Author Topic: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)  (Read 11205 times)

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Offline Raul CB750K1

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Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« on: March 01, 2007, 12:50:51 pm »
I replaced the grease nipples of my CB350 swingarm axle with new OEM ones, but couldn't help to wonder how would it look with new type grease nipples. As the new ones are screw-on it is necessary to cut threads in the axle, so I got me a spare one and gave it a try. First of all, use a drill to enlarge the hole (5 mm dia.). Then, with the tap, make your way until you have enough threaded length (M6). Compressed air to surgically remove all the shavings.Install the new nipple, and give it a good shot of grease to remove any shaving that could have been hiding inside.


I know it's not "standard" for my restoration, but I believe I'm going to use the axle with the new-type nipples; it is easier to apply the grease with the gun, and I can always go back to original spec with the spare axle. I will even install another nipple in the sprocket cover, for the clutch mechanism.


« Last Edit: March 01, 2007, 01:56:05 pm by Raul CB750K1 »

Offline 750goes

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2007, 12:53:39 pm »
Raul,  good job...

Offline BobbyR

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2007, 01:38:42 pm »
Nice job Raul. Word on the Street is that you are an expert on nipples.  ::)
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline Raul CB750K1

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2007, 01:53:29 pm »
Nice job Raul. Word on the Street is that you are an expert on nipples.  ::)


Pssst, my wife doesn't know about that....  ;D

Offline jtb

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2007, 03:21:53 pm »
I wish you guys would quit saying "nipples".   :o :o
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Offline Raul CB750K1

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2007, 03:49:03 pm »
I wish you guys would quit saying "nipples".   :o :o

What's the right word for it then?

Offline Hockers Choppers

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2007, 03:51:49 pm »
Sorry, just had to say ( in my Homer Simpson voice ) AAAHH.....NIPPLES.......AAAAAAAHH :P :P
The thing about common sense is that, it's not that common.

1978 CB750F SUPERSPORT 850cc, cam, porting, dyna ign, cr29's lotsa elbow grease and $$'s. Worth ever penny!!  (S0ld)

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Offline Jugghead

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2007, 04:35:40 pm »
You might not be a Jugghead if:
 saying "nipples" makes you blush :D
You could call them Zerks, i suppose. :P but I prefer nipples! ;)
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Offline toycollector10

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2007, 06:31:27 pm »
I have a problem with the nipples on my CB750. I just cannot get any grease into them. They are totally blocked. Any ideas, should I just unscrew them and have a look or is it more likely to be all choked up inside the axle???
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Offline Hockers Choppers

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2007, 06:33:33 pm »
mine did that too. I took the swingarm off and removed and cleaned the bushing, all kinds of junk in there!! Takes grease nice now.
The thing about common sense is that, it's not that common.

1978 CB750F SUPERSPORT 850cc, cam, porting, dyna ign, cr29's lotsa elbow grease and $$'s. Worth ever penny!!  (S0ld)

05 VTX1800F darkside
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Offline hopterfixer

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2007, 06:48:45 pm »
My 750 had a hard time taking grease with the fitting slipping off of the nipple.  I cleaned my swingarm axle out with a length of wire and threaded a set of metric nipples in.  It works great now.  Since we are on the subject, what type/grade of grease is everyone using??  I hope I didn't just open a can of worms  :-\

Offline 750goes

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2007, 08:21:04 pm »
hopterfixer - good quality bearing grease - or just do it every time you give the bike an oil change - should do it fine..just keep pumping it in there.... :)

Offline Raul CB750K1

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2007, 11:43:38 pm »
I don't feel like doing the same for my CB750, so I thought about an alternative method. Bought a big plastic syringe and cut the tube -its section gradually increase- just where it fit tightly around the Honda zerk. No way to put grease inside. I think it could be because of the orifice: if you see the first picture, the size of the ball inside the zerk is much smaller in the Honda zerk, so if the grease is thick it will have a hard time going in. Furthermore, a grease gun has a pump to help putting pressure, while a syringe doesn't and you can just put a given pressure with your hands.

Regarding the grease, I don't really care. I buy general-purpose grease cartridges. I have some tubes with more "specialized" grease such as lithium and molibdenum grease, but I use them only when the point to grease is too small to use the grease gun or the amount needed is small.

Offline heffay

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2007, 11:47:14 pm »
the nipples w/ the spooge pic is the best!
thank you raul... w/ that... it's time for bed.   :-X
Today: '73 cb350f, '96 Ducati 900 Supersport
Past Rides: '72 tc125, '94 cbr600f2, '76 rd400, '89 ex500, '93 KTM-125exc, '92 zx7r, '93 Banshee, '83 ATC250R, 77/75 cb400f

Offline Jonesy

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2007, 03:40:08 am »
In the FAQ's, HondaMan is a big fan of the screw-in type Zerk fittings.

One issue I've seen when unable to pump grease through them was when someone beat on them with a hammer, either to install the fittings or topush the swingarm pivot bolt back through the mountings.This effectively closes up the tiny hole in the end.
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Offline hopterfixer

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2007, 02:35:41 pm »
hopterfixer - good quality bearing grease - or just do it every time you give the bike an oil change - should do it fine..just keep pumping it in there.... :)
I know what I use, I was just trying to get a general consensus. Thanks though  ;)

Offline USCG_C130

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #16 on: May 12, 2013, 01:09:27 pm »
thanks for this thread im doing  a set of nipples tomorrow now! i think we have some spares kicking around work plus we have tons of tap sets

Offline alacrity

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #17 on: September 03, 2013, 08:26:15 am »
I prefer my nipples spooge-less.
And fwiw, "zerk" sounds more like a verb than a noun, and would be a good word (if used that way) to describe something one could do to a nipple... as in,  "I totally zerked that nipple, and she..."

etc.
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Offline BobbyR

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Re: Installed new grease nipples (pictures included)
« Reply #18 on: September 03, 2013, 05:50:52 pm »







 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?