Grease Couplers

[Hogdaddy]

What brand/type of grease couplers for grease guns do you guys use? I've tried lock and lube, plus ones designed like them, and the then standard type. All leak after a short time and I'm getting aggravated. Any suggestions?

[Firewoodjoe]

Me to. I quite trying and just use the spring loaded type from
Harbor freight. $20 and it works well for awhile like the rest. And it's small enough to get into the hole type zerks. 

[BargeMonkey]

I've been buying the 5pk of Lincoln tips off Amazon, like 18 bucks. In your best Trump voice... China... The lock and lube is a gimmick, the idea is ok, I wasn't impressed. 

[OH logger]

I just use the cheaper Lincoln too not the HD ones. The HD ones gave me issues breaking of zerks in hard to reach areas believe it or not 

[moodnacreek]

The small automotive type zerks break easy if the coupler fits tight or the zerk is made too big. The 1/8th " pipe type zerks are no trouble.

[barbender]

I've had a lock n lube for about 3 years, no problems other than it is bulky. I don't know what you gorillas are doing to them🤷😁

[btulloh]

Took me a long time to learn this but all the couplers are adjustable tension. The cone that houses the jaws can be turned in and out to adjust the grip. Loosen it at half turn and it comes off the zerk real easy. Tighten after putting it over the the zerk.  Occasionally there's a happy medium where it just works for on and off without adjusting. 

Slight variations in the diameter of the zerks these days makes it more of a game than it used to be. Seems like All the couplers these days have the cone tightened so much from the factory that you have to really honk on the cone to free it up at first. The cone has knurling so you can get a grip on it with a good pair of pliers though. After that it'll just adust by hand. 

I use the locknlube some but I find it a little bulky.  Adjusting a regular coupler to the zerk is much quicker in most cases. 

[YellowHammer]

I've got Lock and Lube on all my 4 grease guns, all with flex hoses, each for a different use (high temp boat and flat bed trailer bearing grease, battery Milwaukee with OEM Kubota or Deere grease for machine fittings, super highly loaded graphite grease required for my mulcher, and another gun filled with TSC el cheap grease for farm implements that eat grease by the tube) and I find they are less messy than conventional couplings and mine fit all the odd size zerks, including worn ones with no adjustment.  It is a little bulky but there is not a single zerk on any machine it can't get to.

They will wear out and begin to leak after lots of usage, which is better than leaking every use, but they come with spare parts.  Every time I try to go back to a conventional spin to fit coupler, I get greasy and after a few times I throw them in the garbage.  They are not perfect, but better than anything else I've used with flex hose grease guns.

[teakwood]

Lock and lube, will never go back. have a normal tip one for u joint greasing underneath the skidder

[Firewoodjoe]

When you guys say lock and lube are you referring to the blue twist lock one? I couldn't see using that every day for a half a tube or more. I have the lock kind but it's got a lever you squeeze with your thumb. Quick and easy. Only complaint I have is it wears out. But what doesn't and it doesn't come off plugged up zerks or hard pumping stuff. Like track tensioners. The lock and lube would be better for that. As you could release the pressure. 

[YellowHammer]

Yes I'm referring to the ones with the thumb lever. 

[Firewoodjoe]

Ok. Yes that's what I use. There's a blue one that has a nob to twist and tighten on the zerk. I thought that was the lock n lube. My bad. The thumb style is the way to go. 

[teakwood]

Only complaint I have is it wears out

Whaaaaat? That wears you out? Little thumb exercise? We are badass real men, loggers! :D 
smiley_chop 

[Magicman]

Surely those of you with leaky (too loose) and zerk breaking (too tight) do realize that the couplers are adjustable ??  Turn the collar to loosen and tighten the jaws.

[Skeans1]

Surely those of you with leaky (too loose) and zerk breaking (too tight) do realize that the couplers are adjustable ??  Turn the collar to loosen and tighten the jaws.

That's great till it's up in some hole you have to swing around backwards stick your tongue out just right and find the fitting by braille that's when something like a lock and lube is really nice.

[chep]

I think lock n lube are the best thing about greasing!  
And if they blow out they come with a replacement o ring kit. If you grease equipment regularly they are a no brainer. 
That being said I did blow one up trying to force grease into a frozen fitting. But I can be know as the guy that breaks the anvil from time to time. I like to think of myself as a product tester. .. I just wish someone else was buying me the stuff to test out  :

[Firewoodjoe]

The little jaws must wear or the outer piece that slides over them. I'm not sure but they will start to get loose to where they leak. If you push hard on them they will grease and not leak but who wants to do that. I'm sure new zerks would help but eventually one or the other would get loose again anyways. Also as I said I think tightening tracks really took a beating on my last one. When you have a standard lever grease gun and your worn out from pumping so hard then you can't get it to release I'm sure them little jaws loose some shape. They are great I might add and I use them. But about three a year between three machines. 

[treemuncher]

After years of going through numerous 6 packs of grease couplers per year and associated mess, lost time and frustration, I tried the L&L and several Chinese knock-offs. Nothing else stands up longer or leaks less than the L&L couplers in my usage. I can usually run one coupler for close to a year before it needs a rebuild, which it comes with one rebuild kit per coupler unit. Compared to the old style couplers that might last me a day or a month, I'm saving time and money, not to mention a mess.

I've also tried some other lever style couplers from Ebay that work longer than the standard couplers but they wear out and leak much fast and can not be rebuilt. Considering the rebuild kit that comes with L&L, the true cost is cheaper than the cheapo units. 

If you are having leakage issues with an L&L coupler, clean it or reposition it until it seals properly. A damaged grease fitting will always leak and must be replaced if that's the cause. If my connection leaks, I just release and reset on the fitting and that normally stops the leakage. A good cleaning with brake parts cleaner or penetrating oil is in order if it gets too dirty.

I also keep an extension hose with a conventional coupler on one end and a slide lock fitting on the other end for doing driveshafts or other difficult locations where the L&L is size limited. I use pnuematic keg greasers and shoot a lot of grease throughout the year. Yes, I'm an over-greaser but the lube is cheaper than the down time and the L&L is the best time saver for grease couplers that I've yet found. YMMV.

[Stephen1]

And I thought you pushed on the coupler to the zerk and pumped grease. Sometimes it fall off. amazing what I learn here.
I can adjust the coupler. Jeeeeze, I wondered why I could spin it. Didn't know it was for tightening on the zero. 
Thanks guys. 

[Ventryjr]

I use a knock off Of the lock and lube with the thumb leaver.  I after avoiding a power grease gun I finally picked up a Milwaukee m18 grease gun.  Life changing! 

[Magicman]

Locknlumb also offers an XL which has an extended reach coupler and they also have a 90° coupler adapter.

[scsmith42]

I love my Lock n lube couplers.  For whatever reason, I have not encountered the wear / leakage problems that others have posted about.

And by the way - Lock n lube makes a lock-on coupler for tire valve stems - it's the best one I've ever used.

[711ac]

I've had a lock n lube for about 3 years, no problems other than it is bulky. I don't know what you gorillas are doing to them🤷😁

Yeah that's my experience as well. It was like I discovered sliced bread again. 

[Zewnten]

Also make sure they're not metric fittings. If your machine is not North American made the zerks are probably metric and few grease couplers will hold tight. I had a special fitting from Classen for metric zerks.