Grease fitting caps

[cptbarkey]

Hi. Saturday I greased about 20 or 30 zerks on a JD 1025R loader and backhoe. I need to do one more for the front ujoint that has a tiny hole. My process was to clean them first with a power washer, then brake cleaner. Even then several were dirty and needed extra attention.

I ordered these grease caps because they seemed like a good idea, to keep the zerks clean. They survived after 5 hours of use. Has anyone else tried these before, or a similar product?

 

[Shel_B]

I had some installed on both my F-350 4x4s and they worked as I hoped they would and gave me no trouble. They may have been metal but I don't recall for sure.

 

[jhellwig]

I don't like them and take them off of anything that has them. I wipe them zerk off before I grease and leave what is on them after I grease them there.

 

[jeepman3071]

The only things that have them are the JKS sway bar quick disconnects on my Jeep Wrangler. They seem to work and are still there after a few years.

For greasing things like tractors that have 20+ grease zerks my Milwaukee battery grease gun is a game changer.

 

[Lubener]

I never used them but I like the idea for zerks that are in very dirty environments.

 

[demarpaint]

I've used for as far back as I can remember the black rubber caps used to block off vacuum lines. I get a size that fits snugly on the Zerk fitting and put it on after greasing. I have done this for decades, they are cheap, they last for several years, the fitting stays clean and it keeps dirt and water out.

 

[tblt44]

Caps great idea to keep dird away from end. Very hard to get every piece of dirt off before greasing.
I think I will buy some

 

[72C10]

I use them and like them. I'm not particularly fond of the yellow color on vehicles. I believe they make red ones also.

 

[BrianF]

Great thread!! I neednto get some of these for my vehicles and equipment.

 

[jeepman3071]

I use them and like them. I'm not particularly fond of the yellow color on vehicles. I believe they make red ones also.

The ones on my Jeep are red. I do like the yellow on the OP's tractor, goes well with the John Deere paint scheme.

 

[Elkins45]

I didn’t know those existed. I need some for my tractor loader.

 

[cptbarkey]

I use them and like them. I'm not particularly fond of the yellow color on vehicles. I believe they make red ones also.

They sell multiple colors. I picked yellow for easy contrast and visibility against my green tractor.

Funnily enough I put a few on the driveshaft and it predictably flew off, in case anyone had that idea

 

[72C10]

They sell multiple colors. I picked yellow for easy contrast and visibility against my green tractor.

Funnily enough I put a few on the driveshaft and it predictably flew off, in case anyone had that idea

They do look good on your tractor. On a few caps, I have threaded the zerks through the hole on the retainer. The caps still might pop off on a driveshaft though. I have not tried those yet.

 

[JohnnyG]

In the past, I've just used vacuum line caps to cover my brake bleeder screws, but I only needed 4.
They'd probably work on zerks too.

 

[Mickey D]

Don’t care for the caps. Pain I. The @ss.

 

[wings&wheels]

Use them on the fun fleet and outdrives. Wasn't aware they existed them until I saw them on a propeller back in the dark ages.

My favorites, these seem to seal better than the harder plastic ones; Lubricaps

 

[buck91]

Eh, if a part comes with zirk covers I'll use them but totally unnecessary. Just wipe before greasing.

 

[cptbarkey]

Eh, if a part comes with zirk covers I'll use them but totally unnecessary. Just wipe before greasing.

I have used them about 34 engine hours and 3 zerk grease sessions since the original post. 3 have “disappeared” mysteriously from the front end loader, likely from hauling brush. 85 percent still remain. I will say it’s worth the 10 bucks just because they are very easy to find, and keep the grease nipple from getting dirty and stuck.