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ORD greasable shackle bolt issues

badmix

badmix

1/2 ton status
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
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TRied greasing up all my fittings and 3 of them pull out. ANyone have issue like this? It looks like they are just pressed in.

Ill try calling ORD when they get up (9:40am east time here, lol)
 
There was another thread about this awhile back, IIRC some guys had ditched the ORD bolts and gone with greasable bolts from Kert.
 
I've repeatedly greased my ORD bolts and never had one pop out. Is it readily apparent they are pressed? I know I've purchased replacement nipples before for other parts and they were always threaded.
 
If these arent press in than someone really did a number on the threads, it looked like BARBED ends either that or really stripped out threads. If they are press in, ive thought about getting tab/die set and chasing the bolt hole and putting a screw in fitting. Can get a pack from auto store cheap.
 
Both ORD and DIY bolts have press in zerks, i have both on my blazer and at least one of each popped out the first time i greased them. I went and got a pack of new zerks from the auto parts store and tapped new ones in with a hammer and they have been fine ever since.
 
I had a similar problem on one of my bolts and I found a pack of press in zeros at Kragens. I pressed in a new one and used Stevens recommendation of using a punch to peen around the fitting a bit.

You shouldn't use those grease gun tips that clamp on. If you do, you need to bend the grease tip off rather then pulling straight out. I got a needle type tip for my grease gun to prevent that in the future.
 
Not on my rig but on a friends we actually found some needle fitting ones instead of the ones that stick out and replaced all his with those, they survive alot longer in the rocks and never pull out
 
Pressed in ones are more common than people realize. It mostly depends on how hard the metal is.
They really are barbed.
If they are harder enough than the parent metal that they cut in, they are pretty darn strong. The metal expands slightly when they go in, and the barbs cut in when they try to come out.
If the hardness is too close to the same, it smooths down the barbs.

Tapping is the way to go, but it costs more in production than just drilling a hole and driving in a barb.

If the barbs on the ones that came out are smooth and dull, you might be able to find some that are harder at a good parts store. If the barbs are sharp but fit loose, the hole was probably drilled too big. You might find some that are oversize, or you might go from SAE to Metric or vice-versa to get a slightly larger one.

J.
 
I've given up on greased bolts because they don't grease everywhere. The grease forms one or two paths from the hole to the outside world and no matter how much grease you pump through it will all follow that path. So you can still get rust in there and it can still hang up. It's better than nothing, but only 1/10 as good as pulling it apart and greasing everything by hand. Of course, few of us are going to do that at any time other than initial assembly.
 
after greasing your bolts its always good to check torque. when you do this take the wrench and spin the bolt a few times around so all of the bolt is greased.on mine i took it all apart and with a hack saw blade cut a small grove in the bushing length wise. so that way when you pump grease in it goes the length of the bolt the spin it and BAM. its all greased
 
geddesj said:
... and with a hack saw blade cut a small grove in the bushing length wise...
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure that's such a great idea. In my experience, those bushings split pretty easily all by themselves (when you really work your truck's suspension). No need to help that process along by creating a weak spot to start with. Then again, suspension flex with split bushings is pretty awesome...:D
 
jms said:
I'm not so sure that's such a great idea. In my experience, those bushings split pretty easily all by themselves (when you really work your truck's suspension). No need to help that process along by creating a weak spot to start with. Then again, suspension flex with split bushings is pretty awesome...:D
Click to expand...

Wait a sec...you actually go outside and wheel? That's just crazy!! :p:

Rene
 
Hmmm, I always assumed they were tapped. Kind of cheap IMO to just press them in.
I've drilled and tapped so many 1/8" NPT holes for grease fittings in our shop I can't imagine doing it any other way. Sure it takes a sec longer but it's well worth it IMO.
 
tRustyK5 said:
Wait a sec...you actually go outside and wheel? That's just crazy!! :p:

Rene
Click to expand...

No, not really - I may be crazy, but not that crazy :laugh:. Today here in BTR, it was 34°C / 60% humidity / RealFeel (whatever that is...) of 46°C. Between beginning of May (= end of CruiseMoab) and mid-Septermber (= start of Blazer Bash), I just wait - wheeling season is fall-winter-spring :D. Right now, my truck is in storage at single-digit humidity in AZ. :o

Actually, I'm currently trying to reign in/reduce the amount of suspension flex. :eek1: I'm of the opinion that two lockers beat suspension flex anytime, and that too much flex can actually make a truck unstable, particularly in offcamber situations.

While I've installed the greasable bushing setup quite a while ago, I found that at least in the Southwest, seized spring bolts/sleeves/bushings are not a consistent or recurring problem once the 20+ year-old stock is replaced with new parts (i.e. when installing lift springs etc.). The greasable setup has worked well for me, but I've also broken a front spring bolt - at the grease hole. I should also add that I'm too lazy/cheap to actually procure and use silicone grease for the PU bushings (you guys sure know that you're not supposed to use regular grease for the PU bushings, right?), so that might contribute to the split bushings. I've had a few bolts not cooperating in a grease job, but rotating the bolt usually helped. I haven't had a grease zerk pop out, though.

A set of new rear bushings is on my to-do list - the current set has no shoulders left...
 
rubber wont split as fast as urethane might, plus the rubber helps flex which in the rocky terrain of so. cal,even with lockers thats what you need. plus if you have a bad side hill i wheel with a bunch of monkeys that love to hang off the side . lol did i mention i hate mud
 
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