Z345R Grease Fittings Access

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eliascm

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This year is my first total maintenance of the mower (did break-in oil and filter change last year). I was able to do all of the maintenance except for the grease fittings. My grease gun nozzle (I don't know the proper name for the part that fits over the fitting to inject the grease) will not allow access to the fitting. The length of the barrel will not fit under the pulleys to access the fittings. I need some nozzle to allow access. On line I have seen right-angle nozzles that might work.

I am sure some of you have had this problems. How did you do this task?
 
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Darryl G

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I use a pistol-grip grease gun with a flex hose on my mowers. The only issue is the small cartridges that need to be changed frequently.
 

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eliascm

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You missed the point of my post. I have a grease gun similar to yours with a flexible hose. The problem is the length of the end piece on the hose, the part that fits over the grease fitting, it will not fit under the mower deck spindle pulley.
 
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Darryl G

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I see. You can change the grease fittings on your machine to ones that allow easier access - different angle. I've done so on my machines. Sometimes you have to wonder what the engineers were thinking by installing grease fittings that are impossible to access. I'm not aware of anything you can do to the grease gun itself.
 
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eliascm

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Thank you all for your replies.

I don't think the needle tip would work. I called the John Deere store where I bought the mower and talked to the service manager. He said they use a right angle nozzle for those fittings. I couldn't find anyplace around here that had them in stock. I ordered a kit that includes one from AutoZone.
 
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eliascm

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Thanks for the reply. I would rather try the right-angle nozzle before change the fittings.
 
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eliascm

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I am back again. I ordered a grease gun accessories kit from AutoZone. The kit included a right angle nozzle. However the nozzle was made without the spring on the fitting end. It appears that the part was not defective, but was made that way intentionally. I wasn't happy with this so I found a right angle nozzle at NAPA auto parts that did have the spring that engages and holds the grease fitting. I didn't buy this item initially because it costs about as much as the AutoZone kit.

After several hours trying both nozzles I am very frustrated. Neither one worked satisfactorily. I could not engage the NAPA part to a fitting even though I used a screw driver as a lever to force it on. I finally wedged the screw driver atop the fitting and tried to pump some grease in. The AutoZone fitting worked no better. I may have gotten some grease in using the NAPA device but not much, if any.

I guess my next move is to try to replace the current fittings with right angle ones. There are two problems with this. One, I need to find the size and thread type. Two, I need to figure out how to remove the current fittings. It is a very tight space and getting a wrench in there will be difficult. I don't think any of my wrenches will do the job.

Help!
 
Boobala

Boobala

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eliascm said:
I am back again. I ordered a grease gun accessories kit from AutoZone. The kit included a right angle nozzle. However the nozzle was made without the spring on the fitting end. It appears that the part was not defective, but was made that way intentionally. I wasn't happy with this so I found a right angle nozzle at NAPA auto parts that did have the spring that engages and holds the grease fitting. I didn't buy this item initially because it costs about as much as the AutoZone kit.

After several hours trying both nozzles I am very frustrated. Neither one worked satisfactorily. I could not engage the NAPA part to a fitting even though I used a screw driver as a lever to force it on. I finally wedged the screw driver atop the fitting and tried to pump some grease in. The AutoZone fitting worked no better. I may have gotten some grease in using the NAPA device but not much, if any.

I guess my next move is to try to replace the current fittings with right angle ones. There are two problems with this. One, I need to find the size and thread type. Two, I need to figure out how to remove the current fittings. It is a very tight space and getting a wrench in there will be difficult. I don't think any of my wrenches will do the job.

Help!
Click to expand...

TRY re-reading post # 7 an click on the link I posted .......
 
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