Rocker arm grease nipple

[TimB]

Hi all, I'm relatively new on the block here but have been following the forum for some time now. This is truly a great forum!

I've had my 900 LT for a year now (just about to turn 8k miles) and have profited greatly from all the collective wisdom...I have the various posters herein to thank for recommendations on lowers, crashbar, horns, and tires...THANKS!

I have a problem and would like to tap the collective wisdom of the group once again. I've been noticing little oil (at least I thought oil) spots in my garage. I wasn't sure it was my bike, until I looked underneath and found the middle grease nipple gone from the rocker arm which is typically home to three grease nipples. The middle grease nipple fits to the tie rod, all parts of the rear suspension (i.e., see p417 of the service manual). For those of you that don't have a manual, it's a silver casting behind the engine that connects to the frame at the front, what's called a tie rod in the middle and the spring to the rear. I haven't taken a good look at it yet with plenty of light, but from what I can see, it looks like I've hit something as it looks like a small part of the casting at the back of the nipple hole is gone. I may have done it when I was two-up on the bike, but I honestly can't remember.

The orientation of these fittings doesn't appear to be well thought out as it would seem to make the 900s prone to having the nipples knocked off (yea, I know, another bad mental image! ).

I've got another nipple to replace it and am hopeful I can get out any remaining nipple and have enough threads left.

Has anyone else seen this on their 900s? Am I crazy for thinking this is a questionable design?

[Hardwire]

Yup, I was just checking the "periodic maintenance" items in the service manual, and went to grease the rocker arm... and guess what.... my middle grease nipple was missing...

Looks like the threads might still be good...

[Trashman900C]

hmmmmmm.....greasy nipples........

[sphill1]

replaced mine about a month ago. I was lucky my new fittings turned right in. Front one was smashed middle one was gone, at least I had one good one left! One more thought though, I did not have any liquid on the floor, it would have to be really hot for grease to drip like that.

[Belrix]

you guys are making me think I have to crawl under my bike now...

Anybody got a pic of said grease nipples?

[ALStensby]

Ah, man...you clowns beat me to the smarta$$ remark.

[Trashman900C]

Originally Posted by alstensby

Ah, man...you clowns beat me to the smarta$$ remark.

[Kenskiv]

I only got as far as greased nipples...

[ALStensby]

Originally Posted by Kenskiv

I only got as far as greased nipples...

Like there's a need to go any further.

[Chondro]

I had to replace my middle fitting after just a few hundred miles. Actually, I don't know for sure if the fitting was even there when I took delivery of the new bike. They are so poorly located that it would be easy to knock them off while unloading or loading and my dealership hauled mine in from another location.

If my grease fitting gets knocked off again I am going to replace it with a flat head nut. I'll remove the nut when greasing the bike then replace it again. Very bad design flaw. A search here will reveal other threads where 900 owners have had the same problem.

[yo4joy]

I have three grease fittings at the rear of my bike. I broke off the front one the first week I had it and JB Welded it back in.

Never notied any greased nipples under there though. What cup size did you find?

[Hardwire]

Originally Posted by Belrix

you guys are making me think I have to crawl under my bike now...Anybody got a pic of said grease nipples?

[Belrix]

Thanks, Mike!

[NewRoadie]

Originally Posted by Hardwire

That is a great pic . . . were you underground?

BTW, in the 60's the cars used to come with little bolts instead of grease nipples. At our service station, we would remove the bolts and install the grease zerks and proceed to grease the fittings. I am liking the bolt install for the middle grease zerk until it is time for lube . . .

[k5d]

just a thought if you are braking the grease fitting off.i would check your rear spring setting.because you are bottoming out.i weigh 300 pounds and ride on some of the worst roads made and have 20,000 miles on my 900 and not one broke yet.

[Trashman900C]

when do you use these? and what would i use?

[k5d]

you grease them when you change your oil

[Slpr_61]

ya wouldnt have gotten everyone all riled up if you'd have called them by their real name, grease zerks
but i guess that takes all the fun out of it , eh?

[Redbeard]

with a grease gun.

[Hardwire]

Originally Posted by NewRoadie

That is a great pic . . . were you underground?
I am liking the bolt install for the middle grease zerk until it is time for lube . . .

I think the bolt would be good also.. but I could not find any that fit... Instead of ordering the grease zerk from Kawasaki for $1.75 each then have to wait for it to be shipped , I went to NAPA and got 5 for $3.50, and replaced them all ... But there was not much (any) grease in there that I could see... took quite a bit of grease to fill all three up...

I also raised the shock setting to 6 ...