2017-01-07 Relay Arm Zerk Fitting

[dcarver]

2017-01-07 Relay Arm Zerk Fitting

An Fjrforum peep is experimenting with installing zerk fittings into the relay arm. I just serviced my relay arm for Naomi. So I took a chance and bought one off eBay.

Here it is. It looks well worn.


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Not what I was hoping to see. I'll be buying pieces and parts for a rebuild.


Yuck.


A peek at the needles.


This one not too bad.


Not pitted, yet.. but hard surface is worn.


Oh well. Took an eBay chance and lost.


I tried to drive a bearing out with a hammer and socket.. But wasn't doing much other than ruining the socket so I quit. I'll find a press.

Did notice that the plastic 'cage' supporting the needles is damaged.

More later.

 

[RossKean]

I added up the prices for all the replacement bearings, seals and shafts/collars. I was a bit surprised at the total cost. I ended up buying a low mileage relay arm off Ebay for a lot less. While not perfect, it is better condition than the one you got. It can definitely be cleaned and lubed. Won't be able to get it installed for 2+ months. Winter!!

 

[RossKean]

You mentioned driving out a bearing with a socket. Was it one of the end bearings or the middle one? The middle has two bearings (one on each side). I don't know whether they can be driven out or if they have to be pulled instead. Seems to me that the "cage" is just soft plastic (I remember someone thinking the stuff was just hardened grease). You might be able to just pick it apart.

 

[Donal]

You mentioned driving out a bearing with a socket. Was it one of the end bearings or the middle one? The middle has two bearings (one on each side). I don't know whether they can be driven out or if they have to be pulled instead. Seems to me that the "cage" is just soft plastic (I remember someone thinking the stuff was just hardened grease). You might be able to just pick it apart.

Those two bearing will have to be pulled. It will definitely help to heat the relay arm and use an impact puller.

 

[Fred W]

Yes, the plastic needle retaining "cage" is a soft material and can easily be picked out. There is so little grease in the stock assembly I suspect that the material is some sort of a hybrid material that provides some lubrication as well as holding the needles for assembly. After I picked the plastic out I just goobered the needles in there with some sticky marine wheel bearing grease to hold them during reassembly.

I also bought an eBay relay arm, but never got around to using it; after I did the above to the original it seemed to hold up fine. Having a lot more grease in the bearings to keep the water away is probably a gooder thing. Unfortunately for me the ES relay arms are slightly different (dimensions and part number) than the A models, so my eBay arm won't do me any good on my '14.

 

[FJReady]

Bear in mind that the relay arm uses two different types of bearings. The front and aft ones (frame mount and shock mount locations) use that hard waxy oily compound that retains the bearing needles in place. In these two bearings there is very little clearance between the needles. This material can be picked out and replaced with sticky grease and the bearing will still work as intended.

On the two 'dog bone' shaft bearings in the middle of the relay arm, the two bearings have far fewer needles in them and the bearing retainer/cage is used to maintain proper spacing between the needles. This retainer can't be picked out of the bearing if you want the bearing to work properly. Unless you fill the voids with something else to keep the spacing.

Don, the front and rear bearings can easily be pressed out of the relay arm with appropriately sized sockets and a good bench vise. The two 'dog bone ' bearings will have to extracted with a bearing puller type device. However, since you're going to replace those anyway you may be able to beat them out from the far side with a punch or something, being careful not to damage the cylindrical faces of the soft relay arm housing.