Turns out greasing the boom while it's loaded saves my back and my schedule

Been running a 60 ton Grove for 8 years and always did the unload then grease routine. Last month we were slammed on a highway job outside Austin and I had zero downtime. On a whim I tried hitting the zerk fittings while the boom was still under load, just slow and careful, and it took half the time. No weird binding or anything. Grease seemed to take just fine. Anyone else do this on the regular or am I asking for a bushing failure down the road?

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terrym459d ago

That "saves my back" line hit home. I ran a 55 ton Link-Belt for a decade and swore by the unload first method. Then one day on a bridge job I was pinned in tight and just went for it with the boom still loaded. Same thing, nothing weird. Grease took fine. Been doing it ever since. The trick is just going slow and watching the pressure. I think the old timers made a bigger deal out of it than it is. Been two years now and my bushings are still tight. No failures. It's one of those things you're told not to do but nobody gives you a real reason why.