Zerk Unblocked

[DeanKC]

11 of 12 FEL zerks took grease today. The insides of this one was blocked solid. My drill bit took care of it, spring and all.

 

[Sodo]

I’d unscrew the fitting, then probe with wire or possibly a drill to loosen the blockage. There are about 3 or 4 different grease fitting thread types
and it’s always been much more of a PITA than ever expected
to replace one. There’s taper thread, straight thread, metric straight & taper…. PITA.

Theres a tool you can buy for about $15 that you put it on the nipple and hit with a hammer. It injects grease at very high pressure. Ideally, clearing the blockage and a normal grease gun can do it next time. You may need to off-weight the pin to give the grease somewhere to go.

Fittings that stop taking grease is a red light blinking at your next problem. Good for you in clearing it.

 

[DJ54]

Don't know that I've ever pulled on that was block, that didn't clean out by just removing, then snap it on a grease gun and pump/push the dirt out. Most decent guns will produce a minimum of 8,000 psi.

When there is dirt beyond the zerk, say greasing a pin, clean hole out with a small screwdriver, or ice pick. Put a liquid penetrant in the hole, replace zerk, then pump grease in. Grease will push the liquid through and grease will follow. On a horizontal hole, clean then put a half hole dam of grease in the hole, add penetrant in, replace zerk and pump grease in. In 50 years, it's worked 99.9% of the time.

 

[Dman1981]

On the super old backhoes used to use heat and porta power with atf sometimes even got a good fire show

 

[DeanKC]

I’d unscrew the fitting, then probe with wire or possibly a drill to loosen the blockage. There are about 3 or 4 different grease fitting thread types
and it’s always been much more of a PITA than ever expected
to replace one. There’s taper thread, straight thread, metric straight & taper…. PITA.

Theres a tool you can buy for about $15 that you put it on the nipple and hit with a hammer. It injects grease at very high pressure. Ideally, clearing the blockage and a normal grease gun can do it next time. You may need to off-weight the pin to give the grease somewhere to go.

Fittings that stop taking grease is a red light blinking at your next problem. Good for you in clearing it.

Thanks for that. With all the variants, I wonder if a standard 1/4" re-threader for the female threads would work; assuming they make one.

 

[Sodo]

Thanks for that. With all the variants, I wonder if a standard 1/4" re-threader for the female threads would work; assuming they make one.

Probably could rethread most holes to 1/8 NPT. Usually you’d have to disassemble the joint first (take the pin out). Lots of effort more than just unscrewing the zerk, dig out the blockage, and put the same zerk back in.

 

[Tinhack]

It's not worth messing with those things. If I have a fitting that won't take grease with my lock-on nozzle and electric grease gun, it gets 1-2 whacks with my unclogger. (A pen shaped tool with grease in front of a piston.) If that doesn't work, I replace the fitting. I got a box of like 100 in 10-15 sizes and shapes for less than a 6-pack of beer. I'm not going to risk breaking a drill bit for a 10-cent item.

 

[Sodo]

I bought the Harbor Freight assortment of many zerks, but they don’t fit my Kubotas. Almost Nothing fits. And too many of them don’t seal up to the greasegun, just make a mess. Not a good purchase.

When I use a drillbit on a grease problem I’m usually drilling dirt, twisting it with my fingers.

 

[masscity]

I might be wrong, but what I've seen is Kubota tractor takes metric zerks. Kubota equipment FEL, BH and snowblower are SAE.

 

[DGZRT]

Lock N lube grease buster. Works great