Trailer maintenance question

bluefin650 · Apr 17, 2017

Looking for advice. These grease-able pins between my trailer axles need to be taken out and cleaned as they won't take grease anymore. I have never attempted to take one apart. They seem pretty straight forward. The question I have is how much tension is on them? Do I need to chase out that pin with pipe or rebar? If I don't, will I be able to get the hole lined up to get the pin back in?

Thanks

Egon · Apr 18, 2017

Just use some jacks and a lining bar. Leave the nut partially on so you don't mess up the threads.

In a lot of cases the nut's get real difficult to take off and the pins and straps get worn and have to be replaced. Angle grinder works well in those cases.

bspeedy · Apr 18, 2017

Can you just pull the grease fitting and get it cleaned out and spray some penetrant into the joint to get things moving? Works for many things and doesn't require so much disassembly.

bluefin650 · Apr 18, 2017

I will have to look again, but I didn't think those fittings were replaceable.

Stimw · Apr 18, 2017

Those pins are welded to the "U" bracket.
You can try removing the Zerk Fitting and cleaning out or if you can buy one of those grease thingies that you hit with a hammer to force grease into it.
If the equalizer is not loose I would not worry about it, just try lubing it now and then. Better on a hot day.

hillwood · Apr 18, 2017

Warm up the end with a torch a little at a time and try to force some grease though.
Get a power greaser to help force it in.

JJZ 109 · Apr 20, 2017

Dumb as it sounds, I've often simply pushed in the ball valve on the zerk with a scratch awl or small blade flat screwdriver to make sure that it moves if the fitting would not take grease. Oftentimes it does the trick.
The torch idea from hillwood sounds reasonable to me also.

Egon · Apr 20, 2017

bluefin650 said:
I will have to look again, but I didn't think those fittings were replaceable.

Did it again!

bluefin650 · Apr 20, 2017

Decided to take it apart. First pic, These grease fitting are pressed in. Second pic, I wedged a piece of 2x4 to hold everything in place. Last pic, Rounded over the threads getting the nut off. I actually broke the other one.

JJZ 109 · Apr 29, 2017

bluefin650 said:
Decided to take it apart. First pic, These grease fitting are pressed in. Second pic, I wedged a piece of 2x4 to hold everything in place. Last pic, Rounded over the threads getting the nut off. I actually broke the other one.

Yup, looks like those old dogs haven't seen grease in many a year!