[Aksarben96]

I have a Ariens LT12 model #963006 that's not taking grease in though the zerk fitting on the right hand side of the rear axle , as you face the back of the tractor. I have removed the zerk and it allows grease to pass through fine but when mounted to the axle will not pass any grease no matter how much force I apply to the standard size lever action grease gun ,the left side axle fitting as well as the remaining fittings on the front axle all work properly and the grease passes through them .This is a one owner machine, the axle has never been serviced .
The question's are how this one passage is blocked internally ( Does any one know how the bearings are installed in these trans-axles)
What my options are to correct it , as in
I can correct it myself ? Or does this need a dealers mechanic?

Thank You for reading this and look forward to reading the answers .

 

[LoveLearn]

I'm not familiar with your specific tractor model. But -

I've had success with similar-sounding grease zerk openings which wouldn't accept pressurized grease. First unscrew the zerk again, then use some small stiff probe to mobilize any hardened regions you are able to reach that way. I have a few dental probes in my tool chest which have proven their worth over and over in a variety of unpredicted circumstances. After reinstalling the zerk, apply some heat. Propane, mapp gas, a plumber's rose bud torch or your choice. Don't go nuts with too much heat which can cause other problems. Bring the metal parts up to 200 - 250 degrees F. and you'll usually soften hardened non-flowing grease enough that your hand-powered grease gun's pressure is likely to be enough to re-establish a flow path.

I'd take these easy steps before considering disassembly.
Good luck & hope this strategy helps you.
John

 

[eveled]

Sometimes if you take the zerk out then spray in some penetrating oil it will soften up the blockage, ED

 

[Aksarben96]

Thanks for the suggestions I do have some dental tools and a propane torch ,and some Marvel mystery Oil and both ideas are better than taking things apart as I really dont want to make it more likely to start leaking somewhere else.

 

[Aksarben96]

Tonight I gathered my tools jack,dental pick,small probe ,grease gun since I could not find my propane torch I found my multi-purpose heat gun . jack up the rear of the tractor removed the wheel for better access, removed the zerk and probed inside the housing and what do you know there was a lump of solidified grease even though I had used a moly and graphite based Lubriplate grease ! reinstalled the jerk and presto worked like a champ.
THANKS FOR THE HELP Lovelearn and Eveled !!

 

[eveled]

Glad it all worked out, great idea using the heat gun! Ed

 

[LoveLearn]

"removed the zerk and probed inside the housing and what do you know there was a lump of solidified grease even though I had used a moly and graphite based Lubriplate grease!"

I don't intend to sound like DonSoil, our MyTractorForum site Supporter and Amsoil advocate/vendor. I knew this from my own personal experience when I temporarily screwed up an expensive piece of machinery years ago which belonged to an employer. I used some trick grease on a pantograph cutting machine that I was using for hours every day. The sliding interface surfaces were fairly large, extremely rigid and machined & polished to micro-accurate plane alignment. The grease provided with the machine kept getting squeezed out so the joints became stiff so I had to re-lubricate about once per day. Without authorization, I brought in and applied some trick Molybdenum disulfide grease which I had bought to use on my drag racer. The pantograph machine seemed to free up better than I'd ever before experienced, pleasing me greatly. But as the day wore on it got stiffer and stiffer. Finally it actually started jerking between positions! I quickly and QUIETLY took it apart and cleaned the joints saving the mix on a paper hand towel, sprayed solvent on the joints and reapplied the manufacturer's grease. Thankfully, that restored normal machine operation without anyone else knowing what trouble I'd caused.

Later microscopic examination of the sample showed tiny hard grains which I now understand may have actually been sand! Mixing most greases together causes no problems. But some mixes can cause chemical reactions precipitating out very hard non-lubricating solids, including, I've read, silicone dioxide otherwise known as sand!

Blush. I'm still a little embarrassed to think of that incident. I've been very careful about mixing greases ever since.

Is it possible that you or someone mixed chemically-reactive incompatible greases causing that blockage? If so, I'd pump a lot through there to flush out as much of the mixture as possible.
John

 

[Aksarben96]

Eveled : I did not need the heat gun but had it in case I did.Though it would heat to that 200 range with out over heating .
Lovelearn : I m not sure if there had been a reaction between greases as you stated . I have used this same grease on the rest of this mower with out problem ,The lump I removed was of the same gray color as lubriplate grease , if it had reacted with something when I first greased it or if the mower was originally greased with a similar grease and it hardened I don't know ....just glad to have solved the problem .

On another Forum on historic Military Vehicles there were a number of comments related to reactions of lubricants to Brass parts in transmissions etc. so it is important to use the right grease or oil recommended by the mfg for a reason .