Not taking grease,how to resolve?

[davedj1]

I decided to grease the Kubota 2850 loader this afternoon, wouldn't you know the very first zerk I hooked the grease gun to would not take grease, just built up pressure and I had all I could do to get the tip off the zerk. This it the top of the lift cylinder and it's doing the same thing on both sides I removed the zerk and I can squirt grease through it so it must be clogged up internally. Any quick cure? Or should I just pull the pin and clean everything up? The loader looks to have been greased regularly but they are the only two that won't take grease. I'm going to have to pull the lower bucket pins as both of those zerks are AWOL ...LOL
Thanks.

 

[747driver]

Best to pull the pins and clean out the opening on the pin. After cleaning it out try to put grease in before you put the pin back in.

 

[LouNY]

With the zerk removed you can try using a piece of soft wire to clean the old grease out and then flush with brake clean, reinstall and try greasing again or one of the impact cleaners with light oil in it. Then grease.

 

[smstonypoint]

I've found on several occasions that "jiggling" the joystick relieved pressure and allowed zerks to take grease on my TN 55's FEL.

Steve

 

[Oldoak]

Best to do just what you plan to remedy the situation.

Two won't take grease, two other points with grease zerks missing? Doesn't appear to me that it had been greased regularly. :confused3:

 

[davedj1]

Best to do just what you plan to remedy the situation.

Two won't take grease, two other points with grease zerks missing? Doesn't appear to me that it had been greased regularly. :confused3:

Thanks everybody
By "it looks like it was greased" I meant there is grease remnants all over the zerks and around the sides of the pin. I will pull them one by one and clean and get them working.

 

[fried1765]

Thanks everybody
By "it looks like it was greased" I meant there is grease remnants all over the zerks and around the sides of the pin. I will pull them one by one and clean and get them working.

If you want to buy a lifetime tool for quick/easy zerk clean out, you could get a "Grease Buster" from LockNLube Grease Coupler | End Greasing Frustration.
You do not need to remove the zerk.

I do not have one, but it looks like a great concept.
Cost is $42.95, but it should last a lifetime.

I am already 77, so "lifetime" is not long enough for me.

 

[Ivan49]

If the pin is rotated just right and the loader has pressure on it you cannot get grease to do in it until you relieve the pressure from the loader

 

[Fallon]

As others have said...

Lock 'n Lube makes unhooking the grease gun easy. It's stupid overpriced costing as much as a grease gun, but worth it.

Try moving the hydraulics. The pin might be pushing up against the grease passage. Moving the loader or bucket (or whatever) can sometimes fix this.

If a Zerk itself has issues just throw it out. A lifetime supply for a home gamer (box of 100 assorted sizes & angles) is $10. Not worth it to mess with cleaning them.

If those options dont help, probably best to remove the affected pin & clean things. There are tools you put over the zerk & hit with a hammer to try & hydraulically force grease in at higher pressure than a grease gun. Personally I find them a great way to take the heads off a zerk forcing you to pay penance for your stupidity by then needing to remove a broken zerk with no head to get a wrench on.

 

[mljenkins]

If you want to buy a lifetime tool for quick/easy zerk clean out, you could get a "Grease Buster" from LockNLube Grease Coupler | End Greasing Frustration.
You do not need to remove the zerk.

I do not have one, but it looks like a great concept.
Cost is $42.95, but it should last a lifetime.

I am already 77, so "lifetime" is not long enough for me.

I wondered how well these work in actual situations like this. They sell another brand I think I saw at TSC or RK called a grease rejuvenatior or something along those lines. Supposed to whack it with a hammer and it cleans things out. I run into these situations every once in a while and always wondered if those tools would be worth the money spent to alleviate the headache

 

[repete]

It has been my experience that if a zerk will not take grease it is usually because it has not been greased enough. Pull the pin, clean it and replace the zerk with a new one.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Join the ranks of us grease monkeys. Sooner or later we all have this problem. Best advice already given; pull apart and clean it up then replace the zerk and go back to work.

Ron

 

[Fallon]

I wondered how well these work in actual situations like this. They sell another brand I think I saw at TSC or RK called a grease rejuvenatior or something along those lines. Supposed to whack it with a hammer and it cleans things out. I run into these situations every once in a while and always wondered if those tools would be worth the money spent to alleviate the headache

Lock 'n lube is a better coupler for your grease gun. You can unlock it from the zerk with a lever. Not the whack it with a hammer to possibly loosen up the zerk or more likely break the zerk off tool. Mine was only $20 or so, rather than $40.

On a related note. You can loosen up or tighten the coupler on a normal grease gun. Tighten or loosen the end of the coupler by screwing or unscrewing it a bit. Makes it so you can get the coupler off of so it will stay latched. A Lock 'n Lube works better no matter how well the normal coupler is adjusted.

 

[davedj1]

All good advice, I will try moving the bucket before I pull the pin.
As I said, I did take the zerk out and can squirt grease through it when not hooked to anything but the grease gun (what a pain getting the zerk back out)...LOL
It's funny never growing up around equipment so it's all a learning experience for sure.
On the old Ford tractor I sold I replaced a few zerks with some new ones from TSC and within a week they started to show signs of rust. At the same time I bought the 4 way tool for removing, threading and installing zerks in two sizes which work well where you can use them.

 

[PILOON]

Often a slight tap on the zerk tip will dislodge the stuck little ball and allow grease to enter.

Another trick that often works is to heat the zerk tip with a plumber's torch.

Usual cause is dried and hardened grease, many greases are actually clay based which partially explains the hardening and clogging.

 

[davedj1]

Often a slight tap on the zerk tip will dislodge the stuck little ball and allow grease to enter.

Another trick that often works is to heat the zerk tip with a plumber's torch.

Usual cause is dried and hardened grease, many greases are actually clay based which partially explains the hardening and clogging.

You know, the grease around the zerks is almost waxy like, I was wondering what made it dry out and get harder/stiffer. This may be the reason.

Unfortunately I left the tractor out last night and it's pouring rain and I don't feel like getting soaked moving it around into the shop....I could tinker on it but I think I'll just take the day and R&R

 

[oosik]

I have one zerk on my grapple that will not take grease with the grapple in the "normal" resting position. The grease passage simply needs a different alignment. So...I fire up the tractor and open the grapple jaws - waa-laa - the zerk takes on grease easily.

 

[coolbrze]

If you want to buy a lifetime tool for quick/easy zerk clean out, you could get a "Grease Buster" from LockNLube Grease Coupler | End Greasing Frustration.
You do not need to remove the zerk.

I do not have one, but it looks like a great concept.
Cost is $42.95, but it should last a lifetime.

I am already 77, so "lifetime" is not long enough for me.

Dang good invention!

 

[Dadnatron]

I have been purchasing a lot of relatively 'old' and used equipment. And I've run into several zerks which won't take grease and would not be an easy clean out. Initially, I was replacing zerks, and more than 1/2 still wouldn't take grease, so I looked for alternatives.

I purchased one of these tools which has opened up every zerk I've had that was stuck.

You fill it with a light oil, fit it to the zerk, and tap on the handle. It forces tiny amounts of oil into the zerk at high pressures, softening and loosening the old grease. Some take longer than others, but for my money and time, its well worth it. When it opens up, I grease it heavily and work the movement as much as possible to see how the grease is moving around in the bearing or whatever.

Grease Zerk Fitting Cleaner

 

[YLee Kioti]

I have been purchasing a lot of relatively 'old' and used equipment. And I've run into several zerks which won't take grease and would not be an easy clean out. Initially, I was replacing zerks, and more than 1/2 still wouldn't take grease, so I looked for alternatives.

I purchased one of these tools which has opened up every zerk I've had that was stuck.

You fill it with a light oil, fit it to the zerk, and tap on the handle. It forces tiny amounts of oil into the zerk at high pressures, softening and loosening the old grease. Some take longer than others, but for my money and time, its well worth it. When it opens up, I grease it heavily and work the movement as much as possible to see how the grease is moving around in the bearing or whatever.

Grease Zerk Fitting Cleaner

Glad I read the whole thread was about to post same thing!

Like to add that the fluid of choice is Kroil. Love the smell, my few brain cells do not ...whew....buuuuut....
The Kroil cuts through what ever ails your particular item needing attention. Plus the Lock-n-Lube is a winning combo.


Would try this first before taking apart all joints needing lube, cause well I'm lazy.....heh..