What are these plugs (in U-joints)?

babikov

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
113
Dear forum,

I am replacing the gimbal bearing and thought to grease the U-joints too (Alpha 1 Gen II). There are no zerks, but these things instead (see the picture below):

WIN_20210528_08_39_14_Pro_LI.jpg

Are these some kind of plugs? Should I remove them (unscrew with pliers?), put zerks in (is thread locker required?) and grease the joints (What grease? The gimbal bearing grease, I guess?). Do I leave zerks there, or put the plugs back?

Thanks for sharing your experience!
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
That is where permanently lubed u-joints get loaded with grease. After lubing, the plugs are pressed in.
 

babikov

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
113
GA_Boater,

Thanks, yes, I understand the original intention. But, how permanent is permanent lube? If the boat is 1995 or so, and at some point there was water in the bellows, the best approach is not to touch it anyway ever, or to pull those plugs out and grease? And again, what grease? Keep zerks in? What people do in practice?



,
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,994
Ayuh,.... There may, or may not be threads for the zerks under those plugs,.....

I'd run 'em, til they rattle, 'n then replace 'em,.....
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,897
drive-in plugs have one-way ridges to hold them in. think of a fishing hook barb, just 3-4 of them and they go all the way around the hook shank

agreed with bondo, run them until they rattle.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
The grease is a very special 'Klug' grease, and was about $5,000/kg 20 years ago.
 
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