Track Tensioner won't take grease. What do I do ?

[WoodChuckDad]

The title says it all. My tracks were slack and I was going to tighten them. One side took the grease, but the other side didn't, so now I have one tight side and one sloppy side. The temperatures were in mid 30's today. I have owned the Excavator for 1 year and basically I am a newbie to heavy equipment and tractors so use small words to tell me how to fix this.

 

[Code54]

Did you happen to try pulling the zerk out and cleaning it. They sometime jam up (can replace it for next to nothing if need be)

Here is a "fancy" cleaner
IPA Grease Fitting Cleaner | Hoses, Valves Fittings| Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Sodo]

Unscrew the zerk holder. It's not just a zerk, it's a valve, sort of, it might have a sawcut across the threads so you can back it off a few turns to let the grease out. Anyway you can take it out completely and make sure grease pumps thru it. Thats your first step. And clean it if plugged of course. If grease pumps thru then the adjuster ram is stuck. There could be a rock blocking it from extending. Or just rusted stuck, or is it leaking grease thus not building pressure?

 

[Wagtail]

The title says it all. My tracks were slack and I was going to tighten them. One side took the grease, but the other side didn't, so now I have one tight side and one sloppy side. The temperatures were in mid 30's today. I have owned the Excavator for 1 year and basically I am a newbie to heavy equipment and tractors so use small words to tell me how to fix this.

A "zerk" is also called a grease nipple.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Zerks are dirt cheap. PENNIES. Taking one out, cleaning it, and putting it back makes about as much sense as cleaning the oil filter on your engine. Just replace the stupid thing.

Amazon.com: grease nipple

 

[Deere Dude]

Get a locknlube grease zerk adapter. They clamp onto the zerk so greasing difficult zerks becomes easy, I had a zerk on a new trailer that I couldn't get grease into it with the ordinary grease adapter. I hooked up one of these and it allowed pressure to build up and shot the grease right through the difficult zerk.

They are expensive but work great.

 

[TnAndy]

Get a locknlube grease zerk adapter. They clamp onto the zerk so greasing difficult zerks becomes easy, I had a zerk on a new trailer that I couldn't get grease into it with the ordinary grease adapter. I hooked up one of these and it allowed pressure to build up and shot the grease right through the difficult zerk.

They are expensive but work great.

I'll second that. The fittings on the top of my FEL seem to 'pack' the grease in them for some reason.....it was either clean or replace them almost every time. The locking deal cured that.

 

[EddieWalker]

Like already mentioned, the grease inside the zerk fitting will sometimes become hard and not allow new grease to get past it. I buy packages of them in the different sizes and angles so I always have what I need on hand. They sit in a coffee can next to my tubes of grease.

If a new zerk doesn't solver your problem, it might be your seals. Can you lift up the problems side of your excavator with your hoe stick and remove all the pressure on the tracks? If your seals are worn, this will allow you to tension your tracks temporary if they are not worn too bad. The idler should move out easily without any weight on the tracks.

If its the seals, it's not a major project, just some wrenching to get it all apart. I've redone the seals on both sides of my dozer a couple thousand hours ago, and I'm thinking I'm going have to do it again on one side real soon.

 

[Code54]

Zerks are dirt cheap. PENNIES. Taking one out, cleaning it, and putting it back makes about as much sense as cleaning the oil filter on your engine. Just replace the stupid thing.

Amazon.com: grease nipple

They are cheap but if you don't have one sitting there it takes a LOT longer to drive to town (for us country guys/girls) to buy one then just cleaning everything out.....

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I will be back there next weekend. I'll take a package of zerks with me. Thank you all for the advice. I will update with the results. Hoping a new zerk fixes this.