My new-to-me Avanti has one upper control arm bushing that refuses to take grease. The king pins and other CA bushings did fine. I removed the zerk fitting and tested it, and it's clear. I tried spraying some carb cleaner in the bushing to try and dissolve any old hard grease, but it didn't help. How can I get grease into it?
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Ron Dame
'63 Champ -
It has been neglected for a while. Grease hardens over time. Just keep working with it to try to soften it up enough to get good grease in. After a week or to without success, try a little heat with a propane torch. You don't need to get it super hot. There is gadget that you fill with solvent or kerosene a attach to the zerk. Then you give it a good whack with a 2 lb hammer and maybe loosen things up. Good Luck! -
I'd thought about the torch, but it still has it's rubber dust shield/ring/whatever that I don't want to cook. Another peek and it almost looks like the trunion is hard against the bushing. Maybe there is a little space, it's hard to really tell. Alignment 'feels ' OK just from driving, but can I loosen the bushing, shoot grease in and tighten it again without issue?Originally posted by Jeffry Cassel View PostRon Dame
'63 ChampComment
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The gadget Jeffry refers to was commonly used in service stations for years. I used one frequently when I was a grease monkey(now lubrication technician) in a chevy garage. I haven't seen one for a long time but you might find one you could borrow or buy at a farm implement store or a truck repair shop that still does lube jobs.
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It really isn't too difficult to take it apart, clean it all up, and reassemble it. I've done it; how hard could it be? But then you'd need to find someone who could align it. Backing it off and greasing it and then snugging it up again seems like a good idea. But be careful not to change the adjustment! I'm surprised those rubber washers are still there! Let us know how you fare since this is a common situation.Comment
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Although I haven't used it yet, BP wrote about a zerk fitting which assists in greasing difficult to access fittings which I have on my excavator.
Once I use it I'll post my results.
Bill
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Back the cap off 1/4 to 1/2 turn, then try the grease gun. Once it is lubed, retighten the cap. I have found this works about 75 percent of the time with those that won't take grease. Of course, the best answer is to disassemble, clean, and reassemble properly. But as long as you can get ti to take grease, as described, it will be ok.Comment
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Yesterday, I finally got back on to the car and did as Joe suggested, backing the bushing out 1/2 turn. It took the grease easily, and I was pleased that the old grease being forced out was not hard or dirty, so the PO had been keeping it lubed, but didn't tell me that little bit of trivia.Ron Dame
'63 ChampComment
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On my Avanti the drivers side bottom zerk just will not allow grease in!............I had the car on my buds lift, we placed a ball joint stand under the pin(just in case) and backed off that cap, in time the zerk did take grease!Comment
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