Grease gun cartridges

[Manuel]

Can someone advise me please?

My stern tube greaser is a grease gun clipped in place. I have always filled it with underwater grease by hand because I have never found cartridges with the right grease. I have now got a cartridge made by Unil (France) which says it is good for this application.

So how do I fit it in the grease gun? On one end there is a tear-off cap like a ring pull on a Coke can but probably removes the whole cap. On the other end there is a push-on cap and when you remove that you can see the grease inside. There is an arrow which could just be part of the packaging design at the ring-pull end pointing in the direction of the push-on cap.

I can't understand why they have gone to the cost of a ring-pull when there is a loose fitting cap on the other end and the cap came off in the bag on the way back.

I suppose that the entire plastic tube with grease goes into the gun but somehow the piston needs to be guided into the tube. Probably this is all very easy when you know how but I've never done it and I don't want a engine room full of sticky grease and none in my stern gland.

 

[sarabande]

It sounds like a standard fitting used in agricultural grease guns.

You need to

1 withdraw the plunger from the grease gun and 'lock' it in place (try this before doing anything else) If successful , the plunger will stay fully extended

2 unscrew the barrel of the GG from the head

3 take of the full width cap from the cartridge

4 pull the ring cap end off

5 insert the cartridge ring pull end first and fully into the barrel. If you have locked the plunger no grease will come out.

6 screw the barrel back onto the head (this is the most difficult bit, aligning the threads)

7 release the plunger retaining trigger.

8 test squirt grease. There may be an airlock, which is normally released by a little air valve on top of the head unit.

I must admit I have never seen a grease gun clipped into place on a stern gland, but it seems a very sensible suggestion.

 

[Manuel]

Thank you, that sounds clear enough. Nothing is ever easy on a boat, I find, other than finding bad weather.

 

[MrCramp]

Grease cartidges have been around for a long time but I think they will only fit in some grease guns, not all grease guns are the same dimensions. You might find that the cartridge does not fit in your greaser.

Having a fixed greaser is common place in boats that need their stern gland greased.

 

[Refueler]

Can someone advise me please?

My stern tube greaser is a grease gun clipped in place. I have always filled it with underwater grease by hand because I have never found cartridges with the right grease. I have now got a cartridge made by Unil (France) which says it is good for this application.

So how do I fit it in the grease gun? On one end there is a tear-off cap like a ring pull on a Coke can but probably removes the whole cap. On the other end there is a push-on cap and when you remove that you can see the grease inside. There is an arrow which could just be part of the packaging design at the ring-pull end pointing in the direction of the push-on cap.

I can't understand why they have gone to the cost of a ring-pull when there is a loose fitting cap on the other end and the cap came off in the bag on the way back.

I suppose that the entire plastic tube with grease goes into the gun but somehow the piston needs to be guided into the tube. Probably this is all very easy when you know how but I've never done it and I don't want a engine room full of sticky grease and none in my stern gland.

I'm always surprised that people have trouble filling grease cylinder. Whether it be gun or stern greaser.

The method is simple and surprisingly keeps hands reasonably free of grease !

Release cylinder from greaser, with handle fully screwed IN or at point last used.

Take lid of grease pot and hopefully there is a plate with centre hole in on top of the grease. This hole matches the open end of your grease gun or greaser.

Press greaser open end over the hole and then wind out the handle, pull handle if gun. This draws grease into the cylinder evenly without use of lollypop stick, fingers, screwdriver etc.

Once handle is fully screwed out or lever pulled to end ... cylinder should be full. Lever is then locked at top to stop it pushing grease out. Screwedc handle is fine as is.

Replace greaser cylinder to mount.

If lever type - release lever to pressure grease supply. If screwed handle - wind it in a few turns to push grease into system.

Voila - greaser filled and no horrid clean up needed.

Note - if grease tin has no plate with hole ... scrounge one from an empty grease tin !! It's worth it !

 

[fishermantwo]

I have this arrangement in the engine room of my fishing vessel. The grease gun is near the battery switches and is connected to the stern tube greaser by about 8 feet of rubber hose. Easier and a reminder to give it a couple of pumps.