otus_branch
Silver Member
Hi all,
I have a 2006 L-39 that unfortunately has had to spend its whole life outdoors. I have tried to stay religious about regular greasings and lubrication to help offset the problems of weather, but lately have run into some trouble with the zerks on my loader and backhoe. Even at the 10-hour interval, the zerks will often be resistant to accepting grease. For the past few years, a Grease Joint Rejuvenator (the gizmo you fill with penetrating oil and then tap with a hammer) helped open things up, but now even that is not helping enough.
At one zerk, where lower loader arm meets the frame, I was tapping (ok, whacking, with a 16 oz hammer - because it was really clogged!) the Rejuvenator, and rather than open up the zerk, the whole zerk popped out. The zerk itself did not show obvious damage to its threads, so now I am worried that I damaged the internal threads on the loader arm joint. It was too dark by then to look closely, so now I am inquiring to y'all, and will check back on the machine when I have time this weekend.
Have any of you had particular problems with Kubota Zerks? Are there any tricks beyond regular greasing and the Grease Joint Rejuvenator I should be trying? Is it likely that I stripped the threads on my loader arm where the Zerk used to attach?
Besides the loader arm where the Zerk popped oyt, I also have a Zerk at the backhoe that is resisting grease. I decided that night when those two problems cropped up that I needed to figure out the popped Zerk before I go trying to unclog any others.
Incidentally, the Zerk that popped out still seems pretty clogged. Attaching it to the Grease Joint Rejuvenator (while still detached from its hole in the the loader arm) and tapping it some more only let a small amount of oil through. So I am thinking that I might need to clean it/them using a needle or something. Or maybe use a better penetrating oil? So far, I've been using motor oil thinned with a bit of gasoline, but I think I will try straight diesel fuel next time in the Rejuvenator.
My standard greasing practice has been to always clean the Zerk faces with a rag before attaching the grease gun to try to minimize dirt getting in. Grease used has mostly been the John Deere brand of Moly grease, since the Kubota manual calls for Moly and that's the type I could find locally.
Advice welcomed. Thanks,
-otus
I have a 2006 L-39 that unfortunately has had to spend its whole life outdoors. I have tried to stay religious about regular greasings and lubrication to help offset the problems of weather, but lately have run into some trouble with the zerks on my loader and backhoe. Even at the 10-hour interval, the zerks will often be resistant to accepting grease. For the past few years, a Grease Joint Rejuvenator (the gizmo you fill with penetrating oil and then tap with a hammer) helped open things up, but now even that is not helping enough.
At one zerk, where lower loader arm meets the frame, I was tapping (ok, whacking, with a 16 oz hammer - because it was really clogged!) the Rejuvenator, and rather than open up the zerk, the whole zerk popped out. The zerk itself did not show obvious damage to its threads, so now I am worried that I damaged the internal threads on the loader arm joint. It was too dark by then to look closely, so now I am inquiring to y'all, and will check back on the machine when I have time this weekend.
Have any of you had particular problems with Kubota Zerks? Are there any tricks beyond regular greasing and the Grease Joint Rejuvenator I should be trying? Is it likely that I stripped the threads on my loader arm where the Zerk used to attach?
Besides the loader arm where the Zerk popped oyt, I also have a Zerk at the backhoe that is resisting grease. I decided that night when those two problems cropped up that I needed to figure out the popped Zerk before I go trying to unclog any others.
Incidentally, the Zerk that popped out still seems pretty clogged. Attaching it to the Grease Joint Rejuvenator (while still detached from its hole in the the loader arm) and tapping it some more only let a small amount of oil through. So I am thinking that I might need to clean it/them using a needle or something. Or maybe use a better penetrating oil? So far, I've been using motor oil thinned with a bit of gasoline, but I think I will try straight diesel fuel next time in the Rejuvenator.
My standard greasing practice has been to always clean the Zerk faces with a rag before attaching the grease gun to try to minimize dirt getting in. Grease used has mostly been the John Deere brand of Moly grease, since the Kubota manual calls for Moly and that's the type I could find locally.
Advice welcomed. Thanks,
-otus
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