Zerks that refuse grease!

[Bedlam]

I take the zerk out- remove the pin from the tractor- clean the pin and remove any debris from the zerk and from the zerk hole- reinstall and I know everything is good to take grease- if this still fails- replace the zerk

I agree, and I also find many time that its not the fitting thats crudded up but just past that point where it meets the pin. I don't remove the pin all the way drive it out till the Zerk hole is free and clear it out drive the pin back in and away ya go.

 

[oldballs]

Bingo! This has never failed with hundreds of zerks over the decades. Now I almost always just change the zerk while I'm at it if there has been a problem with it. When bought in bulk, replacements are about a quarter. At that price they aren't worth my time to fool with.

Well, Bingo, I tried that and it still didn't take the grease. Even though the MMMwas brand new, the joint must be frozen some way. So this spring I'll take it apart or soak it in penetrating oil then try to grease it.

 

[Dargo]

Well, Bingo, I tried that and it still didn't take the grease. Even though the MMMwas brand new, the joint must be frozen some way. So this spring I'll take it apart or soak it in penetrating oil then try to grease it.

If you changed the zerk cleaned out any possible obstruction behind the zerk and removed any other possible obstruction, you have issues that nobody here can assist you with. What was described leaves nothing but a grease gun problem. However, if your last two statements are true, you didn't do what I quoted another poster recommending. Bingo!

 

[Gary Fowler]

Have you adjusted the grease gun tip to hold on to the zerk fitting. That might be your problem The tip is a two part mechanism that can be loosened up or tightened down to adjust to zerk fitting diameter. Your tip may be tightened too much to allow it to snap over the zerk. Also if you get it too tight, you also will have trouble pulling it off the zerk.
Check that and see if it helps. The tip should snap on to the zerk and hold itself on. If it doesnt, then it needs some adjustment.

 

[Trails2004]

Well, Bingo, I tried that and it still didn't take the grease. Even though the MMMwas brand new, the joint must be frozen some way. So this spring I'll take it apart or soak it in penetrating oil then try to grease it.

Did you remove the pin??

 

[lawn_king]

Heat from a hand torch has always worked for me.

 

[big bubba]

with my new loader (m8540 but could apply to all K loaders) i had similar problems with about 6 zerks. I noticed that the heads were different (shorter) than others on the chasis and were not fully mating with the gr gun head....replaced them from dealership (metric) and they worked fine....I think your problem could be related. bb

 

[EE_Bota]

When I was a kid, heating the zerk always seemed to work. Then I began to notice a few years later (different zerks) that the grease would often extrude back out through the zerk after greasing. So I use the method of removing the zerk and try passing grease only through the zerk to see if it is blocked.

Conclusion: There was a period when the metal balls in zerks were replaced with plastic. I hope that is a thing of the past, and has not continued to the present day.

 

[Oleozz]

My old IH 18 ft disc seems to have about 50 fittings on it. The grease rejuvenator works on about 90% of them. It forces diesel fuel into the fitting to clean it out and then you fill with clean grease.

 

[Coyote machine]

Thanks all for your great suggestions, replies, etc.

It turns out I may have multiple problems you have described. I did take apart the nozzle end and adjust it to latch on better than it had, but the problem with grease squirting out between the zerk and the nozzle end still occurs. I have removed the zerks in question and made sure they can pass grease and that the hole into which they screw is not otherwise obstructed. I am seriously thinking of getting a zerk rejuvenator but it is expensive- nearly $50!
Anyone know where to buy one for more reasonable $ ?
Does anyone have a copy of the directions for a rejuvenator- I can't seem to find any online so as to determine how it works or if I want to buy it.
Also I don't understand how an essentially brand new machine ends up with zerks that won't deliver grease- I can see why if it was an old machine with lots of hours on it - but new from the factory?!

And the fittings I am trying to grease are not disassemble- able like a pin in a loader arm. 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. And the tie rod ends where they attach to this big knuckle area do have a pivot pin of some kind that they rotate on, but I can only get grease to push out between the knuckle and the bottom of the plate it attaches to, not at the top of the knuckle. So when I lift up and down on the 'ball like' joint (the same kind as on the ends of 3ph arms), I can still hear a metal to metal clunk. I don't know if this is 'normal' for grease to only squeeze out from the bottom of the joint. Should I just brush grease on with a paintbrush at the top of the joint top keep it from clunking?

Thanks again to all who replied.