Grease Monkey tips.

[Mooneymite]

I guess all the "real mechanics" are going to get a chuckle out of my experience, but since this was a new one on me, I thought I would share to save someone else a frustrating afternoon "monkeying around" in the wheel wells.

On the first owner assisted annual after buying my Mooney, I spent days trying to get grease into the landing gear grease zerks which had "alegedly" been greased every year.  The process sometimes involved taking the joints apart and cleaning out the old, nasty grease, sometimes it was just a process of forcing clean grease through the zerks.

Subsequent annuals, greasing the gear has been relatively easy.

Until this year.  

It seemed like every zerk was gummed up and refused to take the grease.  A huge mess ensued because the grease went everywhere but into the zerks.

I couldn't figure out what had all of a sudden clogged all the zerks!  Did I use bad grease last year?  What?

Then it came to me in a flash!  I changed out the "coupler" on my grease gun and VOILA!  The problem had not been in the zerks, but in a worn out grease gun coupler.

So....if you have problems getting grease into all those pesky landing gear fittings....it just might be your grease gun coupler is the problem.

 

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCGG5701-3-Heavy-Duty-8-Inch-Coupler/dp/B00HG3B97W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1476995005&sr=8-3&keywords=grease+gun+tips

[Yetti]

I picked up one of these from the Tractor store....  Going to try it out in a month

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Univer-Co-3102-Lock-On-Grease-Gun-Coupler-Zerk-Coupler/351655737449?_trksid=p2141725.c100338.m3726&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150313114020%26meid%3D688c8ec988f1425cad17bcc6aa5d36e9%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D191862261761

[Mooneymite]

47 minutes ago, Yetti said:

I picked up one of these from the Tractor store....  Going to try it out in a month

Let us know how it works.

In my experience there are two types available:  Those that are too loose and leak grease out the sides and those that are so tight you can't get the coupler off the zerk.

[Hank]

Just now, Mooneymite said:

Let us know how it works.

In my experience there are two types available:  Those that are too loose and leak grease out the sides and those that are so tight you can't get the coupler off the zerk.

I've experienced the second one . . . Broke off a 90° zerk on the nose gear, had to let my A&P bail me out. It was a frustrating end to the evening (my time for owner assist was in the evenings after work and in weekends). Be careful with those dad-blame things!

[Mooneymite]

The worst thing about greasing the gear is that there is absolutely no way to "get comfortable".  You have to be a contortionist.  Every annual, I wonder why Mooney didn't put more thought into how to do maintenance on these otherwise great machines.

[Hank]

When I grease the gear, I locate and clean all fittings on one wheel, then grease them all and move to the next wheel. There are eight (8) grease fittings on each main gear, and eleven )11) on the nose. Happy hunting!

Oh, get a comfortable creeper. My new one is red plastic with tool / screw holders on both sides and a foam pillow. It's contoured and surprisingly comfortable. Harbor Freight has them on sale regularly for < $20. Doggone thing is actually pretty nice. A little Tri Flo on the wheels helps, too . . .

Edited October 20, 2016 by Hank

[Mooneymite]

17 minutes ago, Hank said:

When I grease the gear, I locate and clean all fittings on one wheel, then grease them all and move to the next wheel. There are eight (8) grease fittings on each main gear, and eleven )11) on the nose. Happy hunting!

Oh, get a comfortable creeper. My new one is red plastic with tool / screw holders on both sides and a foam pillow. It's contoured and surprisingly comfortable. Harbor Freight has them on sale regularly for < $20. Doggone thing is actually pretty nice. A little Tri Flo on the wheels helps, too . . .

Spoken like a younger man....

[Hank]

59 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

Spoken like a younger man....

I never said it's easy getting off the creeper and standing up again . . . But my original creeper was a piece of finished plywood on wheels, with a card-sized "cushion." Made me hurt before I even laid down on it. The new curved plastic creeper is wonderful!

[orionflt]

this was my christmas present several years ago, works great and you can use the seat portion under your head for support when you are working low under a Mooney.

it is also a very comfy seat, spent 2 months in the living room being used by my daughter before I finally got it to the airport

 

 

 

[tony]

I remember my first owner assisted annual.  l seem to remember every grease fitting I either had to remove and replace or spray some brake cleaner in there and let it sit a few minutes before using this:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200361819_200361819

There was no way the under carriage was getting greased at prior annuals. 

 

[Mooneymite]

38 minutes ago, tony said:

There was no way the under carriage was getting greased at prior annuals. 

Based on how long it can take to properly grease the landing gear, it's  no wonder some shops "miss a few zerks".  Can you hear the irate owner discussing his bill:

Owner:  $65 to grease one fitting!  That's  outrageous.

Mechanic:  Actually I'm  giving you a break.  It really took me two hours of very frustrating work to get that greased....of course, maybe you think a jammed gear and a belly landing would be cheaper?

[Yetti]

3 hours ago, Hank said:

I've experienced the second one . . . Broke off a 90° zerk on the nose gear, had to let my A&P bail me out. It was a frustrating end to the evening (my time for owner assist was in the evenings after work and in weekends). Be careful with those dad-blame things!

last time it was make the fitting too tight and then loosen to get off.   My father graced me with a zerk repair kit

[Pritch]

The ultimate creeper for us aging wanabe mechanics

[cliffy]

Getting up off a creeper is harder than just sliding along the floor!

[DXB]

This is an illuminating discussion because owning and using a grease gun has been a life goal of mine, and this thread takes me closer to it   On a related note, at  the gear lube for my 100 hr AD compliance, it was found that multiple grease fittings had sheared off my gear - these still need to be drilled out and replaced. Is this a common occurrence? Is it preventable?  Is there a more modern fitting?  It's not the sexiest upgrade, but this item is currently on my list for annual.

[Mooneymite]

36 minutes ago, DXB said:

........ Is this a common occurrence? Is it preventable?  Is there a more modern fitting? 

Before I  gained an appreciation for what a disaster a damaged zerk can be, I  was somewhat careless in removing the grease coupler.  However once I  found out how difficult replacement can be, I am excruciatingly careful of those fittings.  There are three possibilities:  1.  Just the nipple tip breaks off....easy.  2.  The entire zerk comes out stripping the fitting's threads....oh, no!  3.  It is one of the bayonette fitting with no threads and it will no longer stay tight enough to accept grease....double oh, no!  Each has a solution, but none are quick, or fun.

The rule is, the more inaccessable the fitting, the more likely it is you will find it was damaged.  

A more modern solution?  These fittings were the finest 1950 tractor technolgy known to Mooney.  How can you improve on that?  

[1964-M20E]

Neat creeper wonder how much it has to be expensive.

 

The worst zerk fittings are the ones on the front pivot of the main gear they have a very narrow part that goes into the landing gear bushing and they break off easily especially if your grease gun coupling is tight.

 

 

[Marcopolo]

  Just a tip that has served me well when it comes to grease guns and zirk fittings.  Most tips (valves) on grease guns are adjustable, once on the zirk fitting you can give the valve a quarter turn to lock it onto the zirk and then after applying the needed grease wait a minute or two for the pressure to subside and then a simple quarter turn to loosen the valve from the zirk.  This also helps to keep grease from leaking out instead of entering the zirk fitting.  On several of the main gear fittings I find that a few taps with a rubber mallet on one of the tubes while applying the grease will help relieve the pressure on the grease gun by allowwing grease to enter the bushing during the vibration cause by the mallet taps.  

My experiences, you mileage may vary!

 

Ron

 

[Yetti]

Grease guns are a pain in the ass.  They are messy, don't really work well.  Zerk fittings add to the frustration.    So for the plane Most grease guns take two hands to operate if you can't put it on the floor or tire.I bought a new HF one that did not have the long arm.  But could be operated with one hand.   Being able to keep one hand on the hose while pressure is applied really helps the process and saves on rags and grease.

I should probably lube the tractor.. sigh

[Hank]

I used a grease gun from Tractor Supply, until it crapped out after three years. Pitched it and ordered a new one from Spruce that should last much longer.

[Yetti]

I have this one and several others.  It still sucks

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-STEWART-WARNER-ALEMITE-Red-Model-500-Grease-Gun-Car-Truck-Tractor-Fix-it-/311715043739?hash=item4893aa199b:g:ySUAAOSw8gVX-SwY&item=311715043739&vxp=mtr

 

[DonMuncy]

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 1:07 AM, cliffy said:

Getting up off a creeper is harder than just sliding along the floor!

You roll off the creeper onto the floor and then get up on your hands and knees to stand up. It's hell getting old.

[DonMuncy]

On ‎10‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 7:34 PM, orionflt said:

this was my christmas present several years ago, works great and you can use the seat portion under your head for support when you are working low under a Mooney.

it is also a very comfy seat, spent 2 months in the living room being used by my daughter before I finally got it to the airport

 

 

 

If your hangar has a crummy asphalt floor like mine, those small wheels (like those on most creepers) are almost worthless, as they get stuck in the irregularities of the asphalt. I found the only thing that helps a lot is "The Bone". A creeper with large wheels. Expensive but worth every penny.

[cliffy]

I just mop the painted concrete floor of our community hangar and slide around in old clothes.

I find that easier than on and off a creeper.

[DonMuncy]

1 hour ago, cliffy said:

I just mop the painted concrete floor of our community hangar and slide around in old clothes.

I would kill for a painted concrete floor, but the cb in me won't pay the extra $100 a month or more for a fancier hangar.