Grease Zerk Fitting Replacement vs. Spindle Replacement

Question:

I managed to break off the Zerk fitting in one of my 4 spindles. Im wondering if its a good idea to attempt to extract the remains of the from the spindle, chase the hole with a tap and use a new threaded Zerk? Or should I just replace the spindle? Im not 100 sure what spindles I have but my rotors are Kodiak 12 inch 5,200-6,000lb axle and I got a bearing kit BK3-100 from you guys. Spindle #42 maybe?

asked by: Kevin M

Expert Reply:

For your spindle, I definitely recommend replacing the zerk fitting and not the entire spindle. Welding a replacement spindle requires a really steady hand of an experienced welder.

The Dexter Axle EZ-Lube fittings is a standard 1/4 inch pipe thread fitting like # GZERK. If your spindle will allow you to clean up your threads that is the route to go. If not, then you will need to tap the spindle and use a larger grease zerk. You will need to obtain those parts at a local hardware store.

If you don't want to replace the zerk, the spindle will still work fine but you will need to manually grease your bearings for maintenance like a standard spindle. Another option is to use a Bearing Buddy grease cap that has the built in zerk fitting. You will need to replace your current grease cap with the proper size, but I've linked the page to your options.

expert reply by: Jason S