Cannot get grease to get into my LA535 Loader bucket pivot joint

[kinggeorge13]

So I've been fairly religiously greasing all the required pivot points on my Kubota LX3310 tractor's LA535 loader and it's BH77 backhoe as I use my tractor. Tractor only has about 60 hours on it now (bought new) and yep I did my 50 hour maintenance. I use the same manual grease gun I've always used. I have no problem greasing all of the zillion pivot points and grease appears as expected everywhere EXCEPT for the life of me I cannot get grease to go into the bucket pivot pins (that allow the bucket itself to tip up/down). Photo attached. I can attach to the zerk fittings no problem but I cannot force any grease in on Either Side ever. Both sides have the same situation. Weird. I've taken the zerk fittings out and cleaned them (but really, they are pretty much brand new) and put them back but have never been able to get grease to go in and certainly never ever squeezed out around the pin as I would expect as it fills what little space there is. Anyone else ever experience this? Thanks in advance.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Pull the pins and clean the ports out.

 

[Shawn T. W]

If you remove the zerk fitting and put that alone in your grease gun, can you pump grease though it?

but have never been able to get grease to go in

So from new those pins have never taken grease?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Pull the pins and clean the ports out.

I concur.

It the typical "an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure...." situation.

If you remove the zerk fitting and put that alone in your grease gun, can you pump grease though it?

+1

 

[William1]

+2
If the zerk accepts grease when removed from the pin, I'd remove the one pin, clean and ensure it was fully drilled.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yes, pull the pins...
one at a time and use a section of broom handle as a 'substitute' pin.

 

[lynnmor]

+2
If the zerk accepts grease when removed from the pin, I'd remove the one pin, clean and ensure it was fully drilled.

With the poor quality coming from the facility producing the backhoes, I think this is the problem.

 

[Pawnee]

If you put force on the problem pivot one way or the other using the hydraulics on the bucket it will force the pin away from the zerk hole and open up clearance for grease to get in.
The pins need clearance for grease as you say, they aren't a tight fit and can move some.

 

[dirtydeed]

Since you've already made sure that the fitting is clean:
1) push the ball in on the fitting with a small screwdriver or awl

2) tighten the grease gun tip when it's on the fitting. most (other than something like lock-n-lube) tips allow you to snug the tip of the grease gun onto the fitting by turning it. I think that's your problem

I have the same issue with mine....I have to tighten the grease gun tip or it will shoot grease between the fitting and the grease gun tip.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

If you remove the zerk fitting and put that alone in your grease gun, can you pump grease though it?

^^^that

I read here on OTT on a new machine it's common for the new owner to have to scrape paint off the zerk and grease the fitting before the first use.

I bought mine used and still had to use a 1/4" drive socket to remove a zerk, clean it, push a bit of grease through it, and reinstall it (like yours one of my mid-mount mower deck pivot points never saw [fresh] grease). At some point I have to hammer out the pin, clean, and reinstall it.

 

[GeoHorn]

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[North Idaho Wolfman]

With the poor quality coming from the facility producing the backhoes, I think this is the problem.

The problem is with the loader not the BH.

 

[lynnmor]

The problem is with the loader not the BH.

Sorry, I saw the backhoe mentioned in the same paragraph. But it is the same church but a different pew.