What size grease gun?
 

I want to buy a grease gun to grease the nipples of my trailer. Had the trailer 20 years and never done it but as I have fitted "new" tyres and had some parts of the chassis replaced due to rust, caused I think by driving water spray I think greasing is well over due.

What do I measure on the nipple to work out what size grease gun?
Although quite likely the nipples are imperial, an 8mm socket fits well.

A Google search and I think 55nm is about right for the wheel nuts which are about a 10mm thread

macafee2

A quick Google search indicates that there's a 'standard' size for grease nipples, which almost any gun you buy will fit. I think it's very unlikely that the trailer has a size different from standard. Any Halfords type grease gun will be OK.


TC

I was concerned about getting one to large and grease coming out around the nipple.

macafee2

I can't say i've ever seen different size grease nipples at least on automotive applications.

I went to look at a grease gun yesterday and came away unsure. Looking at Hilkas web site it says it will only fit 14mm nipples, which leads me to think there are a number of sizes of grease nipples.

14mm is quite some size for a grease nipple when it comes to automotive use and the explanation on the web site is unclear on what part of the grease nipple is used to measure 14mm.

macafee2

Because the head of the grease nipple and the head of the grease gun are semi-circular the two will be self centring.
As long as the grease gun is in a straight line with the grease nipple the pressure between them will stop any grease leakage and the gun will do the job.-------------;)

ok but how do you measure the size of a grease nipple? Hilka are saying it is the thread size, 14mm but that is huge. I cant imagine a grease nipple on a car being a 14mm thread.

macafee2

I have 2 boxes of grease nipples in my garage, left over from my trucking business. The guns were all the same size (1/8") apart from the Tecalemit slide on ones. The screw in thread sizes (where the nipple screws into the part to be greased) do vary though.;)

thanks for that. oh, I wonder if the Hilka grease gun has a pipe that screws into the hole where the grease nipple normally screws into and that is what they mean by 14mm.

Any idea what size the actual nipple size is?

macafee2

Pics of my nipples!!!
https://i.imgur.com/7glsFrD.jpg?4
https://i.imgur.com/ko3P3xt.jpg?1
:D
More info here