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

[Xfaxman]

You're welcome, pictures are worth a thousand words.

 

[PJ The Kid]

Alot of times on heavy equipment I use a port-a-power with an adapter made to fit either the zerk or thread into the zerk hole and fill it with hydraulic oil or diesel fuel. The port-a-power has alot more push and will usually push some in. Also the hydraulic oil or diesel has lubrication and will thin out hardened grease. If no port-a-power is available you can spray some kroil or pb blaster in the zerk hole and it will help thin out hardened grease

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I'm not sure if it was the cold weather, or if it was bound up by dirt or just stuck because it hadn't had grease pumped into it in a long time. I ran it and attempted to pump the grease in it a couple times a day for a couple days. Each time it seemed to take just a little bit. Then next weekend that I went up there, after sorting out my alternator problem, it got warm. I ran the excavator for about an hour then stopped and put some grease in and it took the grease, no problem. And it held the tension fine.

 

[Axxell]

I have the same problem on my Kubota KX-41. I've just replaced the idler wheel assembly and I went to retension the track and found that I could get about two or three pumps on the grease gun and everything locked up. The track hardly moved. It felt as though the adjuster had hit the limit of its travel, but the track was still hanging down. I took everything apart again and removed the adjuster. Even with the adjuster removed from the machine and the piston pushed all the way home, I could only get a couple of pumps, moving the piston a few millimetres before it locked up. I removed the complete grease fitting and found I could pump grease freely through it. I replaced it and removed the piston (which was also moving freely) I could pump grease into the cylinder without the piston with no trouble. Replaced the piston and tried again - after a couple of pumps it locked up. At this point I began to question my sanity. I swapped the grease nipple/zerk with one from another part of the machine and established there was nothing wrong with that. By a process of elimination, the problem has to be in the part described in the Kubota parts listing as 'Nipple Cylinder' which the nipple/zerk screws into. It seems that it's fine until there's back pressure on it - then it locks up completely. I don't know if this part contains some sort of non-return valve but I'm going to see if I can run a drill through it and get the machine back to work.

 

[jgh]

I looked the IPA device up and the reviews indicate it works well. I have a problem with the track expander valve on my Liebherr 621C track loader (about the size of a 953 Cat), it refuses to take grease (I posted another thread on it, search "621C" or "Liebherr"). I am nervous about using the IPA and its injected oil on a track expander since it does not allow oozing out of the grease like an ordinary joint will. The "Light viscosity oil" will remain mixed with grease. Does anyone have a comment on that?

Removing the piston, etc, on this machine involves a very large spring. Does not look like fun.

BTW I don't know what happened but this reply was supposed to go under the post that first referenced the IPA fitting tool. Ooops.