Laneman950
Member
Any tricks for clearing hole without changing fitting?
clogged grease fitting
- Thread starter Laneman950
- Start date
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slowrev
Elite Member
They sell little pen sized gadgets that you smack with a hammer to unclog Zerks.
Much cheaper to replace the fitting though.
Much cheaper to replace the fitting though.
montejw
Gold Member
Laneman950 said:
Also, it might not be the fitting, it might be the channel the fitting feeds into. That's been the problem on our equipment at work, not getting greased enough and the channels in the pins get clogged from running the equipment 'dry'. I've been able to get them unclogged most times with a really good grease gun with a good tip and messing with the angle of the bucket or arms to the channels are uncovered inside the bushing. It's had enough pressure to unclog them all so far.
Monte
Piperflyer
Gold Member
I find if you move, rotate, spin what ever your trying to grease at the same time you try to add grease, the grease fitting will unclog sometimes. Just don't try with anything that could hurt you trying this way.
patrick_g
Elite Member
There are manual grease guns that develop more pressure than standard guns. I have a pneumatic that isn't stronger than standard but I have a "High Pressure" manual gun I got a few years back at TSC (I think) and it is rated to produce 5,000 lbs/sq in. When that won't do it (rare event) I have to take the assy apart. To get max pressure requires you to use both hands and really haul down on it. Well, it might be easier for a REAL HE MAN type.
Pat
Pat
I go through a system of things when this happens. First remove the fitting and see if there is hard packed dry grease behind it, if there is, pick as much out with an o-ring pick as you can., spray with Kroil or similar penetrant. Check the fitting to see that grease will go through it. If it does, reassemble, and try again. If its still stuck, remove again, clean out with a pick again, this time replace grease fitting with a close pipe nipple and cap. Remove cap and spray it full of Kroil, recap. Every time you walk past the machine, or use it, refill the nipple with Kroil. Eventually you will have to try the next step of using a porta-power hydraulic tool, or a hydraulic line to force hydraulic fluid into the fitting. Use caution when doing this, as hydraulic fluid embolism is a nasty way to die. (fluid under pressure injected into skin) Best way to avoid this is to NOT have your skin anywhere near any potential leaks.
What you need to do is to plumb a porta-power into the pipe nipple into the grease fitting hole. Hydraulic fluid is thinner than grease, and will work through the joint. Once you have the porta-power plumbed in, and pressurized, work the joint in question. Work, repressurise, work repressurise, etc. You can substitute tractor hydraulic pressure for the porta-power if you have the remote port handy, or a long enough hose. Just remember that if anything breaks, don't be near it, or have anyone else near it. If this trick doesn't work, its time to get out the torch!
What you need to do is to plumb a porta-power into the pipe nipple into the grease fitting hole. Hydraulic fluid is thinner than grease, and will work through the joint. Once you have the porta-power plumbed in, and pressurized, work the joint in question. Work, repressurise, work repressurise, etc. You can substitute tractor hydraulic pressure for the porta-power if you have the remote port handy, or a long enough hose. Just remember that if anything breaks, don't be near it, or have anyone else near it. If this trick doesn't work, its time to get out the torch!
Charolais
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2004
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- south/central Va.
- Tractor
- Deutz Fahr Agrofarm 100, Stoll loader, bucket, forks & root grapple
Laneman950 said:
I find that most failed zerks on my equipment comes from the little spring inside the fitting had come out. I just change the zerks. I bought a zerk kit from Gemplers and replace as needed. I use a Lincoln air operate grease gun. If the zerk doesn't take grease it's time to change the zerk.
patrick_g
Elite Member
diyDAVE, Man you have had some serious industrial strength fitting problems. You have developed a good method. The pins on my FEL sometimes get balky but never needed a tactical nuke! I use the high pressure gun or in EXTREME cases have removed the pin that was not taking grease, greased it and put it back. Old grease and "stuff" was clogging it. Ibhave had virtually no Zerk failures, ever. Really rare for me.
The best fix is proactive maint. If you hit the Zerks often they usually don't get hard to deal with. I do keep spares for the once every few years replacement. Some of my Zerks can't be tightened or they will be inaccessible. They are floppy loose and under high pressure may leak around the threads. These are the angled ones on course. I wish the designers would just figure a way to access a straight one.
Thanks for sharing the penetrating oil idea and hydraulic thing. I will be able to handle the situation now should it arise.
Pat
The best fix is proactive maint. If you hit the Zerks often they usually don't get hard to deal with. I do keep spares for the once every few years replacement. Some of my Zerks can't be tightened or they will be inaccessible. They are floppy loose and under high pressure may leak around the threads. These are the angled ones on course. I wish the designers would just figure a way to access a straight one.
Thanks for sharing the penetrating oil idea and hydraulic thing. I will be able to handle the situation now should it arise.
Pat
dtd24
Gold Member
Are zerks all the same size?
patrick_g
Elite Member
Not hardly. They also come in metric and SAE threads. There may be other styles I haven't heard about.
Pat
Pat
