Grease gun wouldn't go from zerk.

[Redneck in training]

I have two vehicles that require periodical lubrication. Zero turn mover and CUT. When I grease the mover I can easily pul the grease coupler from the zerk, but when I grease the tractor I can't pull the coupler of the zerk unles using brute force acompanied by faul language. The zerks look the same to me. I bought new gun and another coupler but the results are the same. What am I doing wrong. Are there different kinds of incompatible zerks? Please help.

 

[irwin]

Hi Redneck, the couplers can unscrew and will loosen their grip..BTDT..got a few on the kubota that don't like to let go. You'll get use to it.

Yes there are different zerks with slight differences to the nipple, but the standard zerks are close, and some standard couplers will differ in the amount of jaws inside, the more jaws..the easier to pull off.

If you do a search here on zerks you should find a few "I can't get it off" threads.

 

[EddieWalker]

You have two things going on here. The fitting at the end of the greese gun will unscrew from the tube and release the preasure. Since you mention that it happens all the time, and with other grease guns, there is a problem.

More then likely, the fitting that you are greasing is dirty and the grease has become hardened. In normal situations, the new grease forces out the old grease and you get the benifits of the new grease to lubricate the bearing or pin. When the old grease will not push out under preasure of the new grease, you build up preasure in the grease gun.

This is what I believe is happening here. To fix it, I usually take off the zirk fitting and clean out the old grease. In my experince, this usually happens with fittings that have a cavity to hold grease. I then put the zirk back on and try to grease it again. If it still doesn't work, I clean it again and then spray carburator or brake cleaner in the hole. This desolves the grease, and always fixes the problem.

Eddie

 

[Eagleview]

There are a couple of different Zerk shapes . They look the same but they are not . The Zerk nipple on the greasegun is adjustable for this reason . Click on the thumbnail and you will see ive put a couple of arrows on the picture . The one on the right is the parting line , loosen the top portion . With two pair of pliers , hold the bottom portion (left arrow) with one pair and turn top portion anti clockwise with another pair . Leave this loose , if it gets tight just loosen a little with your fingers and it will come off the nipple . If it leaks a little nip it up with your fingers and it will stop .

 

[Redneck in training]

Thank to everyone who replied. I ended up unscrewing the coupler to get it off but some zerks are in deep cavity and I had to just jerk the coupler of those. I saw the old grease coming out of the pins I was lubricating therefore I don't think the zerks were plugged. Later on I tried two more couplers and they also got stuck on the zerks. Assuming that the coupler held pressure I removed the check valve from the coupler and tried again with about the same results. Next I will remove the check valve from the gun itself. Interestingly when I grease my mover I can pull the coupler from the zerks with small force. I will experiment some more when I get home from a business trip and let you know if I found a solution.
My tractor is Korea made TYM so I think the zerks are metric. Would it make a difference?

 

[Ford850]

The trick is to adjust the coupler slightly BEFORE you put it on the zerk. On my tractor for example, I am used to the zerks and know there are several that are shaped different (larger). I turn the coupler open slightly as I approach those zerks, and have no problems removing the grease gun then. As I move on to the rest of the grease points I tighten the couple down a half turn and it's fine for the rest of the zerks. The coupler remains loose on the threads at all times, allowing me to adjust it with my fingers easily as needed.
Good luck.