Zerks that refuse grease!

[psj12]

Sometimes the grease in the passage of the pin in question has hardened and even a new zirk won't fix it. Remove the zirk and push an old nail into the pin passageway to force out most of the old hard grease. Give a squirt of oil and replace with a new zirk or the one you removed after checking it out. Pump in new grease.

If it still won't work try warming carefully the pin joint (not the zirk, you've already eliminated that as the problem) with a propane torch. I had a friend once heat the end of the pin and zirk with a acetylene torch and the little check ball shot out like a pistol shot into his leg. Surgery was required.

 

[irwin]

I had an issue with my L35's backhoe, would not take grease..swapped out the zerk, I bought a rejuvenator.. still no good. it was the lower swing pin.. no way did I want to take that apart if I didn't have to!

With the zerk out.. got a section of mechanics wire, bent a little end and poked around in the hole til I found the tiny grease passage.. dug in there, pulled a bit of hardened crude out.. then used a MAP gas torch, heated it up, and got it to accept grease.. I keep it freshly greased so no more problems

 

[Bedlam]

Grease Fitting Rejuvenator Tool (B000GHV5WE

 

[AlanB]

Harbor Freight has the rejuvinator's sometimes, I could not find them on the website though.

The short version is that it is a high pressure hose and coupler that you latch to the grease fitting, and you strike the back with a hammer which forces the oil, diesel, weasel pee of your choice through the hose, through the zerk and hopefully through the clog.

For me, I don't think mine has ever worked, although maybe it helped.

I am in the camp of first I try and get all load off the thing I am trying to grease, use jacks, stands, etc. etc. so that the joint is free, then I try moving the joint as I try and apply grease, being careful not to get pinched is important.

Then I remove the fitting and put the fitting on the grease gun and give it a squirt, usually it squirts through cleaning the zerk, if not, just change it as they are cheap. Then I use a pick, compressed air, cleaners and various weasel pee to break out the gunk that was under the zerk and usually leave the hole full of weasel pee of the day, I like Aero Kroil but PB blaster, yeild whatever your little heart thinks is the absoulute only one that works is fine, then I put the fitting back in again with the joint unloaded and try and grease again while pivoting / nutating the joint. (yes, that is a word)

If it will not start passing grease through then I take the joint apart, or just get so sick of fooling with it that I hope the mechanic fairies come in the middle of the night and just heal the thing...............

I seldom use heat as I seldom want a torch around the joints I am having problems with, usually rubber, grease and POL products are involved on a piece of equipment I cannot afford to replace so as a rule I tend not to apply a red wrench unless I am convinced the mechanic fairies are not flying and am desperate to have the thing work.

Good luck, around my place these usually involve a liberal dose of less then socially acceptable verbs and nouns and various denegrations of the parenthood of the design engineer for that piece of equipment when all too often to find the fault I must first find a mirror.

 

[Opti-Mist]

AlanB, that's just too funny. I almost lost a keyboard!

 

[TBDonnelly]

The one in question is the big knuckle between the two tie rod arms that go out to the wheels. Mine is a big joint that has a bolt and lock nut in the front of the assembly and I cannot see any grease pushing out at where it mates with the front axle.

If it's the joint that the front axle pivots on and it's like my Kioti CK30 you could try pumping grease in that zerc all day long until the cows come home.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kioti-owning-operating/139310-stubborn-grease-fitting.html

Don

 

[Gary Fowler]

After following all the advice here and not getting any grease to take, I think I would remove the zerk, flush out all the grease and make sure that the hole is tapped all the way thru. That would seem to me to be the only reason left that it is not taking the grease. Might need to drill out the center of the zerk tap hole somewhat larger and all the way through, then flush it to remove any shavings that might be in it.

 

[Coyote machine]

So Don,

If it's the joint that the front axle pivots on and it's like my Kioti CK30 you could try pumping grease in that zerc all day long until the cows come home.

Ok, so once I see the cows coming home, then what? And how many cows do I need to see to know things are ok?!

To all others; so after I gather an assortment of hammers, rejuvenators, weasel pee, heat wenches, and other tools of destruction then I also need to watch out for flying bb type zerk balls, puddles of grease and throw in a bunch of 'sailor' language to get things to loosen up and submit to grease?!

I think I've got it now, just keep on fighting with the expectation that a win is a remote possibility.

Thanks for the ideas and comedy relief too!

 

[Dargo]

...and throw in a bunch of 'sailor' language to get things to loosen up and submit to grease?!

My nearest neighbor is a preacher. Either I have some powerful lungs or sound travels well because he asked me if I wouldn't mind closing my barn door before using that method. He did give me a free pass for the times I smash a finger or set myself on fire when welding. Those are times that it's not necessarily anger and I don't use the g word before the dam word.

 

[Mousefield]

Had several zerks that would not accept grease. Went and picked some up and just replace them as needed. By the time I do some of the fixes suggested the cost of a zerk looks pretty cheap. Only takes a minute to change one out and I can carry on with my day.