zerk fittings

[kerry]

Some of my zerk fittings on my landing gear are getting clogged and I can't get any grease through them.  Does anyone have any technique for cleaning the fittings so they're usable or is it best just to replace them with new fittings.

[DS1980]

We would just replace them in the military. Put a cover on them and this problem goes away. Verify size of cap before ordering.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hotchkis-1790-Dust-Caps-Zerk-Grease-Fitting-Covers-Plastic-Red-Set-of-25-/331087795987?hash=item4d165ed713&vxp=mtr

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-GREASE-ZERK-FITTING-CAP-COVER-Available-In-6-Colors-Or-Mix-Match-/190778302931?pt=Apparel_Merchandise&var=&hash=item2c6b45e1d3&vxp=mtr

[Mooneymite]

I thought I had this problem when I first got my C model. After further examination I found it wasn't the zerk at all. It was congealed grease/dirt in the parts. The zerks I dealt with pressed in, rather than the screw in fittings I was used to.

[N201MKTurbo]

Yes they can be a pain. Once you are regularly lubing your plane they will all start working.

 

A greasy landing gear is a happy landing gear...

[Hank]

Just be careful with the grease gun. I just broke off a grease fitting on top of my nose gear trying to pull the gun nozzle off . . . That's a more common problem for me than grease not going in. Next year I may proactively replace many of them.

The same goes for inspection panel screws. The first couple of annuals, some of them were very difficult to remove. But since I use a manual screwdriver (Santa brought me one of those nice double-speed ratcheting drivers from Lowes last year), this has been getting better. Apparently the PO used a power driver to run them in and out; doing so manually insures that they are straight. I also replace any that are difficult to turn or have ugly heads from driver slippage (which happens less frequently with screws that turn easily).

Oh, the joys of owner-maintenance!

[N601RX]

Hank,

Check and see if it really broke off or just pulled out.  As Mooneymite mentioned above many of them or just pressed in and can be pulled out if not careful. I thought I had broken one of mine also until I realized they were not the screw in type.

[Hank]

No, it was clearly broken off, with part in the grease gun and part in the gear. Had to do some disassembly work to get access to pull out the rest of it. Spruce carries the fittings, J&J makes the Band-Aids.

[cliffy]

Seems a somewhat common problem is tight fitting grease guns and pulling out the zerks. I have heard of a grease gun fitting that is adjustable for tightness. Seems it can be unscrewed in the middle to allow easier removal from the zerk and still tight enough to keep the grease going into the joint.