How to Make a Grease Gun Work

Many older cars, trucks and tractors did not have sealed bearings. Some points on these vehicles need to be greased, typically at every oil change. Each point will typically have a ball-bearing joint called a grease zerk into which grease is pushed using your grease gun.

Instructions

1. Remove the cap from a new cartridge of grease.

2. Unscrew the head from the cylinder of the grease gun. Pull back on the piston handle at the base of the gun and remove the old grease cartridge.

3. Insert the grease cartridge with the unopened end going in first. Replace the cap on the grease gun. Twist the piston handle to release the plunger inside the gun.

4. Position the nozzle of the grease gun snugly over a clean grease zerk. Pull out on the grease gun's lever. Squeeze the lever toward the body of the gun until it stops. This should insert a little over a gram of grease into the zerk.

5. Look for any grease squeezing out from between two parts of the vehicle. Stop squeezing the lever as soon as you see grease coming out from between the parts.

Tips & Warnings

• If the nozzle isn't firmly placed over the zerk, grease will escape from around the zerk rather than going into the zerk. Reposition the nozzle and try again.

References

• Grease gun operation
• Grease gun best practices
• Grease gun basics