Getting the grease in!

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

I have a piece of machinery which has stood unused for around six years in a dry indoor building. One of its component parts is a 12" long x 1" dia. shaft running in cast iron bearings. The OD of the shaft is fitted with a standard sized grease nipple which is designed to lubricate the bearings at either end of the shaft. The shaft will rotate by hand albeit rather stiffly so I need to grease it up. Problem is, I cannot get the grease in. I am using a large Tecalamit lever acting grease gun but no matter how much "grunt" I apply I cannot get the grease in.

I am loathe to dismantle the shaft from the bearings for a number of reasons but am unable to think of a quick fix – ideas?

Rik

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

It could be that the old grease is as hard as a bar of soap. Try a light oil thinned with a little white spirit of paraffin, if that gets things moving re-grease.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Maybe you just need a new grease nipple?

Andrew

[BikepeteParticipant @bikepete]

Can you remove/unscrew the grease nipple?

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Bikepete – Yes I would be able to unscrew the grease nipple – why?

Rik

[vintagengineerParticipant @vintagengineer]

Try pumping acetone in first.

[BikepeteParticipant @bikepete]

Just thought it might reveal if the nipple itself was blocked/damaged – or with it removed you could more easily e.g. poke something in and see if the old grease is solid as suspected. Maybe even get some grease out to clear a bit of space for pumping some solvent in…

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

1 check the nipple is clear

2 pump air through the gun

3 pump oil through the gun

4 pump grease through the gun

usually works for me

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Were the bearings designed to be lubricated with grease? Would oil be a better lubricant?

Edited By Mark Rand on 18/07/2017 00:37:03

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Mark – Handbook says the bearings should be lubricated with No.2 tube grease not oil.

Rik

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

The old grease could be as hard as a w ——-s heart on a Saturday night,just try pumping in solvent to get rid of it,then new grease.

[John ReeseParticipant @johnreese12848]

You might try removing the grease nipples and using a twist drill (turned with the fingers) remove the hardened grease from the passage. Test that the grease nipple is clear before reinstalling it. Pumping in oil or solvent as several have suggested is intended to soften and possibly displace the hardened grease. Make sure new grease extrudes around the shaft to be sure all solvent or oil are displaced.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Yet another idea (the removal of the nipple and cleaning out the lube drilling is clearly the best solution) would be the application of heat to melt the grease. There may be a blockage at the cross drilling which could be foreign material/objects pumped in previously.

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