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len47merc
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-- 03-15-2016 @ 2:25 PM
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Doing the spring greasing on the car and finally made it back to the rear spring. Found the driver's side zerk fitting missing on the top front of the rear spring (all other dozen and a half or so are fine). Pulled out another 90 degree 1/4" fitting and tried to clean the fixture the fitting scr*w*d in to and, after a couple of attempts without success got out the trusty shop mirror and magnetic light and found the entire somewhat square raised 'block' that sits on top of the spring wrap/shield/casing was gone, so nothing for the zerk fitting to screw in to. All fittings were there last spring when performing the complete lubrication so it must've been loose without being obvious and has fallen by the wayside somewhere.
So, the obvious questions, are these 'fittings' or 'blocks' replaceable and if so from where would one obtain one? In order to replace them does, as it appears, it require complete removal and disassembly of the spring? Any thoughts on a (best) solution that will allow lubrication of the driver's side of the spring without complete removal and disassembly?
Steve
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cliftford
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-- 03-15-2016 @ 5:55 PM
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Steve I assume you are talking about the spring center bolt. On most fords, this is a square head bolt that goes in from the top and is hollow with a zerk fitting on the bottom end. It sounds like your merc. is different, unless someone installed a different bolt at some point.
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kubes40
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-- 03-15-2016 @ 6:13 PM
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Steve, I know the fittings you are speaking of. The fitting "block" was soldered on to the covers that had these.
Personally I would not worry too much about replacing it. They did little good. Plus, if someone has pressed grease in to there, most likely they will no longer do any good whatsoever.
If you really insist on replacing it, I would suggest making a small square block with the appropriate size threaded hole in the center and solder it in place.
that may be tough as that old zinc cover is surely quite contaminated and would need to be super clean to obtain a strong solder joint.
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kubes40
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-- 03-15-2016 @ 6:19 PM
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Steve, I know the fittings you are speaking of. The fitting "block" was soldered on to the covers that had these.
Personally I would not worry too much about replacing it. They did little good. Plus, if someone has pressed grease in to there, most likely they will no longer do any good whatsoever.
If you really insist on replacing it, I would suggest making a small square block with the appropriate size threaded hole in the center and solder it in place.
that may be tough as that old zinc cover is surely quite contaminated and would need to be super clean to obtain a strong solder joint.
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len47merc
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-- 03-15-2016 @ 6:25 PM
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cliftford - no, actually both the front and rear springs on (at least) '42-'48 Fords and Mercs (good memory on my Merc btw) have three zerk fittings each on them - two 90 degrees on the top of the right and left sides of the springs that point forward in the front and rear ward in back. As well, there is a straight center zerk on both the front and rear that points down at the ground. All three (six) of these are noted for grease gun lubrication in the '42-'48 Ford Merc SHOP MANUAL lubrication chart. I must not have been clear in my earlier post...
What I am referring to is the driver's side on the top of the rear spring - this specific one of the 4 square 'fittings' that appear to be somehow attached to the casings covering the springs (that the 90 degree zerks screw in to) is no longer on the top of the spring casing and it, along with the original zerk that was on it, are gone. I am able to lubricate the passenger side and center of the rear spring, but now not the driver's side. Not sure how to most effectively and efficiently address this and as well how to lubricate the spring without the fitting.
Steve
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len47merc
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-- 03-15-2016 @ 6:45 PM
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Thanks Mike - I was typing my reply to cliftford when you responded. And yes you are right - the original owner of the car had a father who owned and ran a service station and he routinely lubed (correction - OVER lubed) these springs so much I've scr*ped pounds and pounds of old grease off of them with sharpened wooden spatulas. I scr*ped as much more of the residual old muck off the top of the springs around these fittings as possible, and as well used a rag and small stiff brush, both soaked with mineral spirits, to further clean around these 'fittings'. Then tried lifting my head off the floor to get a 'top down' look at them to see how they were attached. The combination of remaining old grease film coupled with the inability to get my 60 year old eyes to focus that close to my face prevented me from understanding how the remaining fittings were attached. Thanks for filling me in here.
And you are right as well Mike - getting that surface on the cover cleaned well enough to solder on it will be more than darned tough. Seems the best solution - for me well down the road - will be to remove and disassemble the springs and resurrect a used cover/casing from another set of springs to replace the one with the missing 'block' on the Merc.
Greatly appreciate your reply and info Mike. Thanks again -
Steve
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cliftford
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-- 03-15-2016 @ 7:09 PM
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Steve, I re learned something I must have forgotten. I went out and looked at the rear spring on my '48 and there were 2 holes in the spring cover like you described. The square bosses had long since fallen off. I just never noticed those holes and didn't remember them from back in the day. Thanks for the info.
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kubes40
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-- 03-16-2016 @ 6:07 PM
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Hey Steve, Every time I restore a car, I pray it was greased like yours. Lots of grease = less rust 
Just for "conversation", I have had NUMEROUS NOS springs for '46 - '48 and although there were holes in the top covers, never had a fitting installed. May have been simply a service part "thing" or perhaps Ford decided they really didn't work as intended and eliminated them???
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len47merc
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-- 03-16-2016 @ 6:43 PM
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Boy did these zerks get used on this car anyway. Gent's dad hit all 20 or so every month it seems. Should've seen it before I tore out the front end and went through it - amazing.
I checked a colleague's fully restored running gear (bottom is darn near perfect) '46 Ford last evening and his still had them all in place. One thing I've found is they are very weakly attached - just changing one of the zerks that the small sealing ball bearing had stuck in easily produces enough torque to break the solder joint loose. Ask me how I know...I'll tell you...that now I also can no longer grease the driver's side of the front spring either. Luckily I got that done before this happened.
Have no idea how well deployed they were - until this problem reared it's head I assumed given the '42-'48 SHOP MANUAL called them out for grease gun work and the prior owner took it so unbelievably seriously that they were the standard across the board.
You're right on the money Mike - no rust on this front end!
Steve
This message was edited by len47merc on 3-16-16 @ 6:44 PM
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