Plugged grease joint

[fredhargis]

I can't grease into one of the zerks on my FEL, I was planning on getting one of those tools that blow the joint open by forcing oil into it...those things you hit with a hammer. Does the Harbor Freight cheapie work? The better ones are over twice as expensive....I'll spend it if I have too, but would prefer to go the cheap route for the limited use I'll have for it.

 

[leonz]

Hello Fred,

A lot of it depends upon where the grease fitting is; if it is in the frame arm of the loader and not the center of the pin you should pound the pin out with a piece of brass bar stock, put the pin in the freezer overnight to shrink it
and replace the original fitting.

The problem is clearances with grease fittings as they will quite often butt the fitting against the pin it self and the grease never gets past the space.

You may be better off just removing the fitting and replacing it with a pipe plug and simply grease on an hourly basis as they tend to skimp on these things (The metal holding the pin is thin and not thick enough to allow grease to travel as the fitting bottom is blocked from allowing grease to pass.



I have never bought antthing from Harbor Frieght my self, but with NAPA and TSC you can retutrn things if they do not work

 

[DeeDubya]

The FEL on a recently purchased Branson had about 5 pivot pins that I couldn't get grease into. I had to pull the pins, remove the zerks, drill (yes drill) the dirt out of the weep holes and put them back together. On an ungreased fitting the dirt will pack in like cement and I don't think the previous owner owned a grease gun.

 

[IslandTractor]

I use a zerk cleaner from AgriSupply. Cost about $40 and works well. Clears about 90% of clogged zerks with one or two whacks with a mallet. The others I remove and soak in diesel.

 

[MMagis]

Seems like $40 could buy a whole lot of new zerks. I probably don't have as much need as many of you, so I just remove and clean with a piece of wire. If it's too bad I just replace.

 

[Thomas]

In the long run wouldn't it be cheaper to purchase new fittings w/caps..no chance of pushing dirt thru or hitting.

 

[DeeDubya]

Not on mine. I had already replaced the zerks. The hole from the zerk goes to about the middle of the pin then out to the side where there is a distribution grove cut in the pin. That hole was packed hard with dirt. The zerks were not the problem at all.

 

[IslandTractor]

Seems like $40 could buy a whole lot of new zerks. I probably don't have as much need as many of you, so I just remove and clean with a piece of wire. If it's too bad I just replace.

You are correct. However, having a bunch of different equipment, some metric some SAE and always finding some zerk that you don't have a replacement for is a pain. But, your approach makes a lot of sense too.

 

[Tig]

I've had luck taking a match and heating the zerk. Sometimes the zerk even catches fire. 90% of the time the heat makes it work again.

 

[IslandTractor]

I've had luck taking a match and heating the zerk. Sometimes the zerk even catches fire. 90% of the time the heat makes it work again.

Ye gads, flaming zerks. What is the world coming to?:laughing: