Stiff and greasy?

[northmanlogging]

So here goes... Been trying to grease up the skidder for a few weeks now (finally got it on a job so its really important now...) but my grease gun don't seem to like the cold. Looking for some idears on warming it up a bit so it works a little better. Set it on the crummys radiator for 1/2 hour or so today to get it work. Any ideas?

 

[whitepine2]

Try using a lighter grease,back in the day when I was 19 worked for sand and gravel plant and we used 90 gear oil in the cold.Might be that more often you would need to grease
but it worked for us. It was used on the crusher and washer as well as the screen-er a lot of greasing on very heavy duty bearings and bushings so I don't see why it would not work for you as well. Worth a try

Whitepine2

 

[brian660]

When I was working on heavy equipment in the cold i`d wrap the grease gun in a heating pad and plug it into the cigarette lighter with an inverter

 

[Jacob J.]

When I was working on heavy equipment in the cold i`d wrap the grease gun in a heating pad and plug it into the cigarette lighter with an inverter

My grandpa would set the grease gun on a piece of tin on the exhaust manifold of whatever equipment he was working on. While the equipment was warming up, so was his grease.

 

[bitzer]

Leave it in the house overnight, heat on in the truck on the way there, and grease it first thing when you get there. Thats the easiest way I've found it. There have been a lot of single digit mornings this year.

 

[northmanlogging]

I've thought about tucking it in next to the engine under the side cover, then grease er up last thing before leaving the site, but knowing my luck it would work its way under the engine and be lost forever... Hel there just might be one under there (I'm skeered to pull the front belly pan... goblins and stuff live in there)

Its not super cold round here, bouncing between the low 20's and mid to high 30's, but its cold enough to solidify the grease...

 

[513yj]

Keeping it warm is a good start and try some different grease. I used the Mobil grease CM-W. Kinda expensive and it is for mining applications but it was worth it in the long run with great wear life and frustration levels. It just plain seemed to flow better in the cold U.P. winters.

 

[hardpan]

Synthetic lubricant is usually thinner or lower viscosity at the lower temperatures than mineral oil. It also cost more.

 

[lmbrman]

I finally gave up during the winter and keep the grease gun in the heated garage at night, and in the heated cab on the way to work. It was a constant struggle otherwise.

 

[floyd]

I don't have tp[ pump any in the cold. I use grease for rollers on tracked equipment.