Grease guns are not only a handy tool, but they are just about the only way to get grease into bearings. Bearings are used in pretty much all machinery, so you can see what an important service they fulfill. It is just as important to be able to properly refill a grease gun. You cannot get grease into the bearings if you cannot get it into the gun.
Pull back on the rod handle and lock it into place. Be careful when doing this. The rod handle is spring loaded. Be sure that it is securely locked into place in the pulled-out position. Unscrew the head of the gun. This is the end that the grease comes out of. Both ends unscrew, but this is the proper end to use when refilling the grease gun.
Remove the empty cartridge from the barrel of the grease gun. This is a good time to clean the gun. Spend a little time cleaning the head and barrel to be sure that there aren’t any contaminants getting into the grease. If it does, the grease gun will push out contaminants into the bearings, which will cause wear and shorten their lifespan. Next remove the plastic cap, exposing the grease. Be careful not to allow any dirt to get into the grease. Place this open end face down into the barrel. Push it down until the metal rim seats down against the barrel. The pull-tab end should be facing up now and you can at this time remove the pull-tab.
Screw the head back on the barrel, but not tightly. This will allow any air that is trapped inside to escape. Release the rod handle from the slot that has been holding it out. Push the rod handle into the grease. This will push out the trapped air. Tighten the head down. If the gun has an air bleeder valve, depress it to let any remaining air out. Pump the rod handle a few times and depress the air bleeder again. If the gun doesn’t have an air bleeder valve, just loosen and tighten the head to let out any trapped air. At this time, you can pump the handle a few times until the grease comes out of the coupler. Wipe the grease off to keep the gun clean.
