Can not get grease into Zerks/Grease fittings?

[bdv]

I am about to put my front differential back in, have installed DSG‘s Stud Girdle, new oil pump, new oil cooler lines and three new seals on the differential (Many thanks again to the members, you guys made it possible). So I figured I would grease the zerks on the front linkage being easier to get to with differential off.

When I looked closely at the fittings I saw they had not been done in some time (I bought the Suburban used with 145k on it). So I went and cleaned them all off first, I also took a pick and pushed in the ball on each one to make sure the grease would flow in.

I have done all the fronts zerks, except the two on the idler arm. I am not able to get the grease to go into the joint. I have repeated the pick in the ball, it moves freely, but the grease does not flow in, it just pools on the top. I have seated and reseated the grease gun coupler head. I still can not get any new or old grease to flow out of the joint. As I have been able to do on the other fittings.

I have also tried to take the grease fitting off, with no luck. It is a 90-degree fitting. With two nut location, one on the vertical leg going into the joint and the other at the 90. Trying to remove the vertical fitting just causes the zerk to spin. It looks like the joint has a top plate that is made to rotate to help positioning. The other on the 90 just spins also; hence I am not able to get ether one off. Any ideas as to how to get the joint lube would be great.

Once again thanks for all the help Brent.

[BobND]

The zerks are likely "pound in" units, instead of being threaded, so they just turn, instead of unscrewing. Try tapping the arm (near the fitting) with the REASONABLE use of a brass hammer, while keeping the pressure on with the grease gun. Sometimes, this will allow the grease to start to flow.

[charliepeterson]

I've had very good luck with a problem like this. A hand operated porta-power with the whip hose for a grease fitting. This tool has tremendous power and the hydraulic oil is thin. This will get the old grease moving 90% of the time. As a last resort use heat to draw the oil in. After the oil is in switch over to the grease.

Try working the steering back and forth while forcing the oil in too.

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
With the history of my trucks and idler arms I would probably just replace the arm while everything was easy to get at. I think the last arm I bought was $65. If it doesn't take grease and looks like it hasn't been greased then it probably has some "issues" :mad:
Just my .02
Hope it helps...
Charlie- GREAT idea, never would have thought about it but I know I will use it on some of our equipment! THANKS!!!!

L8r
Conley

[trbankii]

I have one of these sitting around:
http://www.gemplers.com/pix/prod/P109643.jpg
Gempler's Grease Joint Cleaning Tool (http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/product.asp?T1=109643&UID=200507181141393122208992)

Use it on the Bobcat and such. Never had a zerk freeze up on the truck that badly, but heavy equipment is a different story. Works well.

[TJ Moose]

Now THAT'S cool. How does it work? Just from the pictures I'm assuming you load it with grease and then bang the end with a hammer? Or something more sophisticated? (Why is it - when all else fails, we assume we just need a bigger hammer.....?)

[Kennedy]

Originally posted by trbankii:
I have one of these sitting around:
http://www.gemplers.com/pix/prod/P109643.jpg
Gempler's Grease Joint Cleaning Tool (http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/product.asp?T1=109643&UID=200507181141393122208992)

Use it on the Bobcat and such. Never had a zerk freeze up on the truck that badly, but heavy equipment is a different story. Works well. That's where I was going to go...

[Hubert]

So Trbankii how doese it work?

I have seen something similar. You filled it with a light oil. Stroke the knob and it worked like a toilet plunger. The knob would plunger the oil to work the little ballpoint pen looking zerk fitting tip. It was suppose to flush and suck out any grit in the zerk so the grease didn't push the grit in to the joint and make it a lapping compound.

I have no idea how well or if it worked.

[JohnC]

here's one... (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=200130974&R=200130974)

Don't see how you could draw the oil back out again, though. Seems the check ball would prevent that unless the tool somehow holds it open.

[ 07-21-2005, 12:30 PM: Message edited by: JohnC ]