How to tell if grease is going into zerk on bushog wheel

[AlbertC]

Trying to grease the bearing on my bushog rear wheel. I attach the grease gun and pump and pump probably 20 times and I don’t see any grease coming out.
Do I have a clogged zerk or do I just need to keep pumping? If the grease gun seems to be pumping does that necessarily mean that grease is getting thru the fitting? Or if the zerk were clogged would I still be able to pump the gun?

Thanks

 

[Mike1955]

No if it’s stopped up you couldn’t pump it, providing it’s a good primed up gun. Sometimes that’s a big area to fill. So you should have judgement to get a feel of what’s happening. Good luck and keep on trying

 

[mike0000]

Make sure your grease guns not out of grease, not that I’ve ever done that….

 

[ArlyA]

Grease guns sure pump differently when they go empty...

 

[2515R Dude]

If you are sure you are pumping grease and not air, keep pumping till you see it comes out. When you are pumping grease there should be some resistance vs. no resistance when you are pumping air

 

[Cycledude]

How much grease in your grease gun ?

 

[RayIN]

A manual grease gun can get air-locked with a full tube of grease.
Hold the gun tube with both hands and swing the gun like a golf club as hard as you can in both directions 3-5 times. Then try to add grease again.
Check your gun by pumping it out in the open, if grease comes out the nozzle and you can still pump the handle when attached to a zerk fitting the grease is filling the wheel.
Which reminds me, I forgot to grease my brush hog when I finished with it last week.

 

[4570Man]

A manual grease gun can get air-locked with a full tube of grease.
Hold the gun tube with both hands and swing the gun like a golf club as hard as you can in both directions 3-5 times. Then try to add grease again.
Check your gun by pumping it out in the open, if grease comes out the nozzle and you can still pump the handle when attached to a zerk fitting the grease is filling the wheel.
Which reminds me, I forgot to grease my brush hog when I finished with it last week.

I’ve had good success unscrewing the tube a couple turns but not so much that it falls off and ramming the plunger in a few times. I also hold down the trigger while I’m doing that.

 

[DarkBlack]

I’ve seen machinery including one of my own implements, with housing grease fittings, but the installed bearing is a sealed or shielded bearing. Some companies design with a grease fitting just in case they source open bearing during production. I always check first

 

[kneedeep]

Trying to grease the bearing on my bushog rear wheel. I attach the grease gun and pump and pump probably 20 times and I don’t see any grease coming out.
Do I have a clogged zerk or do I just need to keep pumping? If the grease gun seems to be pumping does that necessarily mean that grease is getting thru the fitting? Or if the zerk were clogged would I still be able to pump the gun?

Thanks

Pump it full, dry hub may take a tube

 

[Williy]

Pump until you see grease coming out then you know

willy

 

[kioti28527]

Trying to grease the bearing on my bushog rear wheel. I attach the grease gun and pump and pump probably 20 times and I don’t see any grease coming out.
Do I have a clogged zerk or do I just need to keep pumping? If the grease gun seems to be pumping does that necessarily mean that grease is getting thru the fitting? Or if the zerk were clogged would I still be able to pump the gun?

Thanks

Does it have a cap on the tower?pop it off and look at it as you pump

 

[Runner]

I’ve seen machinery including one of my own implements, with housing grease fittings, but the installed bearing is a sealed or shielded bearing. Some companies design with a grease fitting just in case they source open bearing during production. I always check first

You have given me something to think about. My rotary cutter wheel has a small hole in the hub. It bothers me that grease only comes out that little hole and not around the axle as it does on most wheels with bushings. Like OP, I am concerned that no grease is actually getting to the bearing. But if it's a sealed bearing, it doesn't make sense to have a grease fitting....

 

[Mike1955]

You have given me something to think about. My rotary cutter wheel has a small hole in the hub. It bothers me that grease only comes out that little hole and not around the axle as it does on most wheels with bushings. Like OP, I am concerned that no grease is actually getting to the bearing. But if it's a sealed bearing, it doesn't make sense to have a grease fitting....

Runner you might plug that hole with a screw and ruck more grease in there. It most likely is a cone shaped bearing, like a wheel bearing. If you could get to it to pack it, be good packed for a long time

 

[MH8675309]

I've had them clog or even had a spindle on a flat rack that just wouldn't take grease. Get a coupling nut 3/8" or similar not too big- these are long nuts that are used to couple bolts together. Grind the nipple off of a grease zerk and braze the ground end onto the coupling nut. Back out the zerk on the piece to be greased. Pack the coupling nut with grease and screw the assembly into the hole you took the zerk out of. Get a bolt with the same thread as the coupling nut and tighten it in forcing the grease into the joint. I've seen this work miracles when all else fails - including the grease buster

 

[Williy]

If you can't get a bolt or screw to cover the hole perhaps
a hose clamp and a piece of metal work??

willy

 

[Jaygyver]

Grease a known good grease joint to see if the grease gun is putting anything out.

If you have an electric grease gun it probably has a pressure release (my El-cheapo does) so it will keep pumping but it won't go anywhere if the zerk is plugged or the grease is hardened. If you have a manual pumper then it will stop the handle if the zerk is plugged or the grease hardened up. If you have an air bubble in the grease tube then the handle will just about fall by itself, so you should be feeling some resistance when pumping.

A bit after I bought my 5' Sitrex mower years ago I was curious why I wasn't getting grease out of the bearings so I took one of the wheels apart and it looked like they only pumped one or two pumps at the factory, it took probably 10 plus pumps just to fill the cavity.

 

[Henro]

11 days and the OP has not returned to the thread...at least publicly.

Guess that may confirm that he refilled the grease gun and all is good...

Common courtesy is that he should have stopped bank and gave an update.

 

[Mike1955]

11 days and the OP has not returned to the thread...at least publicly.

Guess that may confirm that he refilled the grease gun and all is good...

Common courtesy is that he should have stopped bank and gave an update.

I agree buddy. It takes from the enjoyment, and test our willingness to take on newcomers. We older ones expire and another group hopefully will pick it up

 

[ArlyA]

It happens, but its no big deal.