At John Deere we’re always looking for new ways to help you lower daily operating costs and increase uptime. NeverGrease pin joints, our latest innovation, do both. Lubricated for life, they lower daily operating costs by eliminating the need for daily greasing, while increasing uptime by extending pin-joint life.

"Available for John Deere 744J, 824J, and 844J Loaders, these maintenance- free pin joints save operators time every morning, while saving you money on grease," says David O’Keeffe, product marketing manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry. "And with less grease needed on the jobsite, the pin joints are more environmentally friendly, too."

Loaders using NeverGrease pin joints require less maintenance and are more reliable. They also stay cleaner, so they’re easier to wash, inspect, and repair.

NeverGrease pin joints eliminate the frustration of constant greasing and working with auto-lube systems. "There’s no hassling with locating and preparing grease guns," explains O’Keeffe. "You don’t have to worry whether an operator will finish after running out of grease halfway through or if he’ll grease the machine when the weather is bad. And there’s no auto-lube system with additional pumps, valves, and plumbing that you need to constantly inspect and maintain to ensure it’s working properly."

Consistent lubrication, wear, and productivity NeverGrease pin joints are designed for all joints in the boom, linkage, and bucket. Boom-to-bucket pin joints, which receive constant abuse during the course of a day’s work, use a roller-bearing element with a series of barrel-shaped roller bearings to improve load distribution. Other boom and linkage joints use a filament-wound Teflon™ bushing for grease-free lubrication.

Machines that use NeverGrease pin joints are more reliable and require considerably less periodic maintenance. All pin joints are sealed to keep debris out, for longer life. And with their extended life, the pin joints don’t need to be rebuilt as frequently. When the joints need to be rebuilt, the roller bearing units and bushings are pressed out and in, eliminating welding and line boring for faster and easier rebuilds.

The NeverGrease system ensures consistent lubrication to all joints so they wear at the same rate. "Because the joints stay tighter, you’ll stay consistently productive in later hours of the life of the machine," explains O’Keeffe. "With daily greasing, an operator might miss a joint or not grease every day. After extended use with manual systems, the boom-to-bucket joints get loose so the operator doesn’t have the same precise control and becomes less productive."

Decrease the grease
Loaders equipped with NeverGrease pin joints stay cleaner, too. "There isn’t as much grease to attract dust and debris, so repairs are much faster,” says O’Keeffe. "The technician doesn’t have to remove the grease from the cylinder to replace a hose. He can do the repair without spending too much time on cleaning."

Inspections are easier, too. With grease around the joints, it’s hard to tell the difference between the grease and a leak. But with a greaseless solution, it’s easier to identify actual leaks. NeverGrease pin joints are a real cost- and time-saving innovation, particularly for fleets with a large number of loaders. To learn more, visit your local dealer today!

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