Alpha I Gen I

[DonziJon]

I just got a brandy dandy NEW Merc Apha I Gen I last October and am about to hang it on the boat. I noticed that there are NO grease fittings on the universal joints. Looks like just allen screws in the tapped holes. Were they just trying to save 50 cents by skipping the zerk fittings or is there something else I don't know about? :doh: John

[BUIZILLA]

yup :doh:

[DonziJon]

I just got done trying to find a proper size allen wrench to remove the little allen screws. No luck. Guess What....lookin at it with a magnifying glass....they ain't allen screws. :bonk: I think there just cheap a$$ Tin press in plugs. :nilly: It looks like they greased the U-joints without a zerk fitting and then popped in the plug. Taking the plug out may be a one way trip. Anybody know if the hole is threaded? John

[gcarter]

I'm not positive, but the fittings may be self tapping. I also think they are pipe threads, 1/16" pipe, if so they'll screw in just fine.
Sorry I'm not positive, it's been awhile.

[ky-donzi]

Most of the zerk fitting that I have dealth with are 1/4-20 NC thread

[penbroke]

Not sure of the size (10-32?) but the smaller ones are generally self threading. The larger 1/8" and 1/4" pipe sizes would have already threaded holes.


Frank

[gcarter]

I just got a brandy dandy NEW Merc Apha I Gen I last October and am about to hang it on the boat. I noticed that there are NO grease fittings on the universal joints. Looks like just allen screws in the tapped holes. Were they just trying to save 50 cents by skipping the zerk fittings or is there something else I don't know about? :doh: John
John, if you'd bought the after market drive, there'd have been fittings installed.............

[DonziJon]

John, if you'd bought the after market drive, there'd have been fittings installed.............

:smash: George: You really know how to hurt a guy. :nilly: By the way, 1/16 pipe thread is correct for a Zerk fitting. ....don't know about self tapping.

Question: Is the universal "Cross" piece .. made of "maleable iron" ...or is it a "forging"? I'm not all that knowledgable here.....but maybe.. if it were maleable iron it might self tap...... not sure how self tapping it would be IF it's a "forging". John

EDIT: I love technical stuff. :)

[gcarter]

:smash: George: You really know how to hurt a guy. :nilly: By the way, 1/16 pipe thread is correct for a Zerk fitting. ....don't know about self tapping.
Question: Is the universal "Cross" piece .. made of "maleable iron" ...or is it a "forging"? I'm not all that knowledgable here.....but maybe.. if it were maleable iron it might self tap...... not sure how self tapping it would be IF it's a "forging". John
EDIT: I love technical stuff. :)
Just because they're forged doesn't mean all of it is hardened. I think only the bearing surfaces are case hardened.

[DonziJon]

I checked with my local Merc dealer today about the grease fittings issue.

An Aside: When I bought the drive (New) last October, he wrote on the Bill of Sale: .."Check The Drive Oil Before First Use".

I also asked him why he wrote that down. He said sometimes ...a new drive arrives without drive oil.

Back to the grease fitting question: The U-Joints in the new drives no longer come with Zerk fittings because the joints are now considered "Maintenence Free". Not to worry. :)

I think if the grease fittings were an issue, he would have also suggested that I install Zerk fittings and grease the U-Joints as well. John