BX24 BH zerk refuses to take grease & bushing stuck

[DaveVales]

The zerk on my BX24 backhoe where the main boom connects to the second boom (see picture) refuses to take grease. I have replaced the zerk fitting, I have tried squeezing grease into the zerk at about 20 different backhoe positions hoping to ease pressure, and I have tried to clean out the bushing. All without success. I have had this problem zerk since I received the machine 6 weeks ago and it has not developed over time.

I tried to take out the bushing but the bolt would not come out. I did not hammer the bolt it out because that would leave me up a creek. All but one other bolts holding bushings on the backhoe are loose and would be removed easily but this bolt is not going to budge. It turns - I tried removing it by turning it but it did not back out. I tried several backhoe positions to take pressure off but did not have any success loosening this bolt or bushing.

I noticed the 2 plates on either side of the bushing between the junction of the 2 booms (see picture). The plates do rotate rather freely. All other zerks take grease and do not have these plates. So, are these plates standard or are they preventing this fitting from taking grease? I don't want to have to drive 45 minutes, 40+ miles to look at machines sitting on my dealer's lot. My friends at TBN would likely have the answers to my questions.

Does anyone have any suggestions how to remove the bolt and bushing other than having my dealer work on it? Should these 2 plates be there? Any suggestions how to prop up the booms if I do get to a point when the bushing can be removed?

Thanks!

 

[KennyV]

Dave...
I suspect that pin was not cross drilled… You can check this without removing the pin. To do this you will have to remove the zerk and using a piece of piano wire (any stiff wire), bend a 90 degree leg at the end, this leg should be short enough to fit into the end of the pin through the zerk hole. Drag this back and forth around the inside of the pin. You should find a cross drilled hole at around the center of the pin. If not you will need to remove the pin and drill it or replace it with a new pin… If it has never been greased it may be a booger to remove but if you can drift it out it is a simple matter to replace that pin… Or you might just load the whole thing up and let the dealer do this, Myself I would just remove that pin and cross drill it,… The plates on each side are thrust washers for the sides of the dipper arm, they need to be there. KennyV.

 

[bx23barry]

Shouldn't it be under warrenty if it has never taken grease?

 

[JerryG]

Dave I know that you said that you have had the boom in many positions, but have you rested it on the ground while trying the Zerk?

 

[DaveVales]

Yes it is under warranty - on Friday my dealer gave me a few new zerks but the problem unfortunately lies deeper. I am making a list of items to be fixed under warranty and this might be the last one before I ask them to fix the stuff.

I have rested the boom on the ground in as many positions as I can - between straight and stretched out and all angles in between but no success.

I scraped the inside of the pin with electric fencing wire bent 90 degrees in search of a hole - nothing was found, but how large is the hole? Maybe this wire was too thick. I simply cannot get that bolt to budge outward to remove the pin nor can I seem to relieve stress on that pin to give it some slack. I've wasted too much time on this - it should have been caught at the dealer at prep (but they missed a few obvious things so why should I be surprised...). And I have about 200 ft of 6' wide ditch to dig out with the BH to deepen it about 8" to 10" from where it is.

Maybe I should give it a good swift kick

 

[Stef]

I'd say with a valid warranty fixing this isn't your problem. Without one, you'd be up for a little fix. The problem may be simple, but don't forget that the warranty coming with the tractor is included in the price you paid for it. I like to do my own repair... when the warranty is no longer valid.

 

[ByronBob]

Your dealer would understand you made an honest effort and now it's time for him to do what he does for a living, fix it.

 

[kyspartan]

i would let the dealer deal with it. if they don't get paid very much for fixing that problem. then they could decide to void the warranty on that part, if it looks like someone else has been scratching around on it.

 

[KennyV]

if they don't get paid very much for fixing that problem. then they could decide to void the warranty on that part, if it looks like someone else has been scratching around on it.

How could replacing a pin with a properly cross drilled pin 'void the warranty' ... Is Kubota that flakey in your experiance??? KennyV.

 

[NoviceguyInCT]

Several of the grease fittings on my BH are tough to get grease into too. Takes several attempts at just the right angle sometimes. Let me know how you make out with your problem.