Gate Hinge Help

[1jeepfan]

I’m trying to grease this gate hinge. The grease fitting is clear, even replaced it, but can not get grease in it. The lower hinge was no problem. Also, I can’t remove the gate because of the way the hinges were welded on. Maybe remove the fitting and spray it out with some degreaser??

 

[PCustoms]

Does the gate move?

Can you pick up on the gate, even a little?

Grease should flow....

I'd pull the fitting again and spray some PB or other penetrating oil over the next few days. They also make grease fitting cleaner/injectors

 

[1jeepfan]

No, that gate is rock solid. No play in the hinges.

 

[PCustoms]

No, that gate is rock solid. No play in the hinges.

You might be bottomed out with no room for grease....

I'd pop I'll the fitting and soak it over the weekend. Walk through it a couple times per day to work it and give it a squirt each time. Put the fitting back in Sunday and try to grease it

 

[1jeepfan]

I’ll try hitting it with a degreaser. Thanks!!

 

[Mick56]

Could try heating it. The old grease might be hard and some heat may soften it.

 

[jack stand]

If that doesn't work, you can drill a small hole (1/8" or less) into the upper body of the hinge through and into the pin a little presuming that the stationary "pin" is attached to the lower half.
Get yourself a needle? adapter for your grease gun and pump into the new hole. It's penetrating power will rely on good pressure and contact with your new cleanly drilled hole.

 

[PCustoms]

I’ll try hitting it with a degreaser. Thanks!!

I would not use a degreaser, I would use a light penetrating oil. If it is caked/dry grease that will dissolve it as well

 

[rlitman]

They make a hammer activated greaser for stuff that's stuck like this.

 

[PCustoms]

They make a hammer activated greaser for stuff that's stuck like this.

Amazon.com: Grease Buster® - The Original, Made in The USA by LockNLube! Cleans and flushes Out Old Dried Grease from Fittings, pins, shafts, bushings, and Joints. Uses penetrating Fluid and Hydraulic Pressure. : Automotive

Buy Grease Buster® - The Original, Made in The USA by LockNLube! Cleans and flushes Out Old Dried Grease from Fittings, pins, shafts, bushings, and Joints. Uses penetrating Fluid and Hydraulic Pressure.: Grease Guns - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

a.co

 

[RoninB4]

-As already suggested it could be that either the tiny ball in the fitting is stuck (depress it with an appropriate pin punch) or there's no room for more grease. I've seen several applications where there was a minimal or no grease gallery present so no grease reached the outer parts of the pin/bushing. Cost cutting measures cripple simple designs like that.

+1 on penetrating oil instead of degreaser.

 

[PCustoms]

-As already suggested it could be that either the tiny ball in the fitting is stuck (depress it with an appropriate pin punch)

The grease fitting is clear, even replaced it,

 

[RoninB4]

-While I appreciate your attention to orderly postings I did read that it was replaced and posted anyway because even when new the ball can be stuck in place. Inserting/depressing the ball is simple, easy, and one more assurance that it should work properly.

 

[Fav Onefour]

Wow!

I had never heard of a grease buster. It seems like a fantastic idea.
I don't get in trouble with items that get greased on a regular basis. It's those oddballs that show up on a piece of machinery that has been sitting too long. I've spent a lot of time on some of those fittings trying to prevent eventual failure from "not greasing". I have a bit of a pet peeve fixing stuff that failed because someone didn't grease the thing.

Gotta love some of the stuff that shows up on this forum.

 

[Codyboy]

I had the same problem with my gate hinge. It would not take grease. Thats probably due to not doing it ever.
Until it started binding up then I said we) I'll grease it.
Nope.
Like you I pulled the zerk squirted some penetrant over a couple days, tried so.e heat and nothing, pushed the check ball in in and out and it was clear with no obstruction. Bought a pack of zerk fittings at TSC.
No change.
Luckily my gate hinge was only welded on the post and the gate was bolted through.
Me and my cousin removed the gate. That kinda sucked as its pretty heavy.

What I found was the bottom hinge was the problem as it is flipped opposite from the top hinge (pic)
Being flipped water can run into the pin hole shaft but just sits there and has no way to escape.
So after 10 years it gets rusty and funky in that hole and will not let grease in .
Once I took it apart and cleaned it out it was like brand new.
Probably going to have to cut it off and replace the hinges or clean them out real good.

The bearing is just a single steel ball that sits atop the shaft pin or whatever its called.
The ball sits just below the zirk inside on top hinge and on mine the bottom hinge is reversed and the zerk is on bottom and the ball sits in that 2 or 3 inch deep hole.

 

[nadogail]

Don’t Force It, Get A Bigger Hammer

 

[CraigStu]

Last spring I bought a used mini excavator. Lots of pivot pins and grease fittings on it. Several would not take grease. The solution was to take them out, clean out the old hard grease and reassemble. For your gate, I'd do as suggested, take out the fitting and try penetrating oil. It may never take grease but, if you keep oiling it, that may be good enough. If you have a way to get power to the area, you could also cut the thing apart and weld it back together so the gate will lift off the hinges. That would be a permanent solution unless you have to worry about criminals.

 

[1jeepfan]

Amazon.com: Grease Buster® - The Original, Made in The USA by LockNLube! Cleans and flushes Out Old Dried Grease from Fittings, pins, shafts, bushings, and Joints. Uses penetrating Fluid and Hydraulic Pressure. : Automotive

Buy Grease Buster® - The Original, Made in The USA by LockNLube! Cleans and flushes Out Old Dried Grease from Fittings, pins, shafts, bushings, and Joints. Uses penetrating Fluid and Hydraulic Pressure.: Grease Guns - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

a.co

Impressive tool. I watched a YouTube video on it. It may come to this solution. Thank!

 

[PCustoms]

Impressive tool. I watched a YouTube video on it. It may come to this solution. Thank!

It's funny after posting in this thread I took the tractor out yesterday and remembered there's one fitting that has been stubborn and not taking grease.

I need to take my own advice and order that buster.

 

[1jeepfan]

I had the same problem with my gate hinge. It would not take grease. Thats probably due to not doing it ever.
Until it started binding up then I said we) I'll grease it.
Nope.
Like you I pulled the zerk squirted some penetrant over a couple days, tried so.e heat and nothing, pushed the check ball in in and out and it was clear with no obstruction. Bought a pack of zerk fittings at TSC.
No change.
Luckily my gate hinge was only welded on the post and the gate was bolted through.
Me and my cousin removed the gate. That kinda sucked as its pretty heavy.

What I found was the bottom hinge was the problem as it is flipped opposite from the top hinge (pic)
Being flipped water can run into the pin hole shaft but just sits there and has no way to escape.
So after 10 years it gets rusty and funky in that hole and will not let grease in .
Once I took it apart and cleaned it out it was like brand new.
Probably going to have to cut it off and replace the hinges or clean them out real good.

The bearing is just a single steel ball that sits atop the shaft pin or whatever its called.
The ball sits just below the zirk inside on top hinge and on mine the bottom hinge is reversed and the zerk is on bottom and the ball sits in that 2 or 3 inch deep hole.

Thanks! Really hoping to not cut it off.

 

[dandan111]

Looks like it’s made to lift off? Must not have been used much. You can probably unscrew that grease zerc off. That will give you a hole to spray into. I would bang it with a hammer also!

 

[PCustoms]

WTF I wish people could read

 

[rlitman]

It's funny after posting in this thread I took the tractor out yesterday and remembered there's one fitting that has been stubborn and not taking grease.

I need to take my own advice and order that buster.

I've been thinking of adding one to my toolbox for years, but I just don't deal with stuck zerks enough for it to be worthwhile for me to have one sitting around for a decade before I need it again (my assortment of zerks has paid for itself though). And I suspect that the $15 ones are ****. Which I'd accept if I was in the OP's situation. I'd try it out, and if it didn't work, I'd just send it back.

I love my Lock-N-Lube zerk chuck. But these hammer grease tools have been around for way longer than Lock-N-Lube. I think General used to make them.

 

[partsguy5768]

Impressive tool. I watched a YouTube video on it. It may come to this solution. Thank!

Winner here... I have had a different brand for years. I put marvel mystery oil in it and can clear about 75% percent of my zerks. ( I own a large amount of heavy equipment, trucks etc so always dealing with a problem)

 

[drmarkr]

It's funny after posting in this thread I took the tractor out yesterday and remembered there's one fitting that has been stubborn and not taking grease.

I need to take my own advice and order that buster.

This man understands how we do things at the Garage Journal....

 

[alfadan]

You may try to take weight off the hinge. With wear, the hole in the pin my be pushing against the bore of the hinge. That and tons of rust!

 

[1jeepfan]

Sweet success!! I believe it was a combination of things:

Sprayed penetrating oil in the zerk hole several times, over 2 days.

The gate would not allow me to pry the non-hinge side upwards when in the closed position. But when open, it allowed me to lift the non-hinge side about 2 inches. Took weight off the top hinge?

In this position, the grease went in just fine.

Thanks for all the help!!!