Button head grease/oil fittings

[Terry Welshans]

I have been unable to locate a fitting that will allow me to lubricate the wheels and rollers on my OC3.  The fittings are button head and are in very tight places.  I have a "pull" type fitting, but need a "push" type fitting to fit them.  can anyone help?  Or should I put zerk fittings on instead?

[shaunmissy]

Zimmerman has an adapter for the lower roller oil fittings that screws into a standard 1/8NPT grease gun. Remove the existing spring/plunger assembly, secure the hole left at the back of the grease gun with Permatex gasket maker, and you have your oil gun.

[Terry Welshans]

Thanks.

I was thinking about using a regular grease gun filled with oil, but I could not find the fitting that fits the button heads.

[cletracboy]

I got one from our local caterpillar distributer, they also have the pumps but the pump is very pricey. Sam

[Terry Welshans]

Thanks, Sam.

My plan is to use a regular spring plunger type grease gun with the plunger out of it and the end cap welded shut.  I see it only working pointed down though...

Thinking it over, why wouldn't a hand oil pump on a 5 gallon pail work once I have the fitting on the button head?

[RLH]

I like the idea of the modified grease gun, might have to try it myself. I don't think the hand pump will put out enough pressure.
Randy

[John Schwiebert]

We used to use an empty gun, put type A transmission fluid in the empty guy and tested some hydraulic relive valves with them. We never changed a thing on the gun, of course we had a hose on it instead of the metal tube. We had no problem developing 2000 psi.

[cletracboy]

Not sure about the smaller cletracs, but to properly oil the rollers on my BD would probably require you to fill standard sized grease gun a few times to do all of them.  You should keep oiling until oil runs from the seal to wash any dirt away. sam

[andy b.]

has anyone tried using that corn head grease to lube the rollers?  i heard it could be described as real runny grease, or real thick gear lube.  the local JD dealer has it for $2.50 a tube.

andy b.

[moeh1]

I just got an OC-3, ran into the button head problem, read about the corn head grease, so I am using that, but don't have any feedback for you on it yet.  I got the grease gun adapter from Graingers for about $11 locally.  It is a pain to use, need about 3 hands, and I had to pull a bolt out of the front roller to put it on one of the fittings on each side, but it works.
Marty

[Bill Seal]

I think I posted this before, but I just parked the crawler on a side hill, pulled the fittings out  and filled the cavities with a pump oiler untill it poured back out, then quickly screwed them back in. Messy, but better than nothing.

[Terry Welshans]

Thanks,guys.

I can only find the kind of coupler that pulls onto the button.  It sure would be better to do the track rollers with a push on type.

I think removing the fitting and filling with oil is a good idea.  How about using a pipe nipple with a few bushings or coupling to go to 1 inch to make filling easier?  then putting the fittings back in after filling?  The fitting looks like it has a small pipe thread.  Any idea what thread it is?

[Ray]

The original roller shafts button head zerk thread size is 1/2" fine thread, the zerk on the front wheel and track frame hangers are 1/4" pipe thread. if you have any of our new roller shafts, the thread size on those are 1/4" pipe thread.
Ray

[cletracboy]

on mine you can tourn it around as there is a blanked out hole on the oposite side to the pipe going into the fitting. Sam

[jdemaris]

The regular zerk grease fittings work just as well  as the buttonheads - except - being pointed they are damaged more easily, and they sometimes require two hands to use instead of one.  There are many places you can buy buttonhead fittings, and greasegun adapters.  John Deere is one.  Deere also sells "cornhead grease" which is formulated for applications like track rollers.  Deere used to market it as "track and roller" grease, but it is now labelled as "cornhead" grease.