LMTV grease fittings

[Awesomeness]

Does anyone know what the proper grease fittings are for most of the things on the LMTV (e.g. spring hangers, drag link, axles pivots, etc.)? I was going to order some online, so I don't have any to compare to before ordering. Thanks!

 

[Awesomeness]

I'm going to try these...

Grease Fittings (M10 x 1 mm Male, Straight, Zinc-Plated Steel)	McMaster	1105K73
Grease Fittings (M10 x 1 mm Male, 45° Elbow, Zinc-Plated Steel)	McMaster	1105K79
Grease Fittings (M10 x 1 mm Male, 90° Elbow, Zinc-Plated Steel)	McMaster	1105K78

 

[Reworked LMTV]

I think I used 6mm Zerks.

 

[Awesomeness]

The 10mm grease fittings I listed above are the correct type for my 1997 M1078 (for the suspension).

I changed them all today, but still can't get grease to pump through the various bushings. Do you need a higher than normal pressure grease gun?

 

[buffalorunner]

It's a pretty common phenomenon where none of the leaf spring bushing will take grease. Usually the hole in the pin at the center of the bushing where the grease is supposed to come out is frozen with rust. Sometimes flexing the springs with a load, or (like the civilian mechanics would do) bounce it down a bumpy road is enough to free up the corrosion to get grease in there. That being said, it only worked for 2 of 8 fittings for me. So I am looking at taking them out to clean them, and hopefully make several other "holes/channels" for the grease to come out.

 

[Reworked LMTV]

I think I used 6mm Zerks.

For the u joints. Others are larger.

 

[Awesomeness]

I was surprised. I took every suspension zerk off, and every one of them allowed grease to flow, but only one joint (installed on the truck) will actually take grease.

 

[Awesomeness]

A little update... Originally none of my 12 leaf spring grease joints would take grease. All the fittings were fine (and those parts I listed above are the correct parts though), so it was the actual joint that was stuck shut. I'm guessing that at some point, decades ago, the truck stopped taking grease, and the mechanics just gave up trying. I put a whole tube of grease into the u-joint and drive shafts when I first got it, if that's any indication how seriously they took greasing.

For the stuck leaf springs, I decided to try an IPA Grease Joint Rejuvenator, $50 at Tractor Supply. http://www.ipatools.com/products/ipa-7862.html

It's basically a metal syringe that you fill with penetrating oil and hit with a hammer, to forcefully drive lubricant into the joint. That thing was able to get about 1/2 of them unstuck, before I destroyed the 2 zerk joint couplers that it came with. I've now ordered 6 extra couplers ( http://www.ipatools.com/products/ipa-7902.html ), which arrived today, and I'm hoping that I can unstick the other joints before they're destroyed. Pretty neat tool overall.

If I still can't get them unstuck, I'm wondering if I can't design a similar but bigger, heavier duty tool that will. Or perhaps make an adapter for this one that lets it screw right into the grease zerk's threads (with the grease zerk removed), so that I can beat on it as hard as I need to without the couplers being the weak link.

 

[Aernan]

What kind of penetrating oil are you using?

 

[Awesomeness]

What kind of penetrating oil are you using?

I have used Kroil for several years. The stuff works great. http://www.kanolabs.com You can get it on Amazon, and I think at Lowe's.

For this grease joint rejuvenator you need like 1/3 ounce (my guesstimation) for every "syringe" full. So get an 8oz can or bigger.

Once you have some, you'll find you need way less of it for freeing stuck bolts than when you spray away with an aerosol can of PB Blaster. I normally use it out of a tiny applicator bottle with a needle, which probably only gets refilled every year or two. https://smile.amazon.com/Applicator-Bottle-Stainless-Steel-Needle/dp/B00BNI6TOE

I don't personally mind the cost of Kroil. Like I said, I spend about $5/yr on it, or something. However, I once read that a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone actually beats Kroil at freeing stuck parts (few other penetrating oils actually do). I don't think that's useful for this grease joint problem, but could be for other things. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=20131.0

Pentrating oil / Average load / Price perfluid ounce
None / 516 pounds /
WD-40 / 238 pounds / $0.25
PB Blaster / 214 pounds / $0.35
Liquid Wrench / 127 pounds / $0.21
Kano Kroil / 106 pounds / $0.75
ATF-Acetone mix / 53 pounds / $0.10


The ATF-Acetone mix was mixed 1 to 1 ratio.

 

[Aernan]

That stuff is amazing. On my Rover I was able to de-rust the rotors and take them off by hand. The local shop uses a grinder to cut them in two places and breaks them off with a sledge hammer. When I first applied it the rotors did not come free. I put the wheels back on and drove home. I think the temp/force helped break them free. It tooks a few applications.

I bet with a few applications of Kroil + heat and flexing you could break the joints free.

 

[Awesomeness]

I agree.

When I attack the remaining stuck joints tomorrow, my first plan is to remove the grease fitting and clean out the grease inside the bolt with a drill bit (by hand) or other long tool (e.g. screwdriver). That way I can try to get as much Kroil in there, as close to the stuck as possible.

 

[Aernan]

From the outside can you see any surface rust near the areas with the zircs?

Just wondering because when I get my truck I plan to do the same grease job and am wondering if you can tell externally it's frozen.

 

[Awesomeness]

No, when I took the zerk fittings off to test if they were stuck or not (they weren't) the inside of each of the bolts looked rust free and full of grease. They were clearly the original, or very old, zerks because they had several layers of paint on them.

On the joints that the rejuvenator did work on last week, the Kroil that pumped through came out nasty. Kroil itself is a clear red liquid. What came shooting out was rusty red sludge. It looked like whatever is in this unrelated picture I just found on Google Images... http://www.basementquestions.com/images/topics/ironb2.jpg

I was then able to pump in fresh grease until it flushed all the Kroil out and the grease started oozing out itself.

 

[Awesomeness]

I just wanted to add the videos, that Reworked LMTV posted elsewhere.
Putting a bottle jack in between the leaf spring and the frame rail and jacking it up to relieve pressure on the joint can allow grease to flow into an otherwise stuck joint. It also gets the grease into the upper half of the joint, where it is needed most, as opposed to the lower half which is where it commonly flows.

Reference videos:

(Skip to 8m14s)www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_-VIusO4n4&t=8m14s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZyMz0bNA1Q

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Here are the results. You remove the screw portion of the HF jack to get the rear bushings,

 

[Awesomeness]

View attachment 706796View attachment 706797View attachment 706798View attachment 706799View attachment 706800View attachment 706801View attachment 706797

Here are the results. You remove the screw portion of the HF jack to get the rear bushings,

Looks good. How many stuck joints were you able to get grease into with this technique? For example, was it 50% successful?

 

[Reworked LMTV]

All I have left are the rear driver side leaf spring bushings. Battery ran out on Lincoln : ) Not a single zerk was bad. I always actuate the zerk valve a few times with something before I start.

 

[Awesomeness]

All I have left are the rear driver side leaf spring bushings. Battery ran out on Lincoln : ) Not a single zerk was bad. I always actuate the zerk valve a few times with something before I start.

Sounds like great results. I look forward to trying it myself. None of my zerks were bad either - I took them all off and tested them, and each flowed grease. So it's the bolts and bushings that are the problem, at least for you and me.