How To Determine Zerk Sizes

[hotajax 223]

I admit it, I'm lost.  A machinist I am not.

The zerk that's on the wheel now will not accept grease. I'm guessing that the ball valve is messed up.   I tried a party pack of Zerks, and none of them were quite long enough to grab the threads on the wheel.  The threads in the party pack are .240" in length, 1/4 x 28 thread.  Looks like that thread is 1/4" long.

 

The positive news is that the "frozen" zerk stays in the threads nice and snug.  The threaded portion of the frozen zerk is 0.367".  What is the inch measurement for 0.367" ?  3/8"  would be  0.375", which is real close ..

 

Using a new Zerk that's a straight shaft gives me clearance problems with the coupling on the grease gun.  I was thinking a 65 degree bend in the Zerk is good, IF I can get the right length.  What do you gents suggest? New style zerks with a bend, or a grease gun coupling with a 90 in it?  So far the threads that accept the zerk are not stripped. 

 

Thanks.+

[Ed Kennell 38,329]

I find adding two 1/8" NPT street ells to my grease gun gives me a lot of options on hard to reach zerk fittings.  

 

                                  They are just snug so I can rotate the coupler in both axis.