Grease

[rootsey333]

Hi
I own a 1989 Ericson 38ft ( E38-200 ) could someone help me with info on how to grease this Yacht , I have not been able to find any grease nipples at this stage.
Many Cheers
Bruce

 

[Christian Williams]

My model has a grease fitting low on the rudder tube. I keep a plug in it, and insert the Zerk only when applying grease.

There's also a Zerk fitting on the upper rudder post bearing, under the cockpit. It's pretty inaccessible, so I remove the deck plate and lather grease there.

I think that's about it.

Here's a good thread about the hunt for Zerks: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?3907-E38-rudder-post-grease-fittings

 

[Baslin]

My model has a grease fitting low on the rudder tube. I keep a plug in it, and insert the Zerk only when applying grease.

There's also a Zerk fitting on the upper rudder post bearing, under the cockpit. It's pretty inaccessible, so I remove the deck plate and lather grease there.

I think that's about it.

Here's a good thread about the hunt for Zerks: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?3907-E38-rudder-post-grease-fittings

View attachment 22871

Christian,

I have an 83 E38 and I can see the grease fitting a the top of the rudder shaft. I tried to grease it but it wasnt taking grease..I then tried to remove the fitting to replace it and SNAP goes the head of the zerk fitting...Now its time to shrink myself, drill and reinstall the zerk fitting...I havent looked for the lower bronze fitting as you show in the picture. Is that fitting on the stbd, port, or forward side of the rudder tube??....When you say that you remove the deck plate for the emergency tiller, where do you apply the grease at? And last question, what kind of grease is recommended? Is it just the standard green color marine grease?

Thanks.

 

[Christian Williams]

My fitting is forward side of rudder tube as far down as possible. It may be a previous owner installation. I believe that what is installed into my tube is a grease fitting "extension" or "adapter." This allows the fitting to be capped when not in use. At grease time, just insert the Zerk. This keeps the Zerk from fouling or corroding over time. And it makes cleaning out the old grease easy.

Note that on the E38, the low Zerk is a few inches below the waterline.

If installing a new fitting (which is easy), I'd look for an epoxy rated for underwater, since the hole will be trickling water.

Regular green marine grease is fine. Any multipurpose grease is probably fine.
The cockpit deck plate covers the connection of the rudder post and top "bearing". Grease applied there eventually wanders down through the bearing (it's really just a bushing). A squirt of 3-in-1 oil doesn't hurt there, either.

It seems to me that the 38 doesn't take much grease in the lower Zerk, perhaps because there's a bushing there. I can only get about 2 ounces in. On other models, like the 32-3, a great deal of grease can be pumped into the rudder tube between top and bottom bushings.

My theory is, grease until it makes a mess, then clean up the mess.

[Apparently later models may not have fittings described in the manual. See: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?9540-Rudder-Grease-Fittings-on-E-38 ]

 

[toddster]

Mine has only the upper zerk. I couldn't get any grease into it this year - it just squirted out from under the head fitting without going into the tube. Seems like it took a lot of grease the last time.
I'm not sure if this means the tube is well greased, or that I some how left out a seal when reinstalling the rudder.

 

[u079721]

Mine has only the upper zerk. I couldn't get any grease into it this year - it just squirted out from under the head fitting without going into the tube. Seems like it took a lot of grease the last time.
I'm not sure if this means the tube is well greased, or that I some how left out a seal when reinstalling the rudder.

You might want to check again for that lower zerk. On my 38 both of the zerks were buried under a layer of paint or gel coat, with the bottom one being almost invisible. It took a lot of digging to clear them away and get them to accept grease.