Tightwad Doesn't Want to Buy Grease Gun for One Time Use

[Qs Laptop]

I'm gifting my old Lawn Boy lawnmower to my son and I'm tuning it up for the season before I hand it over to him.

I've noticed I've got a rear wheel, which is part of the self propelled system, squeaking when pushing the (non-running) lawnmower. I see there are grease fittings on the two rear wheel housings. I'd like to grease both wheels before giving the mower to my son. The problem is I'm too cheap to buy a grease gun and grease for what will likely be my one and only use of a grease gun.

Any ideas on how to get grease in these wheel bearings on the cheap?

If I took the lawn mower to an auto repair place would they do it for me for a couple bucks?

 

[COcheesehead]

I use grease often on my bikes and use the self dispensing tubes. They are less than $10. Might try that.

 

[folivier]

Try to borrow one from a neighbor who is a car guy, handyman, etc. Type of grease won't matter for the wheel.

 

[Qs Laptop]

I use grease often on my bikes and use the self dispensing tubes. They are less than $10. Might try that.

I searched for something like this but didn't find anything. Can you provide a name/brand?

 

[38Chevy454]

Try to borrow one from a neighbor who is a car guy, handyman, etc. Type of grease won't matter for the wheel.

Agree, ask a neighbor. Couple quick pumps and done. It would take longer to walk to my house than to do the actual job.

 

[youbet]

Buy this grease gun from Harbor Freight for 12 bux (includes a tube of grease). Give it to your son along with the mower and he'll have it to grease those fittings on the mower from time to time.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-oz-mini-grease-gun-with-cartridge-63984.html?_br_psugg_q=grease+gun

If you don't have a Harbor Freight nearby, similar products can be found at Walmart for similar prices.

Or, as others have said, just borrow one for a few mins. But if you think the mower has a few seasons left in it, those fittings should be greased from time to time per the manual and your son owning a small, inexpensive tool to do it with would make sense.

 

[Sunset]

I never heard of grease fittings on a lawn mower.

Is this rare ?
Are they obvious ?

I have a self propelled walk behind toro recycler

 

[OldShooter]

... The problem is I'm too cheap to buy a grease gun and grease for what will likely be my one and only use of a grease gun. ...

I long ago developed a philosophy that says buying a tool is buying a capability and that sometime in the future I will almost certainly take advantage of having that capability. So that kind of thinking only rarely arises for me.

Another rule I try to live by is "Never buy a cheap tool." Harbor Freight is not for me. My first go-tos would be CraigsList and FB Marketplace, looking for high quality and cheap. It happens surprisingly often.

 

[youbet]

If I took the lawn mower to an auto repair place would they do it for me for a couple bucks?

Mine would. Less likely if you're talking about a franchise business. The main problem is possibly having a mechanic stop work on a car, find his manual grease gun, walk out to your car and then reverse the process. Might take ten minutes and be an unwelcome interruption, so I'd up that "couple bucks" to a fiver.

 

[COcheesehead]

I searched for something like this but didn't find anything. Can you provide a name/brand?

You can buy it at any bike shop. This one is $7.99

https://www.rei.com/product/760718/park-tool-polylube-1000-4-oz

 

[skyking1]

If you can get straight on to the grease fitting, these will depress the ball and deliver grease to a grease fitting.
https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-26365-Chainsaw-Grease-Gun/dp/B00004RA7R
Made in Germany
Not too bad and has other purposes.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

or amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W54200-Pistol-Grease/dp/B0002KO28O/ref=sr_1_6?crid=24ILC29MDC0L&keywords=mini%2Bgrease%2Bgun&qid=1684255483&sprefix=mini%2Bgrease%2Bgun%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-6&th=1

 

[youbet]

You can buy it at any bike shop. This one is $7.99

https://www.rei.com/product/760718/park-tool-polylube-1000-4-oz

OP - since your mower has never been greased, the old, residual grease might be stiff or hardened and you'll need a bit more "omph" to get the fresh grease in and force the old grease out than you'll be able to get by squeezing this tube.

 

[TheWizard]

I long ago developed a philosophy that says buying a tool is buying a capability and that sometime in the future I will almost certainly take advantage of having that capability. So that kind of thinking only rarely arises for me.

Another rule I try to live by is "Never buy a cheap tool." Harbor Freight is not for me. My first go-tos would be CraigsList and FB Marketplace, looking for high quality and cheap. It happens surprisingly often.

I totally agree with this, especially now in retirement when I have lots of money available.
Back in my 20s, I did not have lots of money available and bought cheap power tools to start with, most of which have died and been replaced with upscale models...

 

[youbet]

If you can get straight on to the grease fitting, these will depress the ball and deliver grease to a grease fitting.
https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-26365-Chainsaw-Grease-Gun/dp/B00004RA7R
Made in Germany
Not too bad and has other purposes.

Do you think it would have enough "omph" to push out the old, hardened grease from a fitting that's never been greased before? It doesn't actually lock onto the zirk fitting.

 

[skyking1]

maybe not. If the fitting is removable as most are, you may need to take it out. I have also had to take a drill bit to the hole after that and hand ream out the nasties.
Working on heavy equipment that got neglected, I have had to go so far as pull the pins.
I don't expect this lawnmower transaxle to be that sort of problem.

 

[njhowie]

Give to son and tell him "the wheels need grease". I'm sure that he'll be so happy getting the mower he'll take care of the grease.

 

[Walt34]

I never heard of grease fittings on a lawn mower.

Is this rare ?
Are they obvious ?

I have a self propelled walk behind toro recycler

Unless the manual mentions grease fittings the answer is "no". The only mowers I've ever seen that had grease fittings was the kind you ride on. Some of those have fittings on the spindles (cutting blade bearings) and maybe a few other places.

I also have a Toro recycler mower and there are no grease fittings on mine, but bear in mind there are several different models of "recycler".

 

[foxfirev5]

Give to son and tell him "the wheels need grease". I'm sure that he'll be so happy getting the mower he'll take care of the grease.

Absolutely. We all need to learn to bait our own hooks

 

[CardsFan]

I long ago developed a philosophy that says buying a tool is buying a capability and that sometime in the future I will almost certainly take advantage of having that capability. So that kind of thinking only rarely arises for me.

Another rule I try to live by is "Never buy a cheap tool." Harbor Freight is not for me. My first go-tos would be CraigsList and FB Marketplace, looking for high quality and cheap. It happens surprisingly often.

I will disagree with you on this one. I hardly ever go to Harbor Freight, but when I need a tool that will likely only be used once or twice, yeah, I will buy the cheapest one I can find. Last time was a sink wrench, the one used to tighten the big nut on the drain.

 

[OldShooter]

I will disagree with you on this one. I hardly ever go to Harbor Freight, but when I need a tool that will likely only be used once or twice, yeah, I will buy the cheapest one I can find. Last time was a sink wrench, the one used to tighten the big nut on the drain.

That's why they have a market. I have no issue with that.

 

[Qs Laptop]

The neighbor to one side of me is the most likely to have a grease gun, but he's an Army Air helicopter pilot and is away on an assignment. The neighbor on the other side doesn't have a grease gun. So I bought this setup. Grease gun was surprisingly inexpensive at $7.99 at Menard's. I looked at the grease guns at Harbor Freight $11.99, but it didn't have a hose attachment. Otherwise, most other places were $14.99 or didn't have them in stock. The grease gun cartridges, which I will likely never use up in my lifetime, were difficult to find but I scored at an O'Reilly Auto Parts for $8.99.

 

[jim584672]

Check Dollar Tree, they might have a small tube for $1.25.

 

[Qs Laptop]

The neighbor to one side of me is the most likely to have a grease gun, but he's an Army Air helicopter pilot and is away on an assignment. The neighbor on the other side doesn't have a grease gun. So I bought this setup. Grease gun was surprisingly inexpensive at $7.99 at Menard's. I looked at the grease guns at Harbor Freight $11.99, but it didn't have a hose attachment. Otherwise, most other places were $14.99 or didn't have them in stock. The grease gun cartridges, which I will likely never use up in my lifetime, were difficult to find but I scored at an O'Reilly Auto Parts for $8.99.

View attachment 46014

...and the grease gun worked for about 30 seconds and then I could not get any more grease out of it. I inserted the grease cartridge, pumped the gun until grease came out the end, connected it to zerk fitting #1 and pumped until a small amount of grease came out the vent valve of the fitting. Went and put the gun on zerk fitting #2 and pumped. And pumped and pumped. Did not see any excess come out of the zerk fitting. Detatched grease gun and pumped it over a paper towel. Nothing comes out. Put in grease cartridge #2 and pumped the gun over a paper towel. Nothing comes out. Clean out the pump area of the gun and try again. Nothing. Grease is not even entering the pump area of the gun. Returned the gun to Menard's the next day. So I've got one zerk fitting filled, status of zerk fitting #2 unknown.

OldShooter was right, I should have bought a used gun off Facebook Marketplace. There was a couple listed for $5 but they were 10 and 15 miles away.