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Zerk plastic caps? Good idea or waste?
- Thread starter emmett518
- Start date
Nige
Senior Member
If you think you can keep them in place on all the zerks on the machine then knock yourself out.
However you might think on what exactly is the reason for using the caps.? If it is to keep the "business end" of the zerk clean then you could achieve exactly the same result by not using the caps and carrying a clean rag round the machine with you when greasing. Wipe each zerk before applying grease and wipe the excess grease off it afterwards. Same result as far as I can see - unless your intention for using the caps is something different that is.
However you might think on what exactly is the reason for using the caps.? If it is to keep the "business end" of the zerk clean then you could achieve exactly the same result by not using the caps and carrying a clean rag round the machine with you when greasing. Wipe each zerk before applying grease and wipe the excess grease off it afterwards. Same result as far as I can see - unless your intention for using the caps is something different that is.
Last edited:
skyking1
Senior Member
There's usually plenty of Grease left behind to protect things and then carry a rag like nige suggested. That's how I do it.
They are useless. New machines come with them I pop them all off. Leave the caps on and it’s a guarantee that fitting won’t get greased or the idiot doing the greasing will try to grease the cap.
I wipe off any dirty fittings with rag.
I wipe off any dirty fittings with rag.
kshansen
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2012
- Messages
- 11,165
- Location
- Central New York, USA
- Occupation
- Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
My thoughts are that if you are greasing the machine as often as it should be then they would not be needed. There is a little check ball in there to keep the grease in and dirt out. So if you make sure you replace any bad Zerks and take a second to wipe them off before sticking the coupler on then they are not of any real use 99% of the time.
About the best thing about them on a new machine is it keeps the painter from sealing them up so they won't take grease or end up wrecking your coupler with dried up paint.
About the best thing about them on a new machine is it keeps the painter from sealing them up so they won't take grease or end up wrecking your coupler with dried up paint.
JLarson
Senior Member
They're like a lot of stuff, great ideal on paper, not so great in the real world. I've got a **** ton in a bin somewhere tho in assorted colors, we have one or two places that try and use them so I end up replacing them.