Maintance Question
 

Well 2 questions really - whats everyone's favorite grease to use on their cubs? I recently was introduced to the 'green grease' but have yet to try it. Previously i have used just Valvoline Alimite grease (edit: spelling). Also heard that mobile1 synthetic is pretty awesome as well.

The other question was how often do you guys grease your machines? Every use? Every other use?


One other came to mind - i am trying to grease the front axle on my NF 126 and cant seem to get grease to go into the zerk. The ball moves and depresses with an ice pick but when i put the gun to it, the grease wont go in? I looked at it and it doesn't seem that this is a fitting i can unscrew and put a new one in either?

I use the cheap grease from orcselens it was $1.50 a tube black or dark gray in color. I grease the deck every other time I mow ( I use 5 pumps)and front axle 2 to 3 times a year. On the farm we used red grease but had also used green an black colored grease. As for the zerk you can get a tool to unplug the zerk it fits on like a grease gun and you wack the end with a hammer. The zerks on cubs are press fit usually 3/16 in size. You can pull them out with pliers and replace them if that's what's plugged up. Or get the tool to unplug them I just replace them. I use a pistol grip grease gun too hate the ones with the handle.

It may be easier to just pull the spindle out & clean the grease passage. It is probably plugged with dried grease & rust. You can have the spindle out in less than 5 min.

Greg

Probably need to pull the front pivot pin like Greg suggested.

I use nothing but Marathon EP2 red grease. If I had to choose another that was readily available, I'd probably go with Valvoline. They have one similar to the EP2.

I use the cheaper marine grade grease from walleye world. I usualy grease everything up about ever 8-10 hours of use more or less depending on type of abuse it takes. 3 or 4 squirts usualy does it good.

I use Mobil 1. I grease my stuff about every 8 - 10 hours.

I grease my deck spindals just about every other use (which comes out to around every 4 hours). Just a squirt or two, usually (until I hear the "popping" of the old stuff coming out). Everything else (steering box, lift components, front axle, CV's, etc) get it about mid way through every oil change which comes out to about 25 hours. As for grease, I usually pick up the same stuff J-Mech stated, EP2 grease. :beerchug:

So no one has tried the green grease? Never heard of the Marathon Ep2 - what makes it so wonderful? I am new to grease and my knowledge is lacking so please excuse the many questions.

Greg, thanks for the reply. I am on vacation at the moment but to do this I just tap the roll pin out, if memory serves me right, and take the spindle out?

When you say lift components do you refer to the deck carriage? I have taken over the 126 and have taken over the maint thus I'm throwing grease over every moving part since it's never been done.

I was more speaking in a broad sense since everyone has different tractors/lift systems. Sleeve hitch's have a grease zerk where the lift arm attaches to the lift bracket, some undercarriages have a zerk on the front cross member, etc etc. Just check your machines and if it's got a zerk, grease it :beerchug:

I wholeheartedly agree grease is cheap. About the only joint that should not be over greased is the Cvjoint on the drive shaft of those that have it. If that joint is over greased and you start the engine grease flys all over everything. Do not ask how I know that.

I use "green grease" but it just happened to be that color. I didn't go out of my way to find it. Summit Racing had Lucas Oil X-TRA heavy duty grease on sale for like $1.50 a tube a year or two back so I bought a case of it. Not much to say about it.. It's grease! :) Been using it for it a couple of years now on anything with a zerk and haven't had any problems.

Lucas talks the stuff up big time on their web site (which is no big surprise... the stuff I use is the green tube): http://lucasoil.com/products/grease/...vy-duty-grease

I hit the zerks on mine about 3x a mowing season... So probably less than every 25 hours (15-20 is probably a better guess... my yard isn't that big). Dad greased my 149 religiously before each use back when it was working 10-12 hour days. Original deck spindles are still nice and tight and Dad was running whatever was cheapest and rated for high speed bearings (probably valvoline or whatever was branded Phillips 66 as he used 66 turbo diesel oil for decades in everything).

I have used the last tube of original IH branded 251 EP that I had on hand.

Will stick with the drak grey/blck lithium.