I just had a thought and wanted to ask around. I've got a stripped grease zerk and the owner doesn't want me to take the associated pin out. I told him it would need to be drilled and tapped for the next bigger size, and the pin should come out so I can clean up the chips before putting it all back together. He wants me to just drill and tap, cleaning it out as best I can, leaving the pin in place. While I know that's going to mean more work (and $$) for me later, I'm not crazy about it. So I'm asking has anyone in that situation actually tapped a small 1/4 - 3/8" thick plate, and welded that plate over the stripped hole, and screwed the zerk into the plate instead? That's a lot of effort, but I think it's better than leaving chips in the hole. Maybe I'm overthinking this.
Yep, completely over thinking it. I would just drill and tap to larger size and use brake cleaner to clean and install new zerk of larger size. As long as it is taking grease. You could put a needle gun and pump some grease in that should push the chips out. Unless of course in the amount of time it took to type this you could have had the pin out. Lol
Yeah you're right. Overthinking it.
fill with grease. Drill Q-tip the grease out. you will get most of the chips. Repeat for tapping.
I have welded nut over hole to screw zero into