Hey folks,
kind of a stupid question, but I noticed when other people post up pics of their machines, the linear rails look nice and shiney…the grease that came with mine is black…not a big deal, but was just curious what might be the difference from what I see on mine and pics of others. Also…I seem to have a heck of a time getting the ball zerks to take grease on certain bearings…I’m not 100% sure, but I feel like if I move the axis a little then sometimes they take grease easier…any tips on that too would be welcome. Glad there is finally a forum here!
Erik
The ball joint on the grease tip that came with my machine leaked, so I picked up a LockNLube LNL122. Having a straight tip helped because I could control the angle better and find an angle that worked.
The rails on my machine do have a light, visible film from the black grease just like you describe.
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I had a really hard time with the grease gun. Mine ended up leaking too, and in some bearings I was never totally sure that any grease actually got in. There must be a knack to it that I just didn’t find. I’ll check out the LocknLube… BTW, the grease that came with mine has a reddish tinge.
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I think the stuff that came with mine was NLG 1.5…I will also check out the tip you suggested…mine doesn’t leak, but the wobble does make it hard to get good pressure on the connection. I live in a little bit of a higher humidity area, so I try to keep grease on everything to prevent rust. I know some doen’t use any on the rack and pinion since it can attract dust and debris, but I feel the benefits outweigh the down sides. I don’t run production either though.
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If you are wanting some level of rust protection with lubrication for parts (not the linier rails) I recommend a dry film lubricant. Dust does not stick to these dry lubricants. Avoid the types that contain silicone since they can get into finishes and create orange peel. The best dry film lubricants from a low friction perspective contain molybdenum disulfide.
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It’s also good practice to put some grease on the rack gears as well.
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on the FB page, there are a lot of guys running the R/P completely dry…which seems crazy to me…unless I totally misread … I don’t use a ton…just enough grease to keep everything happy
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I use this product on the rack gears:
Works well and does not attract dust.
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Can you please verify this because I was directed to NOT use any lubricants on the R&P.
Thanks…
So the factory got back to me ASAP on this topic. I will continue to NOT use grease on the R&P as to avoid FOD build up. If it wears out early, oh well. They are much cheaper to replace than to spend the time in additional maintenance and cleanup from the splatter.
Our documentation does not call for lubrication on the gear rack. Smearing a little bearing grease on the rack teeth may help extend the life of pinion gears by reducing friction. Depending on your shop space and materials processed, it may also attract more dust and debris requiring more regular maintenance. It should be noted that this grease will likely fling off onto other components at high speed, so apply sparingly. We have not established undeniable data that the grease is advantageous in this way. We support operators using their best judgement based on their environment and needs.
This is the best question yet. Which just makes me as inexperienced on machines as you. From day 1 there have been some bearings I could get to take grease and some I could not. In fact in a couple of places I had to take the cap off insert grease and close it up. I end up with too much and my rails then turn black.
Yet when I get the cap off and test it it seems fine.
I will order this new tip. This is a huge problem as my space is limited and access to all grease points is limited.
I sure hope this works.
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I’ve noticed that i had to turn the grease fittings out a half or quarter turn to get the grease to flow
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I have experienced the same issue where some fittings seem blocked. I usually open them a quarter turn and find that angling the gun tip slightly so it is not going straight into the port helps a lot.
If that’s what you heard from support than go with that.
Before being at Avid CNC I ran a production/prototyping shop where I had several rack drive machines I used heavily (and pushed hard). I always greased the racks on those machines and I got a long long life out of my pinion gears.
I don’t know if the grease was what made my pinions last longer, but that’s what I did and it worked for me, which is why I chose to do it on my Avid.
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Understood. It is my duty as owner of this shop to keep my investments protected. That protection includes from friction as the #1 machine killer.
Essentially, I walk around Sunday through Friday with an oil can and a grease gun 
The AvidCNC is my lowest maintenance machine though. That does make me happy 
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Yep! To far in and they restrict the free flow of grease.
Yep! To far in and they restrict the free flow of grease.
That, I think, must be the knack I didn’t get! Thanks!
I have noticed too that if I jog the machine a bit sometimes it can allow me to grease the fitting where in the other position it would not take grease
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I have a PRO4848, circa 2017, so the I need to remove the end screws on the Z-axis linear rail guides to lubricate. The bottom guides can be a pain. One of the lower guide end holes are now stripped. I see no reason for the screws to be replaced after lubricating. The dust covers keep the inside very clean. Anyone else see a reason for the screws? I’ve convinced myself they are not necessary.
Agreed - my experience matches this. Even though the installation instructions call for finger tight, I still had to back off the fittings before I could squeeze any grease in.