Grease button fitting
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- 40C crawler
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:52 pm
- Location: Hillman , Michigan 49746
Grease button fitting
Hi guys need to find out where a person as in me, where can I buy the end for my grease gun to grease the button fitting on my 350 crawler . And where can a person get the grease? Checked one auto parts and they never heard of corn head grease, but they did have a big block to fit on the gun but was 50.00 be cheaper to change all fittings. Thanks for the help. Larry
Button Heads
Mcmaster- Carr
- Stan Disbrow
- 350 crawler
- Posts: 2983
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
- Location: Raleigh, NC
Hi,
Corn Head grease is only available from a John Deere dealer. It is for the corn head (oddly enough) of a combine. Those are beyond the scope of the 'farm supply' stores and way, way beyond the scope of auto and truck parts stores.
I suppose the other farm equipment dealers who handle combines would have a similar grease. I have not been in any other than a JD one looking for it. IIRC it is NPI number Zero grade grease (as opposed to NPI number Two for common chassis grease).
What it does, is act like a stiff grease just sitting there, then flows like a really thick oil as things move. Just a little bit thicker than the original track idler and roller oil which used to be available for these machines. That went away about 20 years after they went to fully sealed rollers and idlers.
Anyway, it comes in tubes and loads into a gun just like chassis grease does. The next thing you need is a low pressure gun, not the usual high pressure gun you see everywhere. If you use a high pressure gun it is way too easy to rip out the bellows seal on every roller. Once that happens, dirt gets in and eats up the roller bushings.
Stan
Corn Head grease is only available from a John Deere dealer. It is for the corn head (oddly enough) of a combine. Those are beyond the scope of the 'farm supply' stores and way, way beyond the scope of auto and truck parts stores.
I suppose the other farm equipment dealers who handle combines would have a similar grease. I have not been in any other than a JD one looking for it. IIRC it is NPI number Zero grade grease (as opposed to NPI number Two for common chassis grease).
What it does, is act like a stiff grease just sitting there, then flows like a really thick oil as things move. Just a little bit thicker than the original track idler and roller oil which used to be available for these machines. That went away about 20 years after they went to fully sealed rollers and idlers.
Anyway, it comes in tubes and loads into a gun just like chassis grease does. The next thing you need is a low pressure gun, not the usual high pressure gun you see everywhere. If you use a high pressure gun it is way too easy to rip out the bellows seal on every roller. Once that happens, dirt gets in and eats up the roller bushings.
Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!
Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (5045D), 2025 3025E
Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (5045D), 2025 3025E
I normally stock them.
Lavoy
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com
- Stan Disbrow
- 350 crawler
- Posts: 2983
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
- Location: Raleigh, NC
Hi,
Oh, and a word about JD dealerships. They have three kinds: Residential/Commercial, Agricultural and Construction. I refer to them as Little Green, Big Green and Yellow because of the signs they use (and the paint on the equipment they sell).
Corn Head grease comes from an Ag dealership. I expect you would get the same 'huh?' response you got from the auto parts store were you looking to get Corn Head grease from a Yellow dealership....
And, the ironic part is that crawlers fit in under Yellow dealerships....
Stan
Oh, and a word about JD dealerships. They have three kinds: Residential/Commercial, Agricultural and Construction. I refer to them as Little Green, Big Green and Yellow because of the signs they use (and the paint on the equipment they sell).
Corn Head grease comes from an Ag dealership. I expect you would get the same 'huh?' response you got from the auto parts store were you looking to get Corn Head grease from a Yellow dealership....
And, the ironic part is that crawlers fit in under Yellow dealerships....
Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!
Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (5045D), 2025 3025E
Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (5045D), 2025 3025E
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- 40C crawler
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:52 pm
- Location: Hillman , Michigan 49746
I went to an JD Ag dealer a couple of years back and bought around 8 tubes of Corn Head grease. The parts guy asked if I was getting ready to put up a couple of corn heads. I told him I was using them on rollers for my JD crawler and he just gave me a blank stare 

(1) JD Straight 450 crawler dozer with manual outside blade; (2) JD 2010 diesel crawler loaders; (1) JD 2010 diesel dozer with hydraulic 6-way blade; (2) Model 50 backhoe attachments, misc. other construction equipment
- Stan Disbrow
- 350 crawler
- Posts: 2983
- Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
- Location: Raleigh, NC
Hi,
Yup. Blank stares. I don't get them much these days, but then I haul my 420c around to antique farm shows. So, everyone knows I am the Nut with Tracks on a 420.
Since most of the guys who work at the local JD dealer go to the shows, they now understand the concept of lubricating rollers. Even guys from the Yellow shop come by to marvel at how cute it is. The Yellow shop in Garner even has a 40c out front as a sign.
When I first started going to these things, practically no one had ever seen one. They weren't common here in what what tobacco country when they were new.
One thing which they all learned quickly: Do not let crawlers into the Slow Races.
Stan
Yup. Blank stares. I don't get them much these days, but then I haul my 420c around to antique farm shows. So, everyone knows I am the Nut with Tracks on a 420.

Since most of the guys who work at the local JD dealer go to the shows, they now understand the concept of lubricating rollers. Even guys from the Yellow shop come by to marvel at how cute it is. The Yellow shop in Garner even has a 40c out front as a sign.
When I first started going to these things, practically no one had ever seen one. They weren't common here in what what tobacco country when they were new.
One thing which they all learned quickly: Do not let crawlers into the Slow Races.

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!
Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (5045D), 2025 3025E
Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (5045D), 2025 3025E
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- 40C crawler
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:52 pm
- Location: Hillman , Michigan 49746
grease gun
what do you have and how much. and does it work. Thanks Larryop" wrote:i'll sell you the whole pump
I have the button head grease fittings on my 40C 4-roller and one of the inexpensive couplers on my grease gun, but having trouble getting grease to go in.. pump it up, then when take it off, grease starts shooting out the coupler and I suspect did not go into the roller. Suggestions on what to fix/clean in the button heads on the roller?
re corn head grease - interesting. I did not see that term in the JD operator and service manuals I have.. just "SAE 140 in summer with low pressure grease gun."
re corn head grease - interesting. I did not see that term in the JD operator and service manuals I have.. just "SAE 140 in summer with low pressure grease gun."
1954 JD40C with Holt Blade and Gearmatic Winchdrum Model 8A
1947 Ford 8N (yes a '47!)
1947 Ford 8N (yes a '47!)
YES they used 140 gear oil in the rollers and a LOW pressure gun as you WILL blow the seals out in a heart beat with a regular gun ... I dont know if corn head grease even existed when you manual/tractor was made..... years ago you could buy ROLLER lube/grease from DEERE JOHN ... as for the fittings you can get them from NAPA ..BUT if its pushing back out I would say you are over pressuring the seals.... the reason for OIL is heavy grease wont FLOW in the bushings at such a low speed
2010 with 622 dozer with mod. 35 ripper and a 2010 with 622 dozer bought in 1969 and a 2010 loader with drott and mod. 36 ripper
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