FEW curl pins clogging

duffer · Jul 28, 2018

I use my FEL quite a bit, as I suspect most of you do. I make sure I grease it good, about every 10 hours or less of actual use.

My problem is this: The 4 "bottom" curl pins get clogged up with dirt, etc way too often. Today I took them all out, for the second time in a couple of weeks, and cleaned them out. Previously I drilled the center hole to just under 1/4" so that more grease could get to the pins but they're still clogging up.

Anybody got any ideas, hints, on how to prevent this, or do I just have to pull the pins every 8-10 hours and clean them?

Thanx.

(forum board would not let me edit the title of the post, it should be FEL, not FEW. Forgive me, I'm an old fart and not into typing all that much)

dickfoster · Jul 30, 2018

duffer said:
I use my FEL quite a bit, as I suspect most of you do. I make sure I grease it good, about every 10 hours or less of actual use.

My problem is this: The 4 "bottom" curl pins get clogged up with dirt, etc way too often. Today I took them all out, for the second time in a couple of weeks, and cleaned them out. Previously I drilled the center hole to just under 1/4" so that more grease could get to the pins but they're still clogging up.

Anybody got any ideas, hints, on how to prevent this, or do I just have to pull the pins every 8-10 hours and clean them?

Thanx.

(forum board would not let me edit the title of the post, it should be FEL, not FEW. Forgive me, I'm an old fart and not into typing all that much)

I haven't had to do anything like that yet but I think our loaders are different. Mines a KMW while I think yours is Korean made unit.

oldnslo · Jul 30, 2018

On my Branson I had to replace the grease zerks themselves since they wouldn't take grease. Had no problems since doing this.

duffer · Jul 30, 2018

My zerks work fine, no problems. But in the center of the pin, is an access hole to let grease get up thru the pin, and then start coating the outside of the pin. That center hole is what is clogging up consistently. It appears the tolerances are close. No wiggle in the bucket, or cylinders.

Guess I've been playing in the dirt too much.

skipmarcy · Aug 2, 2018

Sounds like your zerks are in the pins themselves instead of in the sleeves that the pins go thru ? Doesn't really matter, I guess. Maybe you aren't putting enough grease to it to push the old grease & dirt out - this issue has been beat to death over the years about leaving the grease build-up at the ends of the sleeves to help "cap" it from letting more dirt back into the interface.

When my tractor was new I was pretty **** about pressure washing it regularly and not letting the grease build up at all the pins - that was then. For the about the past 10 - 12 years I've just let the grease build up and just keep greasing and have had NO problems with ALOT of dirt/loader work. Yes, my tractor looks like crap but it works well when I need it to. I just wipe the zerk off before I grease so I don't push the dirt into the interface of the pin & sleeve. My tractor has always lived outside and Mother Nature helps keep the grease caps down to a "reasonable" size over time. If you worry about how your tractor looks or cannot keep from getting some grease on your work clothes when working around it, this may not be the option for you.

SPYDERLK · Aug 2, 2018

duffer said:
I use my FEL quite a bit, as I suspect most of you do. I make sure I grease it good, about every 10 hours or less of actual use.

My problem is this: The 4 "bottom" curl pins get clogged up with dirt, etc way too often. Today I took them all out, for the second time in a couple of weeks, and cleaned them out. Previously I drilled the center hole to just under 1/4" so that more grease could get to the pins but they're still clogging up.

Anybody got any ideas, hints, on how to prevent this, or do I just have to pull the pins every 8-10 hours and clean them?

Thanx.

(forum board would not let me edit the title of the post, it should be FEL, not FEW. Forgive me, I'm an old fart and not into typing all that much)

Often I find the dirt cake can be dislodged be applying pressure and then curling the joint back and forth. A a grease gun hose works best for this of course, but also because it expands a little under pressure.

Also, caps are available for the zerks. ... Theyre cheap.

ruffdog · Aug 2, 2018

Is this a case of the wimpy grease gun that doesn't build much pressure? I have some guns that will force a zerk right out of it's threads if you try.

not2old · Aug 2, 2018

Is it possible to drill out the passages in the pin a bit larger?

duffer · Aug 2, 2018

Re: FEL curl pins clogging

I already drilled out the center holes to almost 1/4 inch to let more grease flow thru the pin. I also leave the excess grease as a "cap" on the ends.

I guess I need to grease it even more (hard to imagine) than I have been to keep the hole clear of debris and caked dirt.

Thanx for the ideas and hints.