Sounds like you might be putting the tube in upside-down. The all cardboard side goes into the top of the gun first. Not from the bottom with the spring plunger, but it sounds like you have that part right. The foil pull tab part of the tube with the collar should be facing the TOP portion of the gun. Once the tube is inserted cardboard side DOWN, just pull the tab, and screw on the TOP of the gun. To thread the flexible hose on, you must first remove the metal delivery tube from the gun itself. Then the tube will screw easily into the hole. You cannot thread the flexible hose into the fitting end of the existing tube. Good Luck!

Welcome to the world of grease guns LOL. I hope you got a better quality one like a Lincoln, the cheap ones will REALLY test your patience.

For those who are new to grease guns like me, the fitting that goes on the nipple comes as two pieces, the socket and then another piece that is threaded to fit the socket and the other end to the grease gun or a flexible hose. The socket threaded end has a shorter thread which fits the socket. I tried to make the socket fit the end of the flexible hose. Not possible as the threads on it are longer.

Ohhh man been there done that!! LOL!

Even though I understand them now I still hate changing the tubes!!
(I have no valuable info for this thread) Just a sympathy call.

Neal

My only tip would be to NEVER buy one of the mini guns (sold at the big boxes). They absolutely are awful. This is one place where you definitely get what you pay for, the cheapos are huge headaches. Also, I like the pistol grips with flexible hoses best.

Hope you got'r figured out by now. Guess you know to use gloves...disposable gloves...and have some rags and trash bags (but do not touch the bags) standing by when messin with grease guns. Oh yeah....better take off your rings and watches before starting...and wear old cloths and don't pet the dog or hug the wife, shake hands with the neighbor, touch any doorknobs or steering wheels afterwards...don't touch anything clean, dirty, soft, hard, wet or dry...have someone let you in the house turn on the faucet and pore cleaning soap on your hands...and that soap is not gonna help so go back outside pour gas on your hands...no wait can't do that anymore....well been nice knowing you.....DT

Disposable gloves? That's an idea!

Good Lord. The way some of you guys are talking you might as well be shoveling the grease into the tube from a jar by hand. Grease guns are simple, and while there is potential to get a little grease on your fingers it's not all that. If you're needing trashbags and gloves and shop rags galore standing by you're probably doing something wrong. First, read the directions that came with the gun. I've ran into so many instances where someone was having a problem somewhere with something and saying, "Oh I've tried everything!" and when I ask them, "Did you read the instructions?" they say, "Well no but it's just a simple XXXXX I know what I'm doing." Later they come back saying, "Yeah...I read the directions and found out it was XXXXX."

Sorry to rant and I don't mean any offense. I learned my lesson long ago, use the resources you have and use the ones provided by the people who built the darn thing first.

OK, that being said. You have a grease gun and a cartridge of grease. Unscrew the top of the gun from the holding tube. Pull the rod/plunger, on the closed end of the tube, all the way out and make sure the catch has it good and tight so it doesn't spring back. Set that down and pick up the grease cartridge. One end has a foil cap with a pull tab and the other end has some sort of a plastic cover or cap. Pull the foil and discard it. Pull off the cap on the other end and discard it. Take the end of the cartridge that did not have the foil and put it in the tube. If you're using the correct size cartridge for your grease gun it should slide all the way in to where the foil rim is snug with the rim of the tube. If doesn't go in all the way make sure you've got that rod/plunger pulled out as far as it will go; it's got a pretty strong spring on it so give it a good tug. Once the cartridge is seated in the tube screw the top on for about the first two or three threads, make sure you can't seperate them by tugging them apart. Not screwing it all the way in will allow the air to escape when you release the rod/plunger. Once you know it won't come off, release the catch on the rod/plunger. You should hear air escape from where the top threads onto the tube. When this stops (it only takes a second) screw the two pieces the rest of the way together. When those are good and tight push the rod all the way back up in the tube.

This really shouldn't create a mess. Depending on how close the threads fit a little grease may have seeped out or none at all. I really don't know how else to explain it.

As a note (AND DO NOT TRY THIS ON A CLOSED SYSTEM OR COMPONENT LIKE A TRANSAXLE!): When performing maintenance via a zerk fitting, use the the number of strokes recommended in the user/maintenance manual. However, if this is the first time the maintenance is being conducted in a very long time, or ever, you may want to continue to pump the grease gun until the old grease comes out and you're able to see the new grease you're putting in. This essentially flushes out the old contaminated grease and will help prevent premature wear on the component.

Hope this helps someone.

You betcha Redsky, and tks....Shoveling into a tube from a jar by hand...now that's funny. I can see it. Say by the way I see you're on the E side of NC? I hope you miss out on the next storm they got lined up at ya. We got one inch of well needed rain from Gustav as it passed my part of NE Texas. Tks again, take care, and about reading those instructions.......DT

Well, I think we're good on our ground water level now, we were in a drought. But if it does dump on us we'll be ready, it's nothing new in my neck of the woods. Thanks though, and keep reading ;].

haha I got a chuckle outta this thread. But yeah, Redsky is correct: READ THE DIRECTIONS. Honestly, their not rocket science. I didn't read everything word for word but I didn't see anyone mention the "residual" run-off after you let off the trigger, that's interesting to "learn" also. Best advice was given though, don't buy junk.

Thanks for a great laugh folks. I can see you kids using the quipment availabe when I was young. The Alemite gun, load from a tub with a paddle and inject the grease by turnibg a screw handle. Or when I was a little older the grease gun, no cartriges, took the head off, stuck the end in a bucket of Marfax, pulled the spring handle back to suck the grease in. Biggest problem was bleeding off the air if you did not get the loading just right. Makes an old man's day to reflect back on older times.

Yep--buy them shoes-send them to school--and they eat the books!
Rusty