Grease for Ingersoll Rand Air Impact Wrench?

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I'm doing some routine maintenance on my IR 2131 air wrench, a tool I've been very happy with for years. A few seals are leaking so I got the IR tuneup kit. They call for a special grease, which sadly wasn't included with the tune up kit. The stuff presently in the gun looks and feels just like a high quality moly chassis grease.

Does anyone know if I need to go find the IR special grease or if I can use a good moly chassis grease instead?

TIA!
 
IR grease (that comes in small toothpaste style tubes) to be attached to a micro grease gun (same as used on chainsaw blade rollers) is grey/peweter color of greases normally containing graphite.

Bob
 
Hi. I have the IR2131 (QT version). Yes IR does call for a specific grease, I think it is the IR115 but I forget for sure. The manual would say. Anyway, sears sometimes has the kit with a tube of the grease and the little hand pump needle applicator for about $20. One time they were closing them out so I got a second one for $10. I can check mine at home for more info if desired.
 
I have never taken a 2131 gun apart so I do not know for sure but on the traditional IR guns like the 231, 244, 232 etc, they have two grease points, the hammer case and the rear bearing. It is this rear bearing that you need the need needle point grease gun for.

To be totally honest, I just use regular Valvoline wheel bearing grease on my 231 at work, and it keeps going. When I pull it apart, I pack the rear of the gun and work it into the bearing, then slop some around in the hammer case and call it quits. These guns really do not care about what kind of grease they have in them, or at least not that I have noticed.

Interestingly enough, the "OEM" grease for my 232tgsl at home had a yellowish tinge to it, I believe IR recommends two different types of greases for their guns.

Jim
 
I have used just axle grease in my guns and shop guns while at sears for years. NEVER have had any failures. First it was Mobil1 and now I think that grease gun has Valvoline Synpower. Thanks for reminding me I need to grease my gun soon.

Yes Sears generally had some of the IR grease when I worked their but have not checked in a couple years.
 
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Trust me, the gun cares far more about the rusty wet air that is being forced through it than what type of grease it has.
And if you can manage to properly clean and dry the air before the gun, and give the gun a decent supply of air tool oil to keep your new seals supple, you may never, ever, have to buy another rebuild kit.

Air tools of any sort are almost immortal IF they are fed the proper diet of oil and clean, dry air.
This will be argued by many, but they are not feeding their tool properly and have not experienced this.
 
hey jim, question about greasing the impact gun. When I took the 231 apart, there wasn't much grease in there. I see that you said to do the back bearin, what about the front one? Do you grease any other places in there? thanks
 
you can use the grease that is recommended by ingersoll, its a synthetic grease. but my snap-on dealer also said you can use the transmission lube (for the seals, dont remember the name) and its usually red, or you can even use vasoline. his explanation was that regular wheel bearing grease or chassis grease "doesnt" break down enough, whereas the vasoline will break down.
 
Try the Valvoline SynPower. It's a synthetci grease that is gray in color. It should be VERY comparable to the IR stuff. NAPA part number 985
 
I never greased mine and I used it at work doing things that would make you wonder how the wrench would last. The service vans compressor was a 12HP gasoline unit that was turned up to over 200 psi the 231 would loosen the wheels on the companies semis. My Snapon equivelant was rebuilt 3 times due to the anvil breaking " the part that the socket attached to" and the IR231 still is working. Just use some ATF for lube once a day .
 
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