Grease fittings

My VS uses a 1968 VW frame ---my grease gun does not fit the fittings
on the front beam.

Dooes anyone know what size grease gun fitting I need to fit the beam grease fittings? Thanks---Jack

Not sure Jack, the only trouble I encountered greasing was that the bumper brackets were butted up against the fitting. I just loosened the bracket and nudged it over a bit. Mine is a 72 pan.

Most grease guns have adjustable zerk sockets to compensate for the three different styles used.....SAE and metric are most common with Whitworth still hanging in there.....

If yours is not adjustable, they are available at any hardware or auto parts store.....

Thanks, Leon--I did get to three auto parts stores yesterday and they did have a selection but without knowing the size I didn't know what to buy. there were different sizes of sae and metric. I can make some calls tomorrow.

Bill--my VS is the same as yours with the brackets almost covering two of the zerts. This made me wonder if the front was ever greased when the car was made because VS would have had to move the brackets to grease it---surely they didn't move then back?? Makes you wonder--right? After you moved the brackets and greased the car didn't you just leave the brackets in a place where you could get to the zerts?
---Jack

Yep, I left the brackets where I moved them. I only had to move them slightly just to allow the greasegun tip to get on the fittings.
Unscrew the tip off of your greasegun and take it with you to the store.
Tell the counter guy you want an adjustable tip with the same threads.
He should be able to show you how to adjust it.

~WB

It's usually an 8mm.

Cheers from OMG, it's snowing again!

You can also replace the current straight out grease nipples with angled ones. Some grease guns also have entension tubes, flexible rubber extensions, or a universal just before the end fitting. These make the greasing job easier. I wish you could still buy the ball joints with the grease fittings (new ones can be drilled and tapped for fitting - but probably not worth it unless you log a great many miles).

My grease gun is a cheapo run-of the mill Kmart-Walmart-Western Auto-Pep Boys number and it works fine with my grease fittings. As others have said, the bumper brackets sort of get in the way and it's a tight fit in there. I imagine VS greases up the front beams while they're shortening, reconditioning and preparing the pan.

Ricardo--we can only hope. I'll let you know how much grease mine takes.---Jack

buy a 6inch needle adapter at the auto parts store. works great for drive shafts too. that is what it was designed for. bill

Jack:


I usually give them either 10-12 pumps per fitting OR, if they start to ooze out before that, then stop. I'm currently running Urethane bushings that I greased when I put them in, and they tell me that's all they'll need (yeah, and I believe THAT, too...) Trouble is, there's no way to grease these Urethane bushings without taking everything apart 8>(

As per the Service Manual, pump the grease until you see some oozing out; wipe it and you're done.