[kenash]

As I see based on what you're seeing, two reasons for the "backup"....
1. the Zerk is blocked, in itself, which being new is not a problem.
2. The grease in the UCA at the point of where the Zerk is inserted is caked (dried) ,thus, not allowing the grease into it.
I know the location is difficult to get access, perhaps, you can probe it with a wire, feeling for any blockage?

 

[toy2ski]

The UCA is new and not attached to the car. I was greasing it up before installing. The zerks I've used are new: 2 came with UCA, the others I bought new.

I can remove the zerk and attempt to clean it out, like if somehow something is stuck in there. It's new, but stranger things have happened, right?

 

[kenash]

The UCA is new and not attached to the car. I was greasing it up before installing. The zerks I've used are new: 2 came with UCA, the others I bought new.

I can remove the zerk and attempt to clean it out, like if somehow something is stuck in there. It's new, but stranger things have happened, right?

Ohvsorry, I missed the "new" UCA. Hmm? Yeah probe it with an ice pick? Try another ZERK too.

 

[Woodchuck]

If grease is coming out the threads then it's making it through the Zerk....

Depending on WHOSE UCA you purchased it may or may not have a grease groove cut across the threads to allow grease to flow... Other times you can chuck the mount in a vise and work the UCA back and forth to "loosen it up" and get grease to flow.

 

[toy2ski]

If grease is coming out the threads then it's making it through the Zerk....

Depending on WHOSE UCA you purchased it may or may not have a grease groove cut across the threads to allow grease to flow... Other times you can chuck the mount in a vise and work the UCA back and forth to "loosen it up" and get grease to flow.

Definitely making it thru the zerk. One side of the UCA does have grease flow thru the joint, one side doesn't.

Don't laugh, but I don't have a vice or anything to attach one to. I think I'm gonna attach the UCA to the car and try to loosen it up. Also, don't laugh, but I seemed to have broken my grease gun, too! 🤦‍♂️

The universe really wants me to earn my stripes on this suspension replacement! 🤣

 

[crank1000]

New UCA. Bought 90 degree zerks. One side of UCA greases up and flows thru to other side, as I expected. Other side of UCA, grease comes out around zerk threads. I've tightened zerk, backed out zerk 1/4 turn, and tried other zerks. Still doesn't flow thru.

Is this a problem I should worry about? If so, what should I do next to resolve the problem?

As always, I greatly appreciate your advice! 😀

Can you post a photo? I’m having trouble imagining a scenario where the pressure from a grease gun is able to overcome the seal of an NPT fitting.

 

[toy2ski]

Green is grease that came thru joint correctly. Red shows where it's not and the grease which came out at the threads

 

[crank1000]

I can’t speak specifically to oem style spindle zerks so don’t go by my word, but that doesn’t look fully installed. Most of the zerks I’ve installed on other stuff don’t have nearly that much thread showing under the base. Although it is admittedly hard to tell for sure with that much grease around it. But something definitely doesn’t seem right there.

 

[toy2ski]

I can’t speak specifically to oem style spindle zerks so don’t go by my word, but that doesn’t look fully installed. Most of the zerks I’ve installed on other stuff don’t have nearly that much thread showing under the base. Although it is admittedly hard to tell for sure with that much grease around it. But something definitely doesn’t seem right there.

I understand, a lot of variables. It was as tight as it could go & it leaked at the threads. I loosened it up a little, then 1/4 turn, then 1/2, etc. I tried several fittings. All leaked at threads.

 

[crank1000]

Just out of curiosity, you’re sure you have the right size/thread of zerk? If those are OEM UCAs, it should be 1/4-28 according to this thread. I could see if you had metric zerks they wouldn’t seat properly and would leave gaps that grease could escape from.

What size zerk for UCA's

Anybody know off hand what 90 degree zerk fits the UCA's on a 66?

www.vintage-mustang.com

 

[toy2ski]

Just out of curiosity, you’re sure you have the right size/thread of zerk? If those are OEM UCAs, it should be 1/4-28 according to this thread. I could see if you had metric zerks they wouldn’t seat properly and would leave gaps that grease could escape from.

What size zerk for UCA's

Anybody know off hand what 90 degree zerk fits the UCA's on a 66?

www.vintage-mustang.com

The zerks that came with it work on one side, not the other. The 90 degree zerks I bought work on one side, not the other as well. So, I can assume the sizes are right. Right?
No one has said it specifically, but I'm inferring I should resolve this issue.
Plan for Sunday is I'll go buy a new grease gun and mount the UCA to the car to try to exercise it and loosen it up. Then see if grease will flow thru the joint.
Wish me luck! 😁

 

[crank1000]

Last thing I can think is I had a set of Icon UCAs that were poorly masked for powdercoating and needed the zerk threads to be tapped to clear the powdercoating out otherwise they would bind up.

 

[PonyCarMan]

Given the poor quality of replacement parts, I would not assume the Zerk threads in the caps are identical, much less 1/4-28. At least you aren't fighting with the Zerks when they are in the car.
I had a 90 degree Zerk in my UCA that I could not get grease through. It would leak out of the coupler and gather in about the same spot just below the groove. The fitting was plugged. A new fitting fixed the problem.

 

[toy2ski]

Follow up...not sure if people see old threads.
I still have both NEW UCAs not installed. I thought, why not see if the other UCA behaves the same way. It does! One side grease comes thru, the other side fills up after several pumps and creates too much pressure for my grease gun. This occurs on the same side of each UCA. Could this just be normal & expected?

 

[kenash]

Follow up...not sure if people see old threads.
I still have both NEW UCAs not installed. I thought, why not see if the other UCA behaves the same way. It does! One side grease comes thru, the other side fills up after several pumps and creates too much pressure for my grease gun. This occurs on the same side of each UCA. Could this just be normal & expected?

Well for one, I'm not sure, but, you could leave the opposite open and fill until the lube oozes out? Place a small plug in that end, leave the Zerk in the "good side"?

 

[toy2ski]

One this second UCA, I just used the zerks they provided. The grease didn't come thru the threads, but it got very hard to squeeze manual gun handle and eventually it seeped at seams of the gun itself.
Post #8 has the picture which explains it better, I think.
I figure if both exhibit the same behavior, perhaps it's right. Based on today's observation, grease DID get into the joint. So maybe it's ok. ???

 

[PonyCarMan]

I would take the caps off the ends that are not flowing grease like you think they should and see why. There is no easier time to do it than before you put them in the car.

The rod that goes through the UCA and attaches to the frame has two holes on the centerline for the frame bolts. I don't see any way for a grease passage to go from one end of that rod to the other without the passage being cast into it. That seems expensive compared to using identical caps with Zerk holes at each end.

 

[toy2ski]

I would take the caps off the ends that are not flowing grease like you think they should and see why. There is no easier time to do it than before you put them in the car.

The rod that goes through the UCA and attaches to the frame has two holes on the centerline for the frame bolts. I don't see any way for a grease passage to go from one end of that rod to the other without the passage being cast into it. That seems expensive compared to using identical caps with Zerk holes at each end.

BOTH sides flow grease now!!! (to clarify, left & right side caps flow grease until I see it squeeze thru the cap & center rod)

Ok, so I did as you suggested. Removed the large nuts (caps) which screw into the arm (frame) and onto the rod simultaneously. Didn't see/feel a channel. Each side had grease inside, but didn't feel/see a channel. BUT THEN...I carefully threaded each of the large bolts on the rod, turning equally to get them to the arm. Then threaded them evenly into each side of the arm. That seemed to work because grease flows thru the caps along the center rod!

My best guess is when they assemble these things, one side gets screwed on a little deeper, a little tighter than the other side. That makes sense, right?

There is no reason one side needs to be tighter, deeper than the other, right?

Any thoughts on how tight to get those caps w/o stripping them?

 

[64-1/2 first.... 66 now]

Any thoughts on how tight to get those caps w/o stripping them?

If you don't tighten the caps tight enough they can unscrew, the problem is they start to bind the shaft. A common mod is to offset the shaft forward 1 turn from centered to gain caster, then tighten the caps enough that there is still smooth movement and tack weld the caps to keep from loosening.