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Re: Any experience with Lock and Lube Grease coupler? [message #327028 is a reply to message #327024] Mon, 11 December 2017 20:22 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
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Registered: March 2007
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James wrote on Mon, 11 December 2017 13:43]As a new owner myself, this post leads me to think I am remiss for not having done any greasing to date (one year and about 3000 miles since purchase). Knowing that we frequently use remotely mounted zircs for hard to reach bearings on pumps, air handlers, etc. at my facility, perhaps this product could be adapted for hard to reach zircs on the GMC: http://greaseextensionhoses.com/

Pete Smith wrote on Mon, 11 December 2017 19:08]I like that idea. If it's easy it will get done much more often.....
Just have check every now and then it's still connected Smile

Pete

James and Pete,

Greasing all 18 normal places on a GMC is only difficult because some are difficult to get the coupler to stay on. If you have a two handed grease gun it can be very difficult to keep it on. If you get a one handed grease gun, that helps a lot. It does not require a lot of grip strength to do.

I suggest that you consider getting either the lock on coupler (I ordered one) and a good grease gun, or a good one handed version. Some years back I settled on a Lincoln 1133. This was after I had tried a similar tool from Hazard Fright. I took that one back. I am hoping that the lock on coupler and the Lincoln 1133 will finally make the job trivial. (But I am sure it will still be nasty.)

As a ship's engineer, I am very familiar with remote grease systems, but the problem the coach represents is that most of the places you really need to grease are on moving elements and remote grease lines are about as friendly as brake hoses. I don't think I want three more brake lines to each knuckle.

The real reason you have to keep at greasing things is because the seals are bad. Out in my garage is a 1995 Honda that has over 250K on it. No part of the running gear has ever been relubricated. If I could get parts with those kind of seals for the coach, I would do so in a heartbeat.

There is the problem with any non-manual system, you can't feel the grease go in. This is a big issue where you cannot see the boot swell. If you use a pneumatic gun, they happily chuff away even if there is no grease going in. I was able to recognize an issue with a lower ball joint because it would not take grease. That allowed me to replace it before a critical failure.

Added note: There are now a number of cordless powered grease guns available. A quick E-bay survey found some good names available in the 200+$ range. Even I am tempted. When you consider that you will be charged at least an hour for a front end lube for the coach and at any shop I would trust, that will almost cover the cost of that tool on the first use. (Yes, I do run my life at the bottom right corner of a spread sheet.) And you can be sure it was done right. You can always get some native guide from the Black's list to supervise.

If you have an older coach, (the exact years escape me at the moment), the lubrication for the bogie pins was set up wrong. So, I carry a straight gun onboard and they to hit them every 1K. Those are just 4 of the 18. Those other 14 you get on your back on the ground or on a lift. Except the two on the steering shaft, I take the grill out for those.

Many of us have also gone to a synthetic grease as they have less heat issues and almost don't age out. I prefer one that has MoS2 in it because I love that stuff. (Unless you get it on something you like.)

In the owners manual, GM called for a 3K service interval for the greased parts. That should be good enough. But way early in my mechanical career (that spans over 50 years) I learned that grease is always cheaper than parts....

Matt

Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit

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