Greetings Wondering if anyone knows a good reason why case did not put a grease nipple on the bucket cylinder trunnion joint, it is the only one on this machine that shows any appreciable wear. Its an easy fix with replaceable spacers and bushings in the boom, but the wear will continue without greasing and 250.00 for the parts. The manual show a grease fitting on the threaded end of the bolt but says its on the 590 SM only, the parts manual shows the same part number for the 580 and 590 so not sure what gives. I am thinking of boring a hole in the spacer and getting a machine shop to bore the bolts for me and installing a grease nipple but his may weaken the bolts. Has anyone tried this or done any other mods to fix this problem? Thanks Bob G
I have done it on all four front loader bucket pins of my 680C. Dale at http://www.e-backhoeparts.com/ found pins from a different model and they weren't even for a front bucket. But, they were threaded for graese zerks. He may be able to find a pin for you. He has an ending wealth of knowledge about Case equipment.
Thanks for the reply. I will give him a try just in case he has an idea for a mod, I am thinking pins will not be the answer just because bolts are used top and bottome of the arms to hold them tight to the spacers, pins would allow for some movement and the bucket cylinder rams are held tight by the torque of the bolts. Bob G
Where the front bucket attaches to the lift arms ? I thought they had a fitting in the end of them.
Thanks for the reply, the point I am refering to is up the loader arm about 3 feet from where the bucket attaches to the arm. There are 4 plates called link assemblies, one on each side of the arm, same setup on each arm, so four plates in total. These plates are the attachment points for the link arm that attaches to the top of the bucket and also where the dump cylinders attach. The joint that I would like to add the grease nipples to is where the bottom of the link plates attach to the loader arms. Bob G
Not sure about the grease nipples fitted to those bolts bob, I could be going out on a limb here, but I've never seen them (in AUS) & I cant seem to locate the description you've given at Case Parts Store..... What I know for sure is that the factory fitted bushings fitted at the loader frame pivot point for the tilt cyls are a bronze/alloy material that is self lubing ...... The new ones you will buy will be induction hardened steel. They last alot longer!
I am assuming you are referring to #17 in the parts diagram ??? Like Alrman says get new bolts and bushings. But if you really want to grease them use grade 8 bolts and drill the passages. I don't think you would weaken the bolts much. They would have to shear off right where the bushings and plates meet. The ones I replaced were #3 & #21. When they were non grease-able they would grind so loud I would be embarrassed to run the loader around anyone that could hear them.
Thanks for the replies guys. Correct on the #17 also bushings which are not shown on the posted parts diagram. The description comes from my operators manual and not from the case manual which does not show a greasable joint. I have replaced the bushings and spacers with case oem parts and you are correct they are hardened steel so I should be good for a long time as the machine does not get alot of hours. The ones I removed were not a bronze alloy though so I guess its possible they were changed but according to the maintenance records they were original. Two out of the four were worn to the point the spacers had just started to make contact with the loader arm bores so my timing was good. Thanks again. Bob