equipment much except for my mowers they don't need much greasing, but I try to keep them greased up.

[@stevebors9640]

Nice sound effects Mike!

[@TonyFreeman-LocoTonyF]

Great video!

[@thegunshow9112]

Thank you mike!

[@robertjackson9601]

Three thumbs up on the grease sounds. Another great video Mike.

[@swheeler6848]

Also for tight areas, pick up a right angle nozzle.

[@trentwarren8968]

Thanks, "Tractor Mike"

[@Ringele5574]

OK.... one thing other than what I saw in the comments about the grease gun fitting depressing the ball, is don't assume you have enough grease in a fitting just because you see grease seeping. Quit pumping once you see no water coming out and wipe off the excess. This channel seems to be oriented to advertising products. After watching a tire ballast video all I got was recommendations for Rim Guard. I wonder what I'll get now. A grease gun recommendation?

[@adventurerhoades]

Good topic.

[@JFKEOD]

Great video! Thank you for the informative video.

[@johnthorpe1071]

Hi Mike, Love the Lube shuttle............. their quick lock........ not so much. Lock & Lube is much better. Thanks

[@TractorMike]

John, if you had the safeLOCK and felt it wouldn't lock on, watch this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5bYnIuZnrqIjas. The only problem we've had with safeLOCK is folks not getting it locked on properly. I had that problem when I first tested the product. Once it's locked on, it won't come off and it's a whole lot easier to squeeze than the heavy spring-type models.

[@johnthorpe1071]

@@TractorMike Thank you Mike, The safe lock worked fine on easy to access fittings but not ones that were not so easy like u joints L&L worked fine on all, maybe I should have let it "wear in". Great content and tutorial, (kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5bYnIuZnrqIjas) may give it another try someday, hate to just "pitch it" for the cost.

[@mikeadams2339]

Reminds me of Click and clack.they could identify a problem by the noise it made!

[@tacratt6091]

In the hills of Kentucky we always called them Alemites! Coal miners! Lol

[@treylem3]

How does that sound go again Mike? Just joking. Thanks for all the great content 👍

[@nickgladman4577]

Your grease gun impression makes me think that your speaking Swahili! Ha! I love it.

[@rgd2598]

Sounds like his braces got locked together

[@mothman-jz8ug]

I have encountered Zerks that wouldn't take grease, and I have also run across some that the coupler on the gun just doesn't fit on properly. Grease squirts around them, or the coupler doesn't go on at all. The worst are the ones the coupler sticks on!

[@travisricks3436]

A Lock N Lube grease coupler will solve this problem.

[@shandor2522]

Probably already in the comments, but automotive suspension joints are usually sealed and can't be greased. They wear out from lack of grease anyway, so I always replace them with zerk-equipped ones, then religiously maintain them. There's a lot of planned obsolescence in cars, you know.

[@JMoe936]

I run into fittings everyday that have paint on them straight from manufacturer. I’ll poke them with a pick until the ball moves correctly or I’ll replace them. I promise I do my best to make a piece of equipment or implement ready lol

[@buckwheat7424]

a grease fitting hammer works by filling the hammer with grease, put it on the fitting and hit the end with a hammer and walla, it pushes the obstruction through and you're back to greasing. the particles that plug the fittings, are tiny in comparison to the applications i'm talking about, scrapers and dozers, but even the small stuff. if you have time to stop and find a zerk fitting if you don't have an abundance of them (which doesn't help me much as they'd all be lost by the first time i'd need one,) other wise do the hammer gun.

[@scottp5331]

It works a lot better if you put in some thin oil or transmission fluids on then hammer that way it'll push through there and lube it and then you can grease it.

[@rickcoleman8903]

Alemite is another name who manufactures it I use to make these on a Kingsbury and a sharp and brown.

[@tomoconnor7528]

FYI if the dry pack is a strait shot to pin, Use a small drill bit and spin it by hand and clean some of the crap out to the pin. Then pump the shit out of it and move the joint to help push out the crap

[@kurtsimmons1587]

Mike by chance have you changed a bearing lately? I don’t know but in automotive they are mostly sealed. My zero turn bearings are sealed so greasing them is pointless. You have to remove the bearings and remove the cover on the side that the grease will enter. It is sad because when you do different things and remove the cover from the bearing say your belt tensioner. There really isn’t any grease in them. They’ve made things to fail nowadays!

[@joewedge1480]

Hey mike, that grease crackle sound at 6:30, you should out some music to that and rap that.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

It could be that the grease is so old that it dried to a solid state.. or the area to gease has a solid rust in it . Or in the case of pin and bushing the pin could be blocking the gease path .. for examples pins on Springs for suspension .. you have to take the weight off from the pins with a Jack then grease it ..

[@ronjackson449]

Cool thx

[@russellscara7684]

lubrication is the secrete to life

[@theherdsmansjourney831]

New subscriber here.

[@TractorMike]

Thank you, welcome aboard!

[@stevebearing_72]

I do actually enjoy greasing 😊

[@homesteadincrazy7773]

need to know about how to remove power steering lines on a 3930 Ford Tractor (1979). Please help. Thanks.

[@AUoldphart]

Thanks Mike, good information. Are all Zerk fittings the same size? I purchased a new grease gun, the tips (came with two) are extremely hard to remove from all the Zerks on my tractor. I tried both tips with the same result. I have to pry them off or get a pair of pliers to get them off most of my tracotor Zerks.

[@craigbrogan2721]

Lock n Lube grease gun coupler is money well spent.

[@jphickory522]

The grease guns’s coupler (part that attaches to the zerk) can be adjusted to reduce the clamping force applied to the zerk fitting. You will likely have to rotate the outer component of your coupler clockwise (as viewed from the rear of the grease gun) to allow the coupler to detach itself with less effort

[@circlepfarm9729]

You can unscrew the end of the grease line fitting ( the one the end of the hose, not the zerk ) and it will loosen it up so it’s not so tight.

[@TheSonsOfSimon]

Try unscrewing the tip from the tip of the grease gun. My grease gun is the same way. It will “lock” on to the grease fitting, and once you unscrew it about 1/4 of the thread depth, it falls off of the fitting without any force.

[@sidneyeaston6927]

some tips work like hose fittings and can not be removed while there is any sort of internal pressure.

[@matthewsims359]

You are spot-on about the manufacturer’s using cheap zerks. I have a brand new tractor and 3 of the zerks will not take grease. As a kid, i loved driving tractors(40yrs later i still enjoy it). My dad made me grease it everytime i drove it. If i greased it yesterday, he would make me grease it today before i could drive it. He was also a firm believer in changing the fluids often. Lessons learned. Stay well and stay safe 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Jonzuber]

Use polyurea type grease for the joints on a tractor, the cheaper grease doesn’t do the job if water gets in the grease reservoir!

[@canadiantractorguy6761]

great channel of ..

[@morrishoyt4897]

Can a new Holland tractor roll backwards suddenly while climbing a steep hill,if the fluid level is low?

[@pondacres]

All valid points. Also, tractor Mike, you outta ask barber Phil about a haircut, buddy!

[@kbwfgg6400]

thumbs up, your info does clear up some mud. You mentioned about how do you know if your new tractor has been greased. What I have been wondering is how can one know if the dealer actually put the beet juice in the rear tires that was required and paid for with the new tractor?

[@TractorMike]

Ken, if you press in the tire stem valve you'll have some come out. It's hard to keep the fluid from coming out when checking your inflation, even with the valve stem at the 12 oclock position.

[@lacrewpandora4164]

3:34...Tractor Mike calls em Grease Certs :)...we've all got our own wrong name for these things.

[@carrollsanders9376]

Three shots are enough for Pto shafts don't over greese and open the seals. Get a good greese that will keep the moisture out a moly Lithium greese is best. Air greese guns are the best, the battery guns are ok, but get spare batteries. Make sure not to over greese some bearings always consult owners manual.

[@m16ty]

Do I do enough greasing on my small farm to justify a battery grease gun? No. I have one though, because the easier you make a job like greasing, the more apt you are to do it more often. Same way with a farm shop, you are much more inclined to do maintenance and repair if you have a decent place to work on your tractor and equipment.

[@kevindearmon1309]

Do u ever back drag with your bucket on and if so what is a good way of doing it with out messing up any thing

[@gimpygardner3377]

Curl your bucket up and use the backside of the bucket to drag. If you point the bucket down, then your cylinders are extended and you could bend a cylinder.

[@dustinbesser4780]

hello and welcome to "Sounds By Mike" channel! :p

[@duxnlabs]

Mike, are you growing a Covid mullet? :) Love the content. Thanks for the info and videos.

[@jerrysadler6100]

Try to use at least 3 percent molly or if you can find it molly max which is 5 percent molly ! They if it only gets hit every so offen the joint is still good, I worked for the railroad for 49 years, if the operators only hit the fittings every so offen it’s still good

[@jerrysadler6100]

Cat recommends 3 percent at least!!

[@garyconklin2386]

I believe the grease pushes the ball open and not the fitting of the gun

[@Mccaid]

Best thing i ever bought was a dewalt grease gun

[@NoSQLKnowHow]

If I wanted to replace a few zerk fittings to upgrade them from the cheap ones, what are the good brands to get?

[@mikeskidmore6754]

Amelite

[@allenduff1597]

"Grease is just oil with a thickener" I learned something new today!

[@mikeskidmore6754]

The used to call it a soap that holds the oil in place longer..

[@thomasnine2595]

New machine, scrape the paint off the top and ball of the zerk because paint will be pushed into the pin or bearing and will damage it

[@crazyuncleduke8012]

The money shot is at 9:36. :-)

[@HelloHumanIAlsoAmHuman]

The reason farm machinery is still greasable is because grease can get cooked and turn bad under high pressure/temperatures, and then the bearing will fail soon after. Greasing machinery every day keeps good grease in the bearings. It has nothing to do with not wanting to redesign tractors - that doesn't even make sense.

[@ffjsb]

#1 should ALWAYS be READ YOUR MANUAL. It will tell you what you need to know.