How has anyone delt with this zerk problem?

Mart said:
Could you not just put a spacer between the mount and the trans to raise it just enough to get good access? 1/8 to 1/4 inch should do it??

Mart.
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That will be my last resort if I can't get anything else to work. I'm a little concerned about any possible compromise of that connection since the whole car is pushed by it.
 
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Can you get to the one at the top, should be one in each clam? Just pump through that one. Let us know how you go replacing the mount. It's a job on my to do list.. I take it you have to drop the back end out to do it ?.damn..
 
Talkwrench said:
Can you get to the one at the top, should be one in each clam? Just pump through that one. Let us know how you go replacing the mount. It's a job on my to do list.. I take it you have to drop the back end out to do it ?.damn..
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There is not a zerk on the top clam. Only on the bottom. If I wanted one on the top I'd have to reverse the halves when I put it back together.

I don't know if the ****** mount can be replaced by just loosening it and jacking up the engine and ****** off of it to replace it without pulling the torque tube off. My challenge, even with the ****** out, is that there are no heads to the bolts that hold it on through the frame and my bolts are turning when I try to remove the nuts. So, it looks like I'm going to have to dig into that rubber that the bolts are molded into to get a hold of them with vice grips to get the nuts off to replace it.:(
 
Henry, your second photo shows the thread going into the clam shell as larger than the thread of the zerk where it screws into the top of the fitting. The zerk itself is either pressed into the fitting, or it may be threaded. If threaded it is 1/4-28, but the end in the clam shell is threaded 1/8 NPT, or 1/8 pipe. Looking at the chart linked to in post #8 shows street els and the 1/8 NPT el has an "S" dimension of 7/8" or .875 with that dim. shown to the center of the female thread. The zerk on your car has an overall length of 53/64", or .828 so it is already much shorter than any combination of street el you will locate. The street el from that chart is Swagelock brand and being an industrial fitting I'm sure it has a shorter overall length than the average plumbing street el that you might find at Ace Hardware.
After 67 years your trans mounts had to have compressed a bit. I think the solution is replacement or shimming. Or at least try re-orienting the zerk as Kube suggested.
 
Old Henry said:
Eureka! You've found it! An elbow that I can screw an extended zerk into. Great find! Just what I was looking for. Thanks so much for your diligent searching. :) Looks like I've got to call them to order. I'll do that first thing Monday. Hopefully they don't give me guff about only selling to mechanic businesses yada yada. Thanks again.;)
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Which fitting are you referring to, the link does not show any particular fitting, or maybe I'm just looking at the wrong page?
 
Yes, I had already looked there too, but everything I see in the size required will extend out (from the clam shell) further than a regular zerk. The need for a 90* elbow is agreed, but they measure too tall from what I see. I'll be interested to see how this plays out.
Which fitting do you intend to purchase? If you measure the male thread on the zerk you removed does the thread measure around 1/4" diameter, or is it just under 3/8"?
 
Couldn't you just drill and tap a hole in the center at the bottom where there is more room and move the elbow and grease nipple across to that, and then just plug up the other original hole with a grub screw? Would that not allow you more room?
 
I looked at the parts I have in my shed and the lower mount looks different to the mount you have. Are you sure the rear mount you have is correct? The area below the two lower bolts is depressed to give more clearance. I cannot see any reason why simply adding a washer each side until enough clearance is achieved would be a problem. I would look at it as the first resort not the last.

I cannot see how any of the grease fitting adaptors pictured would be as compact as the one you have.

What I would do, is try and cheat the situation a little. I would see if the existing fitting would screw in not quite one turn, so the thing is further in by one thread pitch, and the angle of the fitting is approached from a more central position where there is marginally more clearance. If it does not want to turn, I would remove it and carefully retap the hole until it allows the fitting to go in further. I would then offer it all up and add spacer washers as necessary until it fits together ok giving enough clearance.

I'm not being funny, but this is not a massive problem that should have people across the globe scratching their heads. In the time it has took me to write this I could have fixed it for you.

Mart.
 
Talkwrench said:
Can you get to the one at the top, should be one in each clam? Just pump through that one. Let us know how you go replacing the mount. It's a job on my to do list.. I take it you have to drop the back end out to do it ?.damn..
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There is only one "half shell" with a place for a zerk. It is properly located on the bottom shell.
I think the fellow that suggested the mount was worn out hit it on the proverbial head. With all that oil leaking all over the place, the rubber has no doubt been compromised, softened and crushed.
 
Fordors said:
Yes, I had already looked there too, but everything I see in the size required will extend out (from the clam shell) further than a regular zerk. The need for a 90* elbow is agreed, but they measure too tall from what I see. I'll be interested to see how this plays out.
Which fitting do you intend to purchase? If you measure the male thread on the zerk you removed does the thread measure around 1/4" diameter, or is it just under 3/8"?
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You are correct. My 90° fitting is only 3/4" long. All of those are longer than that so none will work. Darn. :( It was a great idea anyway. Guess I'll have to do one of the other options. Probably shim the ****** mount up a bit.

If I wanted to keep searching, what size is the threaded hole that I'm looking to fit something into? 1/4"-28 or 1/8" NPT (the only two sizes that source sells)? Or, something else?

Here's my fitting on a ruler:

DSCN2675_zps283056a9.jpg
 
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28A said:
Couldn't you just drill and tap a hole in the center at the bottom where there is more room and move the elbow and grease nipple across to that, and then just plug up the other original hole with a grub screw? Would that not allow you more room?
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I considered that. The problems I see are:

1. I'm not sure there is more room at the bottom than at the 4:00 position.

2. At the present location there is a shoulder built up on the outside of the clam to keep the zerk from penetrating the inside surface where it would rub on the torque tube bell. Drilling a new hole anywhere else would allow that undesirable penetration.

Mart said:
What I would do, is try and cheat the situation a little. I would see if the existing fitting would screw in not quite one turn, so the thing is further in by one thread pitch, and the angle of the fitting is approached from a more central position where there is marginally more clearance. If it does not want to turn, I would remove it and carefully re-tap the hole until it allows the fitting to go in further. Mart.
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I will try that making sure the end of the zerk does not pass the inside surface of the clam.
 
The threads are 1/8 NPS. Try a jack under the trans when you grease it. Once greased with a low drop point grease it will be years before it will need it again. G.M.
 
Does anyone know what they did back in the day? These cars did not just roll off the assembly line. There must have been a solution when they were common.
 
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