It goes without saying that grease is one of the most crucial parts of machinery maintenance. Lubrication is necessary for any machinery and its proper working and longevity. Having a grease gun will help you with making lubrication easier. If you are looking for how to load a grease gun, then given below is a detailed article on how to load a grease gun.
Similar to using grease, even loading a grease gun can be difficult and messy. However, if you follow a proper procedure, you will not face any issues and can load a grease gun seamlessly. So what are you still waiting for, keep reading further to know how to load a grease gun easily.
How to Load a Grease Gun?
There are different types of grease guns out there according to which the process of loading a grease gun differs. Below we have mentioned two major types of grease guns and loading grease guns.
The first method is loading a grease gun with a cartridge and the second method shows how to load a grease gun without a cartridge. Read the below step-by-step guides to get a detailed procedure.
How to Load a Grease Gun with a Cartridge?
When it comes to grease guns and cartridges, one very crucial point you need to note is regarding storing your cartridges. Keep in mind that you always store your cartridges with the part that is tore off on the bottom side as you would want the grease to settle in the right direction.
This will also make it easy for you to change the cartridge by catching up with the gun and turning it off. When you are doing it right and pouring the right amount of grease into the gun, your machinery will work seamlessly. All you need to do is follow the below-mentioned steps accurately and you will be good to go.
Step 1: Unscrew Cartridge Cap
There are 2 main things involved in creating a cartridge loader – the grease cartridge and the nozzle or dispenser from which the grease is twisted. Your first step would be to remove the cartridge.
For this, you will have to loosen the cap which the cartridge is in by simply rotating it in the right direction and at the same time rotating the dispenser nozzle in the left direction. You can use some elbow grease if it is screwed very tightly. This can help you turn the cartridge up.
Step 2: Pull back Metal Handle
Now you are required to pull the plunger back to get a new one. In the rear-end of the barrel, you will see a plunger when the cartridge is out through the plunger. Here, just pull it out between the 2 holes and keep it pulling until the plunger rod is completely reserved from the barrel.
Step 3: Secure the Piston Rod and Remove Cartridge
Majority of the grease guns allow users to move the piston rod laterally as well. This offers to keep the position of the rod secure without moving it forward.
At this point, we would like to give you a very important tip with respect to old and new grease. If you are looking for better and efficient results from your grease gun, then it is advised to not mix up the old and new grease together.
Old grease can actually ruin your work as well as damage your grease gun. So to not let the mixing happen, what you can do is pull out the old grease entirely from the gun before you go ahead with loading the new grease.
After you have removed the old grease entirely, now is the time to keep the piston rod in its position by simply locking it. After that, haul out the older cartridge. You will have to change the direction of the rod a little laterally and then remove the old cartridge from the grease gun.
Step 4: Insert new grease cartridge
Majority of the cartridges are of the size 14 oz. or 16 oz. You need to pick up a cartridge that is compatible with your grease gun. The gun needs to be cleaned well before you insert a new cartridge.
So, what you need to do here is, remove the old cartridge from your grease gun, then clean your gun properly and then choose a compatible cartridge for your gun. You can use a cloth to clean the old grease. After you are done cleaning, unlock the one end side of the new cartridge and then put it through the close side.
At the end part of the barrel, pressure it using the cartridge. Then extract the plastic head from one rock-bottom edge of the new cartridge. This will allow the grease to come out.
It is recommended to store grease cartridges upside down so that it can settle well. You can of course shake it one or two times when you do not save it upside down, that can be helpful too.
Step 5: Reattach the Cap to Grease gun
Now you need to again connect the barrel to the cap of the gun. Do not forget to screw it separately by turning it in 2 opposite directions. While attaching the barrel, it is recommended that you maintain a balance so that the grease will ooze out seamlessly.
Now screw the head in anti-clockwise direction and turn it completely. Next, free the piston rod and return it to its right place. Then as usual, push the handle and remove the air trapped inside.
You can now check if the grease gun is working well and the grease is coming out. Also, see it by lubricating the machinery to get a better idea.
How to Load a Grease Gun without a Cartridge?
Given below is a 5 step guide on how to load a grease gun without a cartridge. The procedure is somewhat the same as the above one. But without a cartridge, you will need a big container that contains a bulk of grease. Then you can follow the below steps –
Step 1: Remove Gun head from Barrel
First of all, you will have to remove the gun head from the barrel cap. The handle, as well as the applicator tube, are generally attached to the head of the gun. You will have to loosen the double pieces of the grease gun. These will separate form one another.
See that the handle of the piston rod is depressed into the barrel. This will check the risk of sucking some grease through the gun all the while you are using the gun.
Step 2: Put the Distal end of barrel into Holder
In order to fill up the barrel, simply clench the barrel down at the distal end of the barrel in the grease holder. This is full of grease and will pull back the plunger rod to load the reservoir when drawing the grease back into the barrel.
You can easily get large-sized grease containers from any hardware shop or retail shop. However, this is suitable for professionals who constantly have the need for large amounts of grease.
Step 3: Remove the Barrel
Now you will have to take the barrel off from the grease container when the plunger rod is taken off entirely. In case any grease is still stuck to the barrel, then rotate the barrel to take it off. You can also use fabric or old but clean cloth to clean the excess grease from the barrel.
Step 4: Reattach Barrel to the Head of the gun
Generally, there are different types of grease guns. Some of which might need you to screw the end cap on. This depends mostly on the type of grease gun you are using. However, you can hold the threads and then pull it until the joint is seated.
Step 5: Test the grease gun
Once you have loaded the gun and also reattached all its parts, you can then test the grease gun as to how it is working and how smoothly it is oozing out the grease.
Important Tips to use a Grease gun
Be it machinery, automobiles, or farm tools, you will require a lot of greasing in all these applications. At such times, knowing a few important tips to use a grease gun more efficiently can help a lot.
- You will see a small grease zerk where you need to inject the grease into the machine to lubricate it and get the best out of your machinery.
- A mini-grease gun comes with a spring-loaded plunger at one end which pushes the grease to the front part of the pump. This helps the grease to come out from one end of the grease zerk.
- The majority of the grease guns have 2 hands for operating as you have to hold the canister using one hand and also the pump handle in the other and push that into the grease zerk.
- The gun also has a rubber tube that goes to the injector on one end and hence if you are trying to get in a tight place you can push it on the grease zerk. Then you can grease it from an angle or distance. As you pull the plunger out, you will see a spring there which you can pull to one side. That holds it out and there is some grease losing out there, nothing extraordinary in this.
- When you are filling the grease in the gun, pull the spring-loaded plunger out and take the cap off. Now poke a hole in it so that the grease can come out and push it down to screw that back in. See that you are wiping the excess grease away from the zerk.
How to bleed a grease gun?
In case you are wondering How do you bleed a grease gun every time? and want to bleed your grease gun, then you will have to bleed the trapped air from it. You will find a big handle to get the air trapped by pumping it. Then you can try bleeding the air out using the bleeder.
You will come across an air drain clapper screwed inside your grease gun when you are pumping the handle. Some of the air will get trapped at the internal part of the cartridge of the grease and then pump your grease gun for lubrication. You will have to pull the T-handle using the rod for changing the cartridge.
Further on, unclose the plastic or rubber cap from the upper portion of the grease cartridge. Then, just tighten the barrel again after you have put the cover inside the barrel. Next, unscrew the barrel once you see an air space in the grease cartridge.
Doing this will help you get the air out of it and also make more space for the air. After this, see that the t-handle holds off well when you are dragging the rod in the original position. The grease will now build up the pressure in the barrel and it will let the air out from the grease gun.
FAQs
Can I restrain the volume of grease that gets out from a grease gun?
Yes, absolutely. You can control the grease amount that will come out of the grease gun by setting up different speed and pressure depending on the grease gun type you have.
How do you change a grease gun cartridge?
You can change the grease gun cartridge using the above guide.
What should you do when your grease gun not pumping properly?
This could happen because of airlock. This can be solved by simply pumping it continuously it to pump the air out. Along with that, you can unscrew and tighten the barrel for pumping the grease.
Conclusion
I hope you have all found the above article of use. In case you have any queries or you are stuck at any of the above steps, then feel free to ask us in the comment section below. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Stay tuned for more such helpful posts!