Grease fittings missing?

[dreads]

We just bought a Celli Spader and need to know what to do to correctly grease the machine. We haven't been able to find a manual for it yet.

It appears as though the fittings are either missing or it never actually had any (at least the Zerk type). Do you think we should:

1. Grease it with some type of needle on the grease gun?
2. Or temporarily put in a fitting to grease it then take it out again?
3. Or put all new fittings?

Forgive my ignorance, but I've never had to grease anything before. Here are some pictures:

Thanks for your help.
David

 

[KennyV]

Nearly all small spade and many intermediate size machines use grease in the bearing journals. The grease you use is the chassis grease used on trucks and cars. The common form is a tube you load into a hand pumped grease gun. I like "Sta Lube" universal grease but there are dozens of brands. What matters most is that you get it into bearing journals clean. The grease fittings on the spaders are of several types, some are common zerk fittings and some are button types and some are plugged and must be opened to insert a zerk long enough to grease journal then removed and replugged. The standard grease gun is designed for zerk fittings. Button fittings are the predecessor of the zerk, but work on the same principle i.e. a spring loaded ball valve that lets grease come into the fitting but not out. A button fitting looks like a hex nut head, but has a groove cut in the underside of the head to allow a special grease gun tip to lock on for greasing, the spader maker supplied the special adapters.
Do not over do it, a couple of strokes of grease gun handle puts about all the grease a given journal is likely to need. If it takes much more grease, look closely, you either have a seal problem or you are creating one, even a hand grease gun creates a great deal or pressure and you can push seals out of place, etc. Each spader has three journals for each arm, crank end of arm, mid arm and lower frame opposite that arm. There will also be one for each frame mounted bearing between arms.
Since you do not have a manual, you may find helpful set up and operation information here.
The above is from this site

Specialized Implements

 

[dreads]

Thanks Kenny, but I'm still not sure what I need to do.

I was expecting to see a zerk fitting on each arm but instead there are only the holes (second picture). Is that normal (do I just put grease into each hole with a needle on the grease gun)?

Or do I need to buy some zerk fittings and install them into the holes?

 

[mjym]

put a new grease fitting and screw it back on thank mario

 

[deerhunterf350]

Looking at the Second Pic, I believe that is a "CENTER" Bore for machining purposes. If you have a small Probe/Scratch Awl that you could probe the center of that hole. I think you will find that is not a drilled hole for a zerk fitting, it is just a dead end center point. I have no machining background, but the three stamped lines that "point" to the drilled area I think is the marking for "Dead Center". Any of you machinists out there care to chime in on this????

I could be wrong !!!!


Look close at each "RODs" Bearing Journal in the First Pic, there is a nut / cap looking thing. They are all in about the same location , and they are at a slight angle outward from the "MAIN" bearings. I would investigate those a little closer to see if those are the grease points.




...

 

[dreads]

Thanks, I'll take a closer look at the nuts tomorrow.

 

[true temper]

Deer hunter has it right.

 

[daman1]

Are those plugs(click on pic) removable? looks like it are they 1/8th inch fine thread? if so remove them and screw some zirks in them,i've done that many times.

 

[D7E]

I've seen machines that for whatever reason never had zerks fitted or never even had holes drilled for zerks from new . I have a massey that i bought with 6000hrs on it and had never had any zerks in the loader or front axle . The loader had just worn through the bushings and just started to wear the frame and front axle bearings had never been changed , Just shows how long they will go without grease .

 

[jimmysisson]

Looks like plugs, as others have said. Zerks would get damaged in that operating environment. Also adjust the slip clutch to be sure it slips when needed - that's a lot of rotating mass (though less than a bush hog).
Jim