Solder in a stripped zerk???

[dfkrug]

I have a proper installation tool (somewhere . ) but you can use a hammer and small socket to drive it in.

View attachment 542604

You guys actually use these press-in zerks?

I used a bunch of them when I built my CADDigger in the mid-90s. Almost every one pulled
out by the pressure of greasing, or by the act of pulling off the hose. Never again.

 

[Big Barn]

You guys actually use these press-in zerks?

I used a bunch of them when I built my CADDigger in the mid-90s. Almost every one pulled
out by the pressure of greasing, or by the act of pulling off the hose. Never again.

I've never used them on anything I built. Only as OEM replacements and not always with success.

 

[Big Barn]

Seeing your socket reminded me of my zerk sockets.

bigtiller: I was too cheap and slotted out an inexpensive set of 1/4" drive sockets with a zip cut wheel.

 

[Sebculb]

Soldering will not work.

For decades my low tech solution to a stripped thread has been the same. Bung up the internal threads a bit with a thin center punch. Or bung up the fitting threads a bit with a hammer. Maybe both. Now rig up a socket with a nut inside that allows you to put a lot of force on the fitting at the same time as you turn it. That almost always works.

Hola Pat, thats funny cuz I welded on a nut but kinda damaged the threads a little in the process and had to do something very similar to get the new zerk in the welded on nut. There was no metal left in the original hole to do that straight off.

Attached is a pic of the home surgery job, little sloppy but totally workable. After i welded the nut on and ground it down a little I put the piece of square tube around it to protect it a little from rocks and life in general. Did one identical on the other side and now this important pivot has grease in it for the first time since I got this thing going on eight months ago.

Thanks everyone for all the advice and information!

 

[2458n]

Better than factory. Good fix.

 

[Egon]

I got several like that on my backhoe. Only difference was a large nut was used for protection.

 

[Travelover]

It seems that most of the respondents here are missing the most important part of the OP's issue.
He lives in Costa Rica!
He does not have reasonable access to a tap & die set, he does not have a NAPA, or other parts supplier, just down the road a bit.
The drive in zerks are likely the best idea for him.
Now... where should he go to get them?

His problem is not that he lives in Costa Rica, his problem is that he has been given a lot of good ideas and rejects them all. Costa Rica is served with delivery service and anything we can buy, he can buy, too. It may take longer to deliver, though. Additionally, the locals have been getting around these issues forever and there is probably a local guy who can fix it "good enough" for a reasonable charge. Or try bubble gum.

 

[fried1765]

His problem is not that he lives in Costa Rica, his problem is that he has been given a lot of good ideas and rejects them all. Costa Rica is served with delivery service and anything we can buy, he can buy, too. It may take longer to deliver, though. Additionally, the locals have been getting around these issues forever and there is probably a local guy who can fix it "good enough" for a reasonable charge. Or try bubble gum.

Yep!
If you ever get the opportunity to travel to Cuba, you will be amazed at how many fixes can be accomplished just using local ingenuity.

 

[Coyote machine]

For future reference, I used T-Tape, (teflon tape) to wrap the threads on a new zerk to tighten the gap on a factory zerk that had been over tapped to the point where it was bottoming out on my Bhoe's swivel foot on my stabilizer leg. It was not taking any grease so I backed it out, wrapped a new zerk with enough T-tape to jam into the original threaded zerk hole on the sleeve that holds the pin and tightened it down snug with a wrench. Never a problem since.

Also, to not have as much 'pressure' on a zerk attaching or releasing my grease gun I use the Lock-N-Lube attachment on the end fitting and it releases easily and doesn't allow for grease to leak out, while providing one handed greasing. It's a HUGE improvement over normal hose ends!:thumbsup:

 

[sixdogs]

Air biscuit, I'm liking it! But Zerks around here come in three sizes, small big and huge. Wouldn't really fit.

RNeuman, Flingwing, and Big Barn, yes, you're absolutely right. But drilling and Tapping involves finding someone that has the right tap and disassembling and paying money and blah blah. I was hoping to just put a chewing gum on it and keep moving.

Just get a slightly larger fitting and drive it in with a punch hitting the edges of the fitting. I've done it for years and no disassembling to thread and drill. You can also find an appropriate sized drive in fitting and just drive that in. Save all the effort.