Tm-1 lubrication problems

I have recently purchased a haas tm-1 (2007) (open version)that was barely used.
Like any machine that's ignored, so was its regular greasing maintenance.

I have torn off all the covers cleaned and pumped excessive grease into everything to see what trucks are taking grease and what are not.

They all seem to take grease, but some way more than others. 2 will ooze grease like crazy and the other 2 (4 on x y and z) just let out a tiny streak of what looks to be old nasty grease.
Pump, clean repeat, for 2 tubes of grease. Still lots on one side, and dribbles of old crap in the other

I also disconnected the grease lines one at a time to veryfy the grease would flow. It pumped fine through each connection.
Though the sides that had oozes of bypass would still ooze when the other sides line was disconnected and flowing.

SO, could there be that much restriction in the far lines that even disconected the closer trucks
Will allow more grease through?
Or could the trucks themselves be clogged?

Any knowledge. Remedys or advice would be very appreciated.


Also any other cool tm-1 tips and tricks would be great!
(How to quiet the sheet metal down? Lol)

Bit of a long shot as I see this was posted 5 years ago - but I am in a similar position now. 2004 tm1, super low hours, garage toy. 4 trucks will not take grease. I am curious if you had an easy fix for yours.

Factory red grease will harden , i had to pull lines to purge and force new grease into trucks, now everything is good, but i use a high quality red grease and give 4 pump/week per nipple

This machine has the even worse brown grease. I'm debating putting a fitting to each individual truck to eliminate any question of ever getting grease to each truck. Who cares if I need to grease 12 ports instead of 3 - I'll never have to question it. Crappy design.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Individual truck greasing is the safest. But a pain.

As for sheet metal noise I went to the car audio store and got some ( expensive) vibration vamping mats.
Lines the spindle head, put some strips on the other sheet metal.
Also framed in mine (2007) with plywood/epoxy paint. Gas not leaked a drop
Love my lil tm-1 w tool changer

I honestly question if the longer lines have so much resistance that even if they are not blocked they just don't flow grease well.
I've put at least 10 tubes through mine over the few years I've owned it. Still sucks and I just hit the ducky ones individually

well. I just got done over running new lines to each individual truck on my '04 tm1. I now have 15 grease fittings. It has solved my issues and given me peace of mind knowing when I pump this grease, it's going to that truck.

The length of the line means nothing if it is a straight shot to one fitting. Not one line being split through one 't', both of those into another 't', then those to the trucks. Piss poor design, IMO.


Supposedly they STILL haven't figured out grease and ways. I have a 6mo old Mini Mill 2 I am thinking of tearing into to flush the lines and restrictor fittings and switch over to oil. I can't be wondering if my ways are going to get cooked.

I'd love to see some pics of your enclosure as that is a next task for me - after I make a tool changer.

I'll snap a few photos and an explanation for you tomorrow.
It was super easy to build.
Plywood and 2x4, angle iron door slides.
Lots of calking and I used a fancy epoxy paint to seal it up.
Has not leaked a drop! Very happy with it.
I think I was under $500 Canadian making it. (The paint was crazy expensive and worth every dollar!)

Here are a few quick photos, I also got some square tubing and extended the monitor position to accommodate the enclosure

bolted up the front and back boards to begin the structure and cut to fit everything else.
the door slides are flat bar welded to bolts that bolt to the enclosure. I used pallet strapping on the bottom slide to have a sliding surface.
used a good rtv silicon liberally everywhere and then a 2 part epoxy paint. its been running 2 years now without any peeling (I'm actually surprised about that) obviously you want to cut with coolant to avoid hot piles of chips.
For a few hundred bucks its a life saver, and I can always unbolt a panel should I need to cram something large into it.

Just wondering what type of grease ya'll are running in your TM machines. I hear anything from very specific (Mobil 1) to "any general lithium grease". Leaves a lot of options.

Bakerprecision said:

Just wondering what type of grease ya'll are running in your TM machines. I hear anything from very specific (Mobil 1) to "any general lithium grease". Leaves a lot of options.

Click to expand...

I used mobile sch 100 grease.
I’ve heard great things about kluber grease. I can’t remember the spec. It was creamy brown. Apperently the stuff never waxes amd it the hot ticket, another super smart machinist friend told me. Alas I sold the Tm’s I had and my vf2 uses oil which I much prefer.