Zerk/lube idea...

[Fuddy1952]

I ordered 200 of these locking rubber zerk fitting caps from eBay...
They lock on, can't fall off. My thought is it keeps dirt out.
Then I bought a white paint Sharpie pen. It's hard to keep track of each piece of equipment but, say, a tractor has 32 grease fittings. I write 1 through 32 on 32 caps. Then near one zerk I write 32. As I lube it I know when I haven't overlooked one.


[https://i]

1/4

(50 Pack) Brake Bleeder Screw Caps Grease Zerk Fitting Cap Rubber Dust Cover

 

[pmsmechanic]

My thoughts on this is that the ball on the end of the grease zerk is there to keep the dirt out. One swipe with the gloved that I'm wearing and it's clean enough to grease.

The thought of pulling off a cap and replacing it every time I had to grease... I have better things to do with my time.

The numbering idea is a good one. I've greased my own equipment enough that I have most of the locations memorized. I would just take a felt pen and write the numbers close to each grease zerk.

So if you have 32 zerks, what keeps you from quitting at say 30 if you forget about the last 2?

 

[Fuddy1952]

Ideas and tips are not for everyone. If it's not your cup of tea that's ok.
When greasing fittings why not stop at 30 when there are 32? Because 2 won't get greased?!?

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

So this is just some rubber caps, right? Hmmm, I like the idea. I'm new to all this, but the grease oozing out of the zerks if nothing else attracts dirt, and gets grease all over my favorite work shirt. Like the numbering idea too. I like creative thinking.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Grease shouldn't ooze out, replace if it does, but I forgot to mention zeros get damaged easily by rocks, etc. Rubber cap protects it.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Your link doesn't work. Are these the same?

Amazon.com: (25 Pack) Brake Bleeder Screw Caps Grease Zerk Fitting Cap Rubber Dust Cover: Automotive

 

[Fuddy1952]

Zeros should be Zerks...spellcheck...

Grease shouldn't ooze out, replace if it does, but I forgot to mention zeros get damaged easily by rocks, etc. Rubber cap protects it.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Grease shouldn't ooze out, replace if it does, but I forgot to mention zeros get damaged easily by rocks, etc. Rubber cap protects it.

Not ACTIVELY oozing. There's just a little blob of grease on the end of most of the zerks. I assume they just overfilled the zerks a bit while prepping the tractor for delivery.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Yes but cheaper on eBay ...try this...but compare both Amazon & eBay...

(50 Pack) Brake Bleeder Screw Caps Grease Zerk Fitting Cap Rubber Dust Cover 859668006004 | eBay

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Yep, put those rubber caps on every zerk on the tractor, loader and BH. Then I liked them so much, put them on the finish mower zerks too. Very nice at keeping all the dirt/dust off, ready to grease!

OH, I also wash AND wax the tractor!

 

[pmsmechanic]

Ideas and tips are not for everyone. If it's not your cup of tea that's ok.
When greasing fittings why not stop at 30 when there are 32? Because 2 won't get greased?!?

You missed my point. What I'm asking is what prompts you to remember that there are 32 grease zerks so you don't miss the last two?

 

[WranglerX]

Back in early 60's I was a young lad and worked in gas station... Owner was retired motor pool master sergeant, his teaching was to just use rag to clean fitting with rag to keep dirt from being forces into zerk when applying grease, concept has always worked for me... Can't fathom crawling around finding all 32 caps in sequence, Also need score sheet or assistant to locate next zerk for me... If I missed one today, really sure it won't kill tractor before it gets greased tomorrow... Besides owners manual says my tractor only has 8 fittings and I printed out diagram where they are located and pinned it to shop wall... Then there is the 12 on FEL...

Dale

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Yep, put those rubber caps on every zerk on the tractor, loader and BH. Then I liked them so much, put them on the finish mower zerks too. Very nice at keeping all the dirt/dust off, ready to grease!

OH, I also wash AND wax the tractor!

Good man!

 

[oosik]

I think the main point being - whatever works for you. I know when I get close to finishing the greasing of my grapple, FEL, tractor and rear blade - I'm so greased up I can barely hold/operate the grease gun. 32 sound like a number that would fit my greasing activities also.

 

[4get gto]

I can't remember to put 4 valve stem caps back on my tires let alone 10-30 grease caps!
:laughing:

 

[Gem99ultra]

I like the idea as well. I did buy the yellow covers that helps me locate some of the hidden zerks on both my tractor and my lawnmower. As mentioned, the zerks themselves are made to keep the dirt out, so that feature is redundant, i.e. no real benefit.

I will note however, that the zerk covers don't last very long before they no longer snap on, and I tend to lose them sometimes while doing my grease chores. But they're cheap, so that's not really a worry.

 

[Zebrafive]

A bright color, making finding the zerk, would be my reason to do this. I would skip the numbering.

 

[Ritothebull]

You missed my point. What I'm asking is what prompts you to remember that there are 32 grease zerks so you don't miss the last two?

Counting them as you go maybe?

 

[CMV]

IF you like it, great. I wouldn't bother. Have to wipe them anyway. And just the ball/end of fitting isn't the problem for a machine that gets a lot of dirt work. The recessed zerks accumulate so much crud that has to get cleaned out or the gun fitting won't go on anyway. So for me, they's do little good - just something else to keep up with - I have to clean a lot of the fittings anyway and wiping with rag before attaching gun is just a good practice regardless. But for at least 1/4 of mine, I'm usually de-crudding the area with a small screwdriver first, so the cap wouldn't save much.

I would also guess if one must mark every zerk to avoid missing, he is putting very, very few hrs on the machine. It doesn't take too many times to "just know" where they are and have a good pattern to get them all. So if greasing is so infrequent that you don't "just know" where they are and it's like muscle memory, not sure that breaking out the manual or some reference sheet isn't still necessary. I also have several that any type of paint marker, sticky label, or whatever else would be completely obscured by crud. If I didn't know where it was and didn't know to hit it, painting it glow in the dark fluorescent green wouldn't matter - if it's covered in crud or on upper rear side of front pivot - that won't do much good.

Keeping spare fittings and the correct size box wrench in the toolbox would be far more beneficial to me. Forgetting to hit one is pretty unlikely. Finding one occasionally that no longer is willing to accept grease - more common.

 

[newbury]

I prefer to make copies of the manual with diagrams of where the zerks are located. Then when I grease just check off the greased zerk (can use just a dab of grease instead of a pencil).