Grease zerks

[Jps190]

I am going to change out the grease zerks for 45 degree fittings.  What size are the fittings and are they all the same size?

 

thanks,

John

[ScubaRx]

The grease fitting ends are all the same but the thread sizes differ. Some are SAE, some are metric. Take one with you when you go to buy the new ones.

[Frank C]

Mine were all 1/4”-28 thread size (2019 Elite II with the Dexter EZ Flex suspension) and I switched them to the 45 degree angled type.  But as Steve mentioned above, some Oliver trailers have metric thread fittings (an M6x1 thread size). 

[Jps190]

OK, so on my 2021 the ones between the wheels were 6mm and the outside ones were 1/4. Sure would be nice if they lined up where you wanted when they bottomed out. 🤷‍♂️

[routlaw]

Speaking of zerks, just went through the process of lubing all of mine this past few days, well all but one. Both wheels were off the ground for that side but no amount of pressure from the grease gun would push grease into the zerk. Took the zerk out, cleaned it and made sure the pin was not frozen and able to recede but even this made no difference. Anyone ever run into this situation? If so how did you finally get it to take grease? Thought about shooting some Fastbreak into the seams of the bushing thinking the grease in that area had dried hard.

Thanks

[rideandfly]

John & Kim,

A thin flat washer will probably change where the fitting points when it bottoms out.

I pointed all of the pin straight zerks outward, the grease  gun I have works OK with them.

routlaw,

Did the fitting take grease easily when the EZ Flex was installed?

The single pin port should be pointing horizontal to pump grease in the bushing with weight on the wheel. If the port is pointing up or down, you may not be able to pump grease in with weight on or off the wheel, depends on which way the port is pointing. Try with weight on the wheel, too.

[routlaw]

@rideandfly yeah I tried it both ways with weight initially off the wheel, then lowered and tried again all to no avail. The pin points out straight or horizontally though. To the best of my recollection it took grease when new and installed. Thanks.

I suppose anther option would be to disassemble that joint, lube and reinstall. 

 

[Tom and Doreen]

Just did mine yesterday: The issue that I have is that the grease doesn't seem to travel through the entire shackle link to the opposite end on a couple of the shackle links, it just oozes out of the first joint.  I also found that one of the zerks behind the hanger on top of the equalizer on one side had never been touched by a grease gun, there was no evidence of any grease on the zerk at all. 

[topgun2]

15 hours ago, Tom and Doreen said:

The issue that I have is that the grease doesn't seem to travel through the entire shackle link to the opposite end on a couple of the shackle links, it just oozes out of the first joint.

See the pic post by RideandFly above - given that the grease comes out via the hole in the bolt - it is very likely that even though your grease is only oozing out of the first joint, it is still doing its job.  However, if it was me - I'd first make sure that the second joint was VERY clean and that there was no evidence of that bolt or area being bent or out of alignment.  And, I'd put grease in there again.

God luck!

Bill 

[ADKCamper]

If  you can't get the 45-degree zerks to cooperate, something like the following 90-degree adapters on the end of your straight grease gun hose/fitting might work for you...

https://locknlube.com/collections/greasing-accessories/products/locknlube-90-degree-grease-coupler-adapter#

or

https://locknlube.com/products/locknlube-simple-90-coupler?variant=8158561206327

Of course they're also available on Amazon 🙂

 

The width at the business end of the first adapter is about 1-3/16". The width of the 2nd "simple 90" adapter is about 2-1/16".

The Locknlube site wants $16.99 for the first (left photo), and $10.99 for the second (right photo).

 

[Geronimo John]

Serrated bolt heads that have been torqued (vs. torquing the nut side) will often have stripped out their mounting hole allowing them to spin.  Same problem solved for the EZ flex center bolt.  

Are you certain that the grease holes have remained horizontal?

 

GJ 

[Imelda]

I am trying to replace mine with the 45 degree zerks. I am having a hard time getting first old ones out to replace them. The nut part looks like it may be getting stripped when I tried a channel lock on it to screw it out.  I am assuming they are screwed in and not driven in and I have to screw them out. What size wrench should I be trying? 1/4 inch

[rideandfly]

9MM wrench works on the zerk fitting with 1/4” threads.