Stripped Grease fitting....

[crj567]

As soon as I loaded the tailwheel on my new brushcutter with grease the fitting came off in the gun.....

I thought it was just loose, but once I went and tried to stick a new one in there, I found that it had been stripped-real good. I pretty much have no thread left on the hole it is supposed to go into-what would be the best way to fix this?

-Thanks
-Jeffro

 

[turbopiper]

As soon as I loaded the tailwheel on my new brushcutter with grease the fitting came off in the gun.....

I thought it was just loose, but once I went and tried to stick a new one in there, I found that it had been stripped-real good. I pretty much have no thread left on the hole it is supposed to go into-what would be the best way to fix this?

-Thanks
-Jeffro

You should be able to buy fittings of the same size but with larger threads that are self tapping, IIRC. I'm sure others will chime in if i'm wrong or have a better suggestion.

 

[Kays Supply]

Another option would be to drop the wheel out, weld over the original hole, then drill and tap a new hole.

 

[greg_g]

Not sure if this is true in your area, but around here might be easier to find a helical repair coil than a self-tapping grease fitting. Hardware and auto parts stores carry helical coil inserts and repair kits. 12 Count, 5/16-18 Coarse, Stainless Steel 55 Inserts, Length Of The In

//greg//

 

[kruszert]

A couple other options come to mind.

1. buy a grease zert with a larger thread diameter and tap a larger size.
2. drill a smooth hole and use a press in zert - - - add some red (permanent) Loctite and even if it goes in a little loose it won't come out.

Press in zerts and zerts with different threads can be ordered from McMaster Carr - - - probably lots of other places too I just happen to use McMaster a bunch.

good luck,

Reggie

 

[Negligence]

You need an 'easy-out', or a self-tapping/reversing screw? I just bought a new set but I can't remember the real name. Just tell any hardware store you're trying to get a stripped screw out, they'll tell you what you need.

I've had so many grease fittings bust on me and this is the easiest way to get them out.

 

[yeagisyeag]

Jeffro,

If the one that came out was the smallest, it should be around the same size as a 1/4-28 bolt thread. There's a common size much larger that is actually pipe thread, 1/8 NPT, you'd use a 21/64 drill bit for tapping.

If it's already the larger size fitting, you could go to a bigger NPT and use a pipe adapter for a new fitting. Most mechanic type tap & die sets would include the 1/8, but I'd guess a plumber's kit would be needed for the bigger tap.

Good luck,
Jim

 

[crj567]

Thanks for all the advice....

I'm about to head out and start looking!

 

[kthompson]

Are you 100% sure it is not a press in grease fitting? Remember well the first time I had one of those to come and and drove me bonkers until I realize it was not threads I was working with.

 

[Bird]

Are you 100% sure it is not a press in grease fitting? Remember well the first time I had one of those to come and and drove me bonkers until I realize it was not threads I was working with.

I was thinking the same thing. And the last time I lost a pressed in fitting, I had a good supply of threaded fittings, both SAE and metric, and since it 25 miles to the nearest store, I just partially ground off the threads of a fitting on my bench grinder, then used an old socket that fit over the nipple, but not the base, and drove that fitting in place with one firm lick with a hammer.