Grease gun couplers

[purplepickup]

I have a hopefully simple work related question and I'm sure someone here can help.

We are designing a clutch housing that requires a grease hose to be pulled through as the transmission is being assembled to the engine.  In the test cell we are currently using a standard grease gun coupler to hold onto the zerk in the hose while we pull it thru the clutch housing as the tranny input shaft is aligning into the clutch.  The problem is the grease gun coupler doesn't hold onto the zerk as well as we would like.  It pops off sometimes before we want it to and we don't want people reaching in there for any reason.  

The question:  Is there a coupler that is a quick connect type like an air fitting that will lock onto a standard zerk until you manually disconnect it?  Diameter can't be much larger than a standard coupler.

I can probably find something but I thought you guys might know right away.

....not the best quality but here's a couple of pics.

[river1]

check this post

http://www.roddingroundtable.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9423&highlight=grease+fitting

will something like that work?

later jim

[purplepickup]

check this post

http://www.roddingroundtable.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9423&highlight=grease+fitting

will something like that work?

later jim

I remembered seeing that and suggested the pin type but we want to keep the standard zerk so anyone can service this without special grease gun couplers.

[wayne petty]

just curious....   it this a one off product..   or is it going out on the market...

i would think that if it is a one off ... that a flexable cable or hose with the proper male fitting to thread into the end of the hose end with the zirk removed...  when the assy is installed.. unscrew the extension.. and put in the zirk...    but i would imagine that the idea is to keep the end of the hose clean... of some of the debris the could be in the housing...

did you get a different brand of grease gun tip? some have a much stronger spring pushing the retaining dies around the zirk head...

give alemite a call

http://www.alemite.com/catalog/details.aspx?identifier=fittings_pintype they have a contact page at the top.... their tech guys are just waiting for your call..


i had gotten a several tubes of gm throw out bearing lube...  that was the slickest stuff i had ever seen... i needed to lube a starter that i was putting together...     that stuff worked so good... but gm discontinued it... they did have a pint can for 65 bucks.. but they also seem to be out of that also... they marketed it for throw out bearing slides and U joint slides in the middle of the double shafts in HD trucks...    since i have so many repeat customers... i got to see the lube when the next clutch got installed..  the grease was still good...  but it got a fresh batch anyway...

normal lube grease tubes.. tend to get hard when clutch debris and heat are around... make the t-o bearing hard to slide on the input retainer...

[enjenjo]

Aero did make what you want, but it is/was a bit bigger, maybe 1/8" to 3/16" As I remember it was about $20 each. I'll try to come up with a number.

[enjenjo]

Well, aero no longer makes them. I called a buddy of mine who is the lubrication business, he sells grease. He suggested Alemite, and said to call John Pullian 866 425 3648 ext 5230 He is the district mananger for Alemite in your area.

[purplepickup]

Thanks Wayne and Frank, I'll call Alemite tomorrow when I'm gettin' paid to do it.

This is for customer's use.  OEM's will have to do this on the assembly lines and aftermarket or fleet shops will have to do this when they change out trannys.  We'll give kits for installation which will include some sort of tool to do this, hopefully using an inexpensive coupler like I'm looking for.  Maintenance after installation may be done anywhere and we don't want a special fitting required that would give someone a reason to not lube the bearing.

I'm thinking some of the couplers for high pressure guns will hold well enough to do the trick.  A locking type would be the cat's pajamas but if I can find any kind that holds firmly we might be ok.  Liability for smashed hands is a factor too.

[enjenjo]

The one that Aero made had a collar that you pulled back to install or remove it. I don't know if Alemite makes one.

FWIW after as many years as I had in truck maintaince, they will figure out something in the field you never thought of.

[purplepickup]

I just went out in the shop to see what I'd come up with if I had to do that.  I walked over and picked up my $1.99 Harbor Freight claw grabber thingy and tried it on a grease zerk and it held plenty good to pull the hose through the hole.  I'll take it to work tomorrow and try it but I'll bet it works just fine.

[Fat Cat]

You might also look at Napa part number 715-1180. It is a locking extension adapter for a grease gun.

[wayne petty]

one thing i forgot to mention today...

i know it is a reach...    


but i can envision a new grease gun jockey...  with an air powered grease gun...      just pumping and pumping... till grease flows out the bottom of the bell housing...

some of you know about my mom....  smart woman...  when i was young... we had a 1924  model twenty cat crawler.. gas... hand crank...   mom ask dad to check the trans oil level... he pulled out the inspection plug... and poured in several gallons of oil...   mom discovered.. he had filled the clutch can with gear oil....  while mom went in to think about what to do about the lubed clutch...   dad took care of the problem... he drained out the gear lube... and topped it off with MEK...  that took care of all the lube... and the lube from the throw out bearing... and pilot bearing...   that tractor i think still sits where it has for the last 40 years...  unless somebody has scrapped it...