No grease going into upper A-arm shafts

[bobs409]

Can someone explain how grease is supposed to go into the upper A arm shafts on these trucks?

I have 2 of these trucks, a 69 & 71. Some of my A-arm fittings actually take grease but some just won't and never have! I recently put 2 new upper A-arm shafts in one of my trucks and can't get any grease to go into any of the 4 fittings.

I took one back apart to see what could be wrong and don't see any way the grease can go anywhere. The grease fitting is on the end of the big nut, the nut gets screwed onto the shaft and that's it, no holes for the grease to go anywhere.

Help solve this mystery, I'm confused...


Bob

[my67c20]

You are right no place for the grease to go. 2 ideas. One the shaft warm up from driving the grease liquifies and oozes out along the threads. The other theory is if you give someone a grease fitting even though it does not do anything it gives them a warm fuzzy feeling that something good is happening.

[Leviticus]

I get about a half squirt in the zerk fitting then it won't take any more.

[1LIME69]

I'm having the exact same problem. Just did an ECE 3.5/5 drop and replaced all of my bushings and cross shafts and now I can't get any grease into the zerks. I did take one out and it looked as if it were hitting the cross shaft inside the bushing. But even the ones that are not hitting won't take any grease. So frustrating! Im ready to drive my truck and 8 grease fitting are stopping me. If anyone has any suggestions let me know please. Wanting to get my truck redy for Memorial weekend. Anyone ever heard of a grease needle? Someone suggested that. Please help!!!!

[bobs409]

I don't see the point of putting grease just inside the big nut. What good is that doing anyway?

On some of my originals that take grease, I see the grease oozing out from the rubber part. Now that makes sense to me.


Still confused....

[1LIME69]

I'm guessing that the grease is supposed to lube the threads of the nut and cross shaft so its not just dry metal to dry metal. But I'm no mechanic. Would be nice to get an answer to this brain teaser.


My truck is still not moving! Somebody chime in with a solution.

[1LIME69]

Come on. I know someone else has encontered this problem?

[POPO1984]

I just put my new cross shafts in but I haven't tried to grease them yet. Now I have something else to worry about

[pritch]

Same problem here. I hope that once my Panel is all back together and after a few miles on it things might loosen up a bit. Either that, or I convert over to the later model bushings as soon as mine wear out from no grease.

Originally Posted by my67c20

The other theory is if you give someone a grease fitting even though it does not do anything it gives them a warm fuzzy feeling that something good is happening.

When me and all my friends worked on the drilling rigs when we were kids, we would install grease zerks in all kinds of off-the-wall places, just to see if the worms would grease them. The best one was when we stuck one thru the doghouse wall right into another driller's locker. There must have been at least 3 tubes of grease in all his junk in the bottom of his locker before he figured it out. Glad we were on days off when he noticed.

[OhioDan]

Sounds like the large nut with the zerk fitting is tightened to tight, and bottomed out against the cross shaft? Inside of nut is against the cross shaft, not allowing grease to enter? Was the arm easy to move before attaching the spindle? Did mine, and had it to tight, and the upper and lower a-arms would barely move. Backed off the nut about 1/8-1/4 turn. Free movement, and greasing was no problem. Hope this helps?