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Zerk Fitting--Lost ball and spring.

7021 Views 12 Replies 7 Participants Last post by awai04, Mar 11, 2011

have2ride2day

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2011

Anyone else lose the ball on the inside of the Zerk fitting. I was going through maintenance on my Tracer VP last night and decided to add a little grease. When I wiped the dirt off the zerk on the lower pivot, I realized that the ball had disappeared. I don't know if it went in or fell out, but I probed with a pick and it was nowhere to be found. So, I went ahead and greased the pivot and grease came out at the bearings, when I removed the gun, lots of grease dripped back out of the fitting. Do I need to replace it or is all good as long as grease is getting through the bearings? Will a ton of trash get inside the pivot through the fitting?

I emailed Intense Care last night and expect to hear from them next working day, but just thought I would bring this up here and see what your experiences were. Thanks.

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gretch

· #2 · Mar 5, 2011

The ball is still probably there, but the spring that suspends it in the fitting has been pushed out the backside of the zerk. I've had this happen on a number of those little bastards. You should be able to get some replacements from your lbs or Intense.... they are easy to replace, but poorly designed IMO.... A number of the replacement zerks I installed were totally crap and wouldn't allow grease to flow through properly...

BTW, there's no harm in riding this way... nothing is going to get past the fitting in its current state, and the small amount of grease that squirts out is really not a big deal.

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have2ride2day

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 5, 2011

Thanks Gretch. It actually takes grease better than ever, so I considered leaving it that way. I don't ever ride my Tracer when it is wet, so pivots don't see much grit anyway.

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davet

· #4 · Mar 6, 2011

I yanked the fitting right out on my Uzzi. They were more trouble than they are worth, the grease goes in much easier without them. I may try to find a plug to close the hole, but with the grease topped up, nothing can get in anyways.

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qbert2000

· #5 · Mar 6, 2011

davet said:
I yanked the fitting right out on my Uzzi. They were more trouble than they are worth, the grease goes in much easier without them. I may try to find a plug to close the hole, but with the grease topped up, nothing can get in anyways.

i found this as well on my wifes 5.5 that i added fittings to

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Ole

· #6 · Mar 7, 2011

Have your LBS order up some of the new grease fittings from Intense, they can be retrofitted to any older frame that came with angle contact bearings. If you have regular bearings (6.6, 5.5, Spider XVP etc) the grease fitting will come into conflict with the crush tube, and won't work, unless it's possible to put a spacer between the frame and the hex head of the grease fitting.

I just received mine, and they look so much more robust. Both the hole on the back side, and the spring and ball, are much bigger.

You need to drill the hole in the frame out to 7/32 inch, and tap ¼" X 28 tpi threads.

Ole.

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gretch

· #7 · Mar 7, 2011

^^Great idea.... even better if Intense would just put these on their online store and leave the LBS out of it...

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have2ride2day

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 7, 2011

Ole said:
Have your LBS order up some of the new grease fittings from Intense, they can be retrofitted to any older frame that came with angle contact bearings. If you have regular bearings (6.6, 5.5, Spider XVP etc) the grease fitting will come into conflict with the crush tube, and won't work, unless it's possible to put a spacer between the frame and the hex head of the grease fitting.

I just received mine, and they look so much more robust. Both the hole on the back side, and the spring and ball, are much bigger.

You need to drill the hole in the frame out to 7/32 inch, and tap ¼" X 28 tpi threads.

Ole.

Good info. I may do the new style. I am already talking to Intense about it. They have been great.

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nmtim

· #9 · Mar 7, 2011

I like the plug idea. Then you wouldn't have to worry about pulling the bearings to get the shavings out. I actually started to use the zerk as a plug... kind of a pain but it works.

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awai04

· #10 · Mar 10, 2011

Must the bearings be pulled to get the shavings out, or can the shavings be cleaned up with some sort of Q-tip or suction device? I have a Tracer VP v.1 & got the bigger Zerks from Intense some time ago. I'm interested in doing the update but would wait if it meant having to pull the bearings.

nmtim said:
I like the plug idea. Then you wouldn't have to worry about pulling the bearings to get the shavings out. I actually started to use the zerk as a plug... kind of a pain but it works.

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nmtim

· #11 · Mar 10, 2011

awai04 said:
Must the bearings be pulled to get the shavings out, or can the shavings be cleaned up with some sort of Q-tip or suction device?

Only if have a Mega Maid. "Suck, Suck, Suck..." jk.

I actually had the ball and spring pop out inside. When I pulled the bearing to try and flush it out the bearing didn't come out in one piece...

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Ole

· #12 · Mar 10, 2011

I don't think some alu shavings will do much damage. If you do decide to remove the bearings, you have to use a punch or flat screwdriver in one of the two notches inside the bearings to pound on the outer race only.

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awai04

· #13 · Mar 11, 2011

Hm, sounds like I may wait, or maybe try the plug idea. On my last Intense bike (5.5evp), I replaced the bearings after three seasons, and that was partially because I rode that bike through the winter. I'm more careful about what's going on at the pivots now.

Thanks guys.

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Zerk Fitting--Lost ball and spring.

have2ride2day

gretch

have2ride2day

davet

qbert2000

Ole

gretch

have2ride2day

nmtim

awai04

nmtim

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