Nuffsaid
Senior Member
As a mechanic for many many years I thought I would give a suggestion on how to get a wet bolt to take grease.
1: Remove weight of trailer from suspension, tires don't have to be all the way off the ground, just want to remove most of the weight.
2: Attempt to add grease to zerk fitting. If using a pistol type grease gun, consider getting a long lever style grease gun, they produce much more pressure than a pistol grip. Also consider getting a 90 degree adapter if your tires are in the way. I always install my zerk fittings facing the outsdide of the chassis to make greasing easier and I recommend greasing often as in every trip because it does make a difference in the life of bushings.
3: If still unable to get grease into the fitting, remove the nut from the bolt with the suspension unloaded FULLY. I prefer at this point to remove the tire from this location to make it easier to access the spring bolt. The weight of the trailer needs to be supported by the frame, place blocking or a jack stand under the frame rail behind or in front of the location you are working on. With a jack under the axle, prefferably in between the u bolts if using a bottle type jack, lift the axle until the tire is free spinning. Remove the tire, now lower the jack until all the weight is off of the spring you are working on. You have already removed the nut while the weight of the trailer was on the bolt, this helps keep the bolt from spinning where the splines are on the head of the bolt. If the bolt spins, hold the bolt with the proper sized wrench to keep it from spinning while removing the nut. With a soft faced hammer (plastic, aluminum or brass) or use a block of wood and a hammer, drive the wet bolt until flush with the hanger. Now take a drift or punch and drive the bolt about 1/2 the way out exposing the hole in the bolt. Attach grease gun again and see if grease will flow. Chances are it won't because typically the grease gets hard and forms a blockage. Take a small drill bit around 1/16 and by hand twist the bit into the hole. Attempt to add grease again, usually once the drill bit has been inserted grease will flow. Once the grease flows, wipe it all around the shank of the bolt. Reinsert the bolt and use BLUE loctite on the nut. There is no reason to replace the bolt or the nut if there is no noticable damage to either. This approach has always worked for me in hundreds of instances. Usually the cause of a blocked hole is lack of lubrication and the area gets dry and blocks the hole.
4: In case anyone has any questions about using a imact type grease fitting like Lock and Lube grease buster, I have used one with minimal success. The principal is you fill a small cylinder with penetrating oil, reinstall the piston and then impact the head with a hammer with light blows. In theory the penetrating oil will break up hardened grease and allow grease to flow again. In heavy construction equipment large pins that get greased can have the same issue with not taking grease. In 99% of the time it is because the operator hasn't been keeping up on greasing the machine. Most pins on equipment need to be greased daily if not twice daily, so this should give an idea on trailer pins and bushings. They have no resevoir for grease so once it is used up, the bushing is dry.
Here is a link to the grease buster: https://locknlube.com/products/grea...KfbWQd4EFAKWi3RvGdliDn-taXtjzn_waAkGmEALw_wcB
Another product that works well is the locknlube grease fitting. I have changed over to it for all of my automotive greasing tasks.
1: Remove weight of trailer from suspension, tires don't have to be all the way off the ground, just want to remove most of the weight.
2: Attempt to add grease to zerk fitting. If using a pistol type grease gun, consider getting a long lever style grease gun, they produce much more pressure than a pistol grip. Also consider getting a 90 degree adapter if your tires are in the way. I always install my zerk fittings facing the outsdide of the chassis to make greasing easier and I recommend greasing often as in every trip because it does make a difference in the life of bushings.
3: If still unable to get grease into the fitting, remove the nut from the bolt with the suspension unloaded FULLY. I prefer at this point to remove the tire from this location to make it easier to access the spring bolt. The weight of the trailer needs to be supported by the frame, place blocking or a jack stand under the frame rail behind or in front of the location you are working on. With a jack under the axle, prefferably in between the u bolts if using a bottle type jack, lift the axle until the tire is free spinning. Remove the tire, now lower the jack until all the weight is off of the spring you are working on. You have already removed the nut while the weight of the trailer was on the bolt, this helps keep the bolt from spinning where the splines are on the head of the bolt. If the bolt spins, hold the bolt with the proper sized wrench to keep it from spinning while removing the nut. With a soft faced hammer (plastic, aluminum or brass) or use a block of wood and a hammer, drive the wet bolt until flush with the hanger. Now take a drift or punch and drive the bolt about 1/2 the way out exposing the hole in the bolt. Attach grease gun again and see if grease will flow. Chances are it won't because typically the grease gets hard and forms a blockage. Take a small drill bit around 1/16 and by hand twist the bit into the hole. Attempt to add grease again, usually once the drill bit has been inserted grease will flow. Once the grease flows, wipe it all around the shank of the bolt. Reinsert the bolt and use BLUE loctite on the nut. There is no reason to replace the bolt or the nut if there is no noticable damage to either. This approach has always worked for me in hundreds of instances. Usually the cause of a blocked hole is lack of lubrication and the area gets dry and blocks the hole.
4: In case anyone has any questions about using a imact type grease fitting like Lock and Lube grease buster, I have used one with minimal success. The principal is you fill a small cylinder with penetrating oil, reinstall the piston and then impact the head with a hammer with light blows. In theory the penetrating oil will break up hardened grease and allow grease to flow again. In heavy construction equipment large pins that get greased can have the same issue with not taking grease. In 99% of the time it is because the operator hasn't been keeping up on greasing the machine. Most pins on equipment need to be greased daily if not twice daily, so this should give an idea on trailer pins and bushings. They have no resevoir for grease so once it is used up, the bushing is dry.
Here is a link to the grease buster: https://locknlube.com/products/grea...KfbWQd4EFAKWi3RvGdliDn-taXtjzn_waAkGmEALw_wcB
Another product that works well is the locknlube grease fitting. I have changed over to it for all of my automotive greasing tasks.