How do you clean your greasy loader pivots?

[Shawn T. W]

While my little tractor is no garage queen, and I'm not home a lot, so I rarely get a chance to "clean", just use!

A few weeks ago … I decided to give my Little Baby Fergie a good clean up ...the grease migrates out of loader pivot points when I get into heavier brush and makes a mess!

I went through nearly a roll of paper towels cleaning the grease, grime, and weeds out, then sprayed it down ... Then washed with a cloth and dawn dish soap …

Not perfect, but a lot less likely to grease up my clothes!

Since she was mostly clean, and it had been over a year since I had waxed her ... I put some shine on her! Yes, it's a work tractor!

After three years, 669 hours, and sporadic cleaning, I figured it was due!

But the next time through the brush, I'll probably be running branches up through the pivot points and spreading grease ... Is there a way to prevent that? Or is it just the way it is?

Is there a good way, other than a STEAM cleaner to remove the old stuck on grease and gunk? (I couldn't get it all off!) I'm planning on cleaning more often ...

 

[NCL4701]

If you grease it like you should, it’s going to get messy now and then. Cleaning with a bunch of paper towels and a decent degreaser than doesn’t take paint off, something like Zep, etc., works pretty well. Some folks pressure wash and I do to some degree for getting heavy dirt/mud deposits off implements, wheels, etc., but personally I really don’t like blasting high pressure water at joints, anything near the engine, or anywhere else where water could be injected to places it shouldn’t be.

I have used a steam generator to remove hardened grease, but I don’t recall ever allowing the grease buildup on my Kubota’s to ever get bad enough for long enough to have any steam worthy grease.
Kind of suspect there are a wide variety of methods. May be interesting to here what others do.

 

[GeoHorn]

WD40 and a stiff-brush…then water-hose and/or low-pressure-wash. Re-grease to force any water out of pins/joints.

(I buy WD40 by the gallon cans and use it also, instead of soap on my bare aluminum airplane when I wash it.… because I hate polishing aluminum. I’ve owned it 25 years and never polished it. The WD40 prevents corrosion, lubricates hinges and controls, and keeps weather-stripping lubricated.) It’s good for old dull paint also.

 

[JasonW]

I definitely don’t clean mine like some do here, but what I do is when I grease it I wear nitrile gloves and just gather the excess/oil grease with my fingers into an old shop rag.

Definitely not cleaning but keeps large globs of grease from falling on the ground to get stepped on by me or my family. Also keeps grease from falling into my trailer as I grease it before taking it somewhere to work.

WD40 works but since I’ve switched to kroil I don’t keep any WD40 around. Diesel works well also and definitely cheaper than Kroil. Dip a shop rag or old shirt in diesel to wipe down the old dried grease.

Some use a pressure washer to clean it off but don’t forget to grease after to push all the water out of the pivot pins.

 

[GeoHorn]

Jason…that’s Inspiring! …… Diesel! …… Of Course! ….. Only about $3/gal instead of the $30/gal for WD40…. Oughta work just fine! (and smells like TRACTOR also!)

Washing the airplane with WD40 was inspired by my Dad who used to wash the family ‘57 Chrysler Windsor with a couple cups of kerosene in a 5-gal bucket of warm water.
The dirt and grime and road-tar disappeared and after we washed and dried the car with old towels it made the paint shine like it was waxed….and water would simply bead-up and not leave spots on it. (I think it was found in a newspaper-column “Hints from Heloise” back in the late ‘50’s / early ‘60s.)

I simply couldn’t get myself to use kerosene on the airplane…and WD40 smells nicer. Put a couple cups in a bucket…add water forcefully from the hose….makes a milky-emulsion. Use it like you would soapy-water, using old towels or a sponge or a cotton mop dedicated to only that task.. Rinse with a hose. Dry with old towels. It’s amazing.

 

[William1]

The grease build up also prevent dirt from getting in the pivot. I only clean off where I'll lean/rub/bump against. If... I clean out the build up, it is just before I re-grease, thus replacing the build up with fresh build up.

 

[Hoserman]

I do agree with not using a pressure washer to clean loader or any other major part of my tractor. I just grease till it "oozes" out and wipe the excess off with a paper towel. I like to keep mine as clean as possible to prevent a lot of sand and grit from working its way into a moving joint. Besides, I use that black moly grease from Kubota and one tiny drop of that stuff will let everyone know whether you pick your nose, rub your eyes, or scratch your groin.

 

[Shawn T. W]

I think I'll try wiping excess after greasing, but it still oozes out after using a bit ...

I definitely grease after getting in "the wet"! I use to just drive into the creek and scoop up a bucket of water to water my trees ... No I pump it into a tote, less waste and faster ...

Cleaning out the creek bed ...

 

[Hoserman]

The grease build up also prevent dirt from getting in the pivot. I only clean off where I'll lean/rub/bump against. If... I clean out the build up, it is just before I re-grease, thus replacing the build up with fresh build up.

Exactly. Just enough to help keep the crud out, but not enough to attract more.

 

[Old Machinist]

I keep some mineral spirits in a spray bottle and use that with paper towels. It doesn't get done often.

 

[JasonW]

Should have added in my first post, I also use the Lock-N-Lube brand grease fitting caps. Makes greasing faster as I don’t have to wipe clean every fitting before greasing.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Should have added in my first post, I also use the Lock-N-Lube brand grease fitting caps. Makes greasing faster as I don’t have to wipe clean every fitting before greasing.

Please post a picture or two, I'd like to see how you do it. I use grease fitting caps also, but it's not a brilliant solution in my case, I could do better.

 

[GeoHorn]

Shawn… what did you do to get that cat to work the tractor for you..??

Do you think that might work on an adopted heeler…?? (The wife has had very little luck getting her to use that mop on the floor.)

 

[TheOldHokie]

Is there a good way, other than a STEAM cleaner to remove the old stuck on grease and gunk? (I couldn't get it all off!) I'm planning on cleaning more often ...

Dude wipes.

 

[CGMKCM]

I sand down the end of a tongue depress into a taper and use that to scrape up the old grease. It does a good job of getting the grease off without damaging the paint. I then wipe everything down with rags and WD-40.

 

[Shawn T. W]

Blazer the cat is just along for the ride, for being a "barn cat" he sure likes my company ... A Velcro cat!

I had just put this Wheelie Scoot stool together, and he jumped on to try it out 1st!

Helping me watch a brush fire ...

Making sure I put enough mulch down!

He is always close by ...

Holding my Bible!

The four brothers enjoying there time inside out of the snow storm.

Right now they are inside enjoying the A/C ...

But I haven't been able to train them to do anything! But they are naturally good mousers and like to "play" with snakes too!