little giant lubrication

[Lyman]

Hi guys

I picked up a LG25# about a year ago and it been sitting all this time I'm finally at a point were I can put it to use.
This is my first hammer and I'm a little unclear on lubing it the grease nipples and oil holes are obvious but the clutch not so much. Dose this get grease or oil ? how often and is there a particular oil or grease that is best for these machines?
Unfortunately they didn't come with a manuals so any tips on maintaining it would help a lot

Thanks Lyman

[SGropp]

Lube the oil holes , linkage pivots and top bearing cups with way oil [like Vetrax 2] or chainsaw bar oil, something with some cling so it doesn't just run out. The only points that should be greased are the pitman / crank bearing and the main shaft through the back,also maybe the treadle pivot if equipped with a grease fitting

The clutch works best with something light like diesel mixed 50/50 with 30 # motor oil.

Keep everything wet with oil, a shot at least every 4 hours.

Oil, any oil is cheaper than parts or downtime

[Lyman]

Lube the oil holes , linkage pivots and top bearing cups with way oil [like Vetrax 2] or chainsaw bar oil, something with some cling so it doesn't just run out. The only points that should be greased are the pitman / crank bearing and the main shaft through the back,also maybe the treadle pivot if equipped with a grease fitting

The clutch works best with something light like diesel mixed 50/50 with 30 # motor oil.

Keep everything wet with oil, a shot at least every 4 hours.

Oil, any oil is cheaper than parts or downtime

thanks SGropp when you oil the clutch are you just squirting it around the inside and all over the wood shoe as well this is where I'm unclear

[Bentiron1946]

I had oil cups on my 25#LG but someone thought that they would look better at his house so they are gone. Nice brass and glass jobs too they were. I had them on each of the top bearings and on the ram crank and kept them filled with oil. I have seen zerk fitting on some LG's wherever there was an oil hole, the idea being that it kept dirt out of bearing surface, maybe true, I don't know for sure one way or the other but kind of makes sense. I put bearing grease on the ram ways, oiled the motor bearing wicks and generally if it looked like it could use an oiling I oiled it and still things wear out, probably all the dust in the shop. <_<

[phil shelton]

yes oil the wood blocks with light oil about 30 weight

[dsloan]

You can go to the Little Giant website and they have a lubricating guide there which is really helpful. They also have the original paper work that came with your hammer for downloading.

If your not getting oil on the ceiling it's not lubricated enough.

Dave from Diller

[finn;-)]

A light oil that slings out a bit will also carry away some of the abrassive crud that end up sticking to the hammer in a shop. You can wipe some of the grime away and apply fresh oil, whenever you start and finish with the hammer to help reduce wear. Grease if it is an exposed area of the hammer will tend to collect scale and dirt, and 'lapp' the guides etc... I agree with a previous poster, if it isn't slinging oil on the ceiling it probably is too dry;-) The clutch will probably be a little grabby if it isn't swimming in oil, lubed up right you should be able to feather the treadle and get one slap and slower cycling of the ram

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

None of that sticky oil for me. I agree, use 30wt and let it drip off carrying the junk away with it. Yes, it's a mess. I think the hammer runs smoother too, thick oils are hard to "tear" at the speeds we want the ram to go. Grease is OK on the main shaft bearings, but I like oil.

[ThomasPowers]

"Too Much Oil Is Just Barely Enough!" These old machines were more "flow through" types and *should* look a proper mess when correctly lubricated.

[Lyman]

thanks guys.....sound like I'm going to need more oil :D

[dsloan]

Here's a lubrication guide for the new style.

Thought I'd throw this up.

Dave from Diller

newstyle.pdf