Page 1 of 1

Lots of grease questions...

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:40 am
by linx310
Ok I am a complete noob when it comes to using grease on parts. All other machines I have worked on generally just needed a oily lubricant or came with a small bottle of grease but I have never had any thing that had grease zerks or needed all these bearings replaced.

On my M38A1 there are grease zerks all over the place and I have lots of questions.

How can I tell if a certain area with a zerk needs grease?
Is it possible to over fill or add to much to a zerk?

What types of grease should I use, it needs to be something I can find at a local auto parts store.

Also I am getting ready to reinstall new tie rods, bell crank, draglink, pitman arm, and steering box.

What types of grease should I use on these items? Do the areas with bearings need a different type?

I have heard stores about people breaking the tierods because they over filled them with grease, is this true?

Sorry for all the noob questions, I just don’t want to mess any thing up.

Grease

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:16 am
by skyjeep50
First, you should get out your manual on the M38A1 and refer to the section on lubrication. There will be a chart showing the location of all the zerks and lube points as well as specifications for the type of lubricant and the freqency of lubrication. Most any good grade of chassis grease will work, most contain graphite, your auto parts store can help you select one to use. I use wheel bearing grease for the bearings. When greasing zerks, wipe off the zerk to remove old grease and dirt so as not to force any into the zerk. Attach the grease gun (if your grease gun does not have one, get a hose attachment - makes it easier) and pump a few times. Observe the grease joint and when you see grease coming out, stop pumping. Often you will hear a soft "pop" when grease starts to extrude - the joint is now full. Wipe off the zerk and fitting so as not to attract excess dirt. Don't force excess grease into a fitting, a small amount is all that is needed if you lube at the suggested intervals and the lube joint seals are in good condition. If the grease gun won't stay attached to the zerk, it may be worn or plugged - replace it. New zerks are cheap and easy to replace. And while you're crawling around under your M38A1 you can check all the other parts, nut, bolts and look for leaks, etc.