2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Zerk fittings

[JCyrbok]

Lubed my truck today ( all three fitting!) The fitting at the Pitman arm (?) went easy. The other two, which are on top of the steering joints (?) above the front brake calipers would not let any grease in, even after I wiped them off well and made sure the grease gun nosel snapped down. Any suggestions?



How much grease should I pump in? The pitman arm end took like 6 or 7 pumps and did not squirt out the sides. The bushing seemed pretty flat too.



ANy help would be appreciated.



J-

 

[Whitmore]

J, You gotta get some grease in there, in the past some trucks have had no grease, dont take a chance, try to warm them up and then see if they will take grease. Do yourself another favor, put the frontend up on jackstands and take the wheels off and then drill and tap so you can have zerts on all moving parts, its easy and will help the life of your joints.



cheers, Kevin

 

[bmoeller]

Have you driven in mud or something else? Sometimes they get dirt shoved in farther and the grease can't get past it. Sometimes the little check ball gets stuck and won't take grease. The only way to fix that is to replace them. How old is the tip on your grease gun or how much does it get used, might need to be replaced.

I usually pump grease in till it either squirts past the boot or till I see it start to move.

Hope this helps.

 

[Midnight]

Like Kevin mentioned,the fittings might be frozen, which means water may be in the joint which means damage if you don't get any grease in there. I have also come across where the zerk it's self won't let any grease in. You may have to replace the fitting.

 

[rweis]

I have a 2002 3500 2x4 and can only find 2 fittings. The service manual does not specify how many fittings for a 2x4. Anyone know? Thanks



Bob Weis

 

[illflem]

Since the 4x4s have one zerk on the track bar your 2x will only have two.



Look here on how to get more https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53432&pagenumber=1

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Zerk Caps

I have zerk caps on all 7 of mine with a dab of grease inside to keep the check ball lubed and corrosion/dirt free. At lube time I pop the cap, wipe the tip clean, add grease, leave a dab on the tip, and recap it.



You can find the caps and Napa or any quality parts store.



Vaughn

 

[JerryB]

Do you have a friend with a well equipped shop with an air grease gun?

I have an air-powered grease-gun and you would be amazed how many people come over just to 'bust loose' a plugged fitting. Only use the air gun to blast through the plug, though. It is too difficult to control for delicate greasing. Can blast right through the seals if you aren't careful, causing more problems than it cures.

If you can't think of anybody offhand with one, there are still a few things you can do. Wire brush around the zerk to clean everything up good, and check it over. Hopefully, it will be a screw-in and not a press-in zerk (the press in ones don't have wrench flats). I am betting it will be screw in. Unscrew it, and look at the underside of the zerk. Is it packed with gunk? If so, clean it out with an o-ring pick, or small drill bit held in your hand. Be careful not to damage the check ball mechanism. Put the zerk alone in the grease gun tip. Pump gently, ensuring grease will go through the tip. If it won't you need a new tip.

While you have the zerk off, take a pick or drill bit that loosely fits the hole, and clean out any junk in it.

8 times out of 10, once I clean out both the zerk, and the hole, I can now get grease through it with a hand gun. I still keep the air gun for extreme cases. Bought the thing because I just couldn't get grease in a fitting on a tractor, no matter what I did. The replacement parts were over $250, so I gambled the price of the gun, and it (barely) blasted through. Word of caution, do NOT use a hose on the air gun, use the steel pipe. The hose can burst, shooting grease through the skin.

 

[daveshoe]

Grease Buster

There is a tool called a grease buster . it works as a piston filled with W-D 40 or similar solvent in the piston of the tool. The end of the tool is struck with a hammer thus forcing the solvent out of the piston into the fitting. I saw one at a farm implement store and it worked on a fitting that nothing else would touch. The solvent penetrated the dry joint well beyond the fitting and after a few days , it finally took grease. Of course , disassemble the fitting if possible.

No website available, this guy builds and sells them himself

T-J Tools Ltd

PO Box 120

Waynesville Ohio 45068

513 897 5142 after 6 PM eastern

Not Associated,just like the tool

Mine cost about $15. 00 a few years ago, and they now make a heavier model, so no exact cost available. Hope this helps