Grease For Dillon Machines

[nhglyn]

Is there a good place online to buy grease (with a needle nose applicator) for lubing the Dillon machines?

[George]

I use Slide-Glide on mine. The way I got it in was to dis-assemble the machine and lube it up on re-assembly.

A commercially available syringe filled with lube and a small tubing feed would probably do the job with any decent grease.

[Bubber]

nhglyn, If your Dillon has the holes for grease, I use what is called a "Push n Lube" which is used for greasing the bar on a chainsaw. After using up all the grease you could fill it with slide glide. just a thought. rdd

[Chris Keen]

You should read your Dillon manual for proper grease / lube application.

I use SAE 90 oil on the main shaft, and wheel bearing grease on the pivot pins.

Edited December 2, 2006 by CHRIS KEEN

[blackdragon]

You have to grease them???

Ivan

[George]

You have to grease them???

Ivan

Only after 8-10 years when they rust up and gall on ya'. Clean it up and lube it again and you are good to go for another 8-10. I am on my second 10

[Chris Keen]

Bought my 550 used, so I have no idea how old it is. Operating handle started to stick on me, so I tore the whole thing apart. Found the pivot pins had begun to gall. Coated them with new wheel bearing grease, and the press feels like brand new now.

Love it.

[Jon Merricks]

Slide Glide for me.

[Bollocks]

Hi,

I've been using the grease supplied with Dillons maintenance kits for years now and am quite content with it.

The syringe applicator goes a long, long way.

In the next couple of weeks I'm going to try moly-slide on one of my 550's out of curiosity.

Cheers,

BolloX

Edited December 2, 2006 by Bollocks

[nhglyn]

Thanks for all the information..........one last question.

How do you grease the mainshaft pivot pin? No holes to squirt lube into so.....?

Thanks again.

[George]

You pretty much have to dissassemble it to do so. When it galls up, you will learn how ;-)

Some penetrating oil can help keep it from galling, but the best solution is to disassemble and lube.

A set of Zerk fittings here would be a great thing. Are you listening Mike?

[nhglyn]

George,

Quick lesson on disassembly of this area? Easy to do?

[George]

No, it took me a day to do it because I am a doofus (but a careful doofus). It required removing the ram first and then the pivot pins can be driven out. I forget which way things went because it was a few years ago, but it is pretty straight forward if you just plain dissassemble it as far as you can go ;-)

Remember the first (and only) rule of the tinkerer: Once you can take anything apart, you can put it back together. Otherwise all you are is a junk box collector ;-)

[Chris Keen]

Be careful to remove all lock-down screws before trying to hammer out certain pins. The lower pin on the main shaft has a "locking" screw that holds it in place.

Read your manual first.

If you don't have one, look on line.

[warpspeed]

Ponsness-Warren makes this stuff called "STOS" that comes in an applicator . It is what they recommend for their shotgun presses.

[Rico567]

I've had no problems with the grease included in the Dillon applicator. When it runs out, I'll probably fill it with Slide-Glide, although I expect any bearing grease will work. For lubricating the ram, I use Mobil 1 0W-40. I just let the bottles drain after filling the car, and it provides enough for all my general purpose lubrication tasks.

The only way I know of to readily lube the 650 is to disassemble it. It's not an especially easy job, but not that tough, either, and it's one of those things that when you've done it once, it'll go more quickly from then on. You DO need to lube it. The first time I disassembled it, the bottom link pin grease had begun to change to a gray color, and the pin was discolored. I can only imagine that this is because the frame components of the press, including the links and toggle, are an aluminum alloy, and the ram and shafts / pins are steel.