Wet bolt won't take grease Update

[Sierra 117]

We got the wet bolt kit last year at the fall rally. Recently I decided to grease the wet bolt. All took grease except the right front spring eye bolt. I tried jacking the frame and greasing at various heights until the wheel was off the ground. No joy. Then I removed the Zerk from the bolt and confirmed the Zerk accepted grease. So the hole is likely plugged by bushing material. My question is: Is it realistic to expect to remove the bolt without damaging it or the bushing? How can I keep the spring eye in position to enable getting the bolt back in place? Or should I bite the bullet and buy a replacement wet bolt and bushing and take it to a suspension shop for repair?

[HOOK]

Sometimes the hole the grease travels thru gets blocked. The grease itself seems to harden. I think I would use something small and stiff to clean the passage first before removing the bolt. IMHO

[WeBeFulltime]

Agree with HOOK, or you could try to find a shop with an air-driven grease gun that would provide more pressure than a hand unit.

[dieselguy]

If you have the right equipment, removing the bolt isn't any big deal. You'll need a couple of bottle jacks for the frame, some cribbing, and maybe a floor jack to put under the axle for adjustment going back in. The bolt is serrated just under the head, so you have to drive it out once you remove the nut. Sooooooo as you can see, it is a big deal without the proper equipment. In addition to air powered grease guns, there are impact grease guns that are made to smack with a hammer once placed on the jerk ... they can clear clogged channels as well. They can be found at NAPA and farm supply stores ... unfortunately they run around $60 for something you may use twice in your life. However, you may have a bolt that wasn't drilled all the way thru to start with.

[Ozz]

They should have a small groove, or channel cut into the bolt to carry the grease.. but don't. There is a few thousandths of an inch between the bolt and bearing surface, I wonder if the grease was hot, it would get in there better.
I would get another bolt. A drift pin will help line it up.

[Irlpguy]

I had three of my wet bolts that would not accept grease, this was what I did. Raise and support the frame and take the weight off the axles, the wheels do not have to be off the ground. Put a bottle/floor jack under the axle at the U bolts and take the remainder of the weight off the spring hanger. Back the nut off but leave at least a 1/4" of thread in the nut, then drive the bolt back sufficient to be able to turn the bolt from the zerk side. You might have to take the nut off and drive it out a bit more with the nut off, be careful not to damage the threads. Once I was able to turn the bolt a few rotations or back and forth, I was able to get grease into the zerk with my hand grease gun. I did not have to remove the bolt completely but it has be be back far enough to be out of the serrations next to the bolt head.

This worked on all three of mine. Still is a PTA but trying to poke something in there may just cause you more problems than it solves.

It appears to me mine were never greased and had basically frozen in place with no room to get grease in. These bolts should be greased a couple of times a year. I believe the busing in the end of the spring is brass, if not greased it will wear out fairly quickly, that is the purpose of the wet bolts.

[Sierra 117]

Thanks Everyone,

These are all excellent ideas. I will start by trying Hook's idea and ream out the hole. If that doesn't work, then the next step will be to try an impact air grease gun. After that I will try some warm grease, or maybe the I pact air gun and warm grease together. If all these efforts fail, than try the method suggested by Iripguy.

[Irlpguy]

Barry you are from Canada, what's with warm grease, we grease things at -30 and beyond....LOL

Whatever you wind up doing in the end you want to be able to grease these things yourself with a hand grease gun, that way you will know it is done when it should be.

[Sierra 117]

You are right Ed. With temperatures above 90 last weekend, I didn't think heating the grease will do the trick. That is why it will not be the first thing to do in my trouble shooting.

[Tom S.]

When I installed ours, two of the bolts weren't drilled though far enough. Luckily I found out before installing them, and drilled them until the holes met. I hope that's not your problem!

[Sierra 117]

Tom, I specifically asked the installer to ensure that the bolts would take grease. This is the first time I greased them myself,so I don't know for sure that the bolt ever took grease. But its hard to believe the installer would not have ensured that it took grease. He was being paid by the hour plus he appeared to be pretty competent. We will soon know the answer as I continue my trouble shooting.

[dieselguy]

Quote "Tom, I specifically asked the installer to ensure that the bolts would take grease."
Of course you realize you are dealing with today's world of "highly documented but limitedly skilled craftsmen"??? Maybe he only heard to be sure the "bolt" took grease and picked one of them as a random example. I'm sorry I most always respond like this on craftsmanship, but I deal in maintenance daily and common skills and professionalism are diminishing at a alarming rate.

[Sierra 117]

Dieselguy ,

You are almost as cinical as me. You may be right, but I hope not.

[Ozz]

Unfortunate, but true. I don't think we are cynical, just realistic.

[Sierra 117]

To everyone who suggested the bolt might not be drilled through...you were right! I tried the air grease gun no joy. punched the bolt out so the hole was visible, no blockage and still wouldn't take grease. Upon inspection the eye-bolt had never been drilled at all. I could kick myself for not checking each bolt. Clearly verbal instructions to my installer were not enough. And how come he didn't notice that it wasn't taking grease? At any rate all is now well. Thanks everyone who responded to this thread. What a great forum and great people.