Question about grease zerks

[davidwdyer]

What size and kind of taps should I but to install grease zerks? I think there at least two common sizes. It seems to be a tapered thread. Thanks in advance.

[Frank Ford]

I usually just get the press-in ones; they're quick and easy to tap into a drilled hole.

[J.Ramsey]

1/4- 28 is the most common for automotive use.
Next size up is 1/8 pipe.

[davidh]

check alemite;s web site. there are a lot of them.
you want some drive-in ones ? i used to sell them on ebay by the 100;s but you can have a handful, and you can make your own drive in tool. simple if you have a lathe.
i have a few hundred laying around . . . . pm me.
davidh

[NiftyNev]

I know they come in at least Imperial, Metric, NPT and BSP and all sorts of sizes of these threads.

Nev

[Roy Andrews]

last night i had a first. guy brought in a control arm of some sort off a snowmobile. very thin tube with a Zerk welded to it. Zerk was broken off and he wanted a new one welded on. sharp small tungsten .035 MIG wire as filler at 45 amps and done. don't know how the heat effected the Zerk but i guess it cant be to bad if the factory did it.

[davidwdyer]

check alemite;s web site. there are a lot of them.
you want some drive-in ones ? i used to sell them on ebay by the 100;s but you can have a handful, and you can make your own drive in tool. simple if you have a lathe.
i have a few hundred laying around . . . . pm me.


davidh

Sorry, I don't know yet how to PM. I'd like to take your offer but I'm in Brazil. Here I have a small drawer full of zerks from a small storage cabinet I bought at an auction. The look to be pipe thread or something like that. I don't have small pipe thread taps but will try to get some on next trip to US. Can I get by with something standard?

[ERBenoit]

Sorry, I don't know yet how to PM.

Click on the members name, a drop down box should show up. Select "Send a private message". A new window will open. Type away. I always first, "Preview message", when I'm satisfied, "Submit message".

I never though I'd see the day I'd be able to offer "computer advice".

[davidh]

Sorry, I don't know yet how to PM. I'd like to take your offer but I'm in Brazil. Here I have a small drawer full of zerks from a small storage cabinet I bought at an auction. The look to be pipe thread or something like that. I don't have small pipe thread taps but will try to get some on next trip to US. Can I get by with something standard?

is it expensive to mail aomething to brazil ? no its not, i just called the post office here, $4 and some change for 4 ounces in a padded envelope. not much more than send something across the usa. . . .

[davidwdyer]

The mailing to Brazil is not so expensive if something is not heavy. The problem enters in when the item goes through customs. First, it can take up to five weeks for something to arrive. Then, somewhat arbitrarily, you may have to pay taxes - up to 90% - of the value of the thing. Since I will be in the U.S. in May and my project which will use the zerks will not be ready for them before that time, I will probably wait.

Every trip here involves suitcases full of iron of various descriptions. It's kind of like Christmas. I order what I think I might need online while in Brazil, ship it to a friend or relative and then pick it all up when I come.

One time we brought down a mini lathe from HF on the plane. We took it apart, separated it into several carry on bags and away we went. Putting the bags in the overhead bin was a bit like pumping iron. I'm sure they were over weight, but nothing was hurt (besides maybe my back.) The next trip we did the same thing with a mini mill.