Greasing the hinges on my Shirley

J

jmitch43

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Location
Grandvie...
Name or Nickame
Jim
I own a Shirley reverse flow smoker with cabinet style doors. I've had it for just over 2 years and noticed the hinges on the right side just started squeeling. I know Paul mentioned oiling them for good maintenance. How does one go about oiling them/what's the best approach as i haven't had to do this before.

Thank you!
 
Grease gun was what they suggested, just unsure of how to go about it. I'll check to see if I can thing a video with Paul
 
There should be a grease zerk on the hinge, just use a grease gun hooked to the zerk. Don't neglect it too long, lest the hinge pin shear and you have to replace the hinge.
 
sudsandswine said:
There should be a grease zerk on the hinge, just use a grease gun hooked to the zerk. Don't neglect it too long, lest the hinge pin shear and you have to replace the hinge.
Click to expand...

Exactly, a little squirt of grease in there will work wonders. If you squeeze a little too much just wipe off the excess with a paper towel & you're good to go, the key is getting the grease inside to the pin to keep it lubed.
 
Alright thank you guys. Was pretty unfamiliar with this so I appreciate the help. Didn't even know what a zerk was before this so good to know.
 
You might have to knock off some of the high temp paint on the zerk to get it to seat and pump
 
jmitch43 said:
Never used a grease gun before or even knew what a zerk is lol
Click to expand...
Once you figure it out it's a breeze and it wont hurt to grease them more often depending on how often you use your cooker. I grease my hinges 3-4 times year and never any squeaks or issues. Good luck.
 
jmitch43 said:
So the zerk is the top part of the hinge and the grease gun just sits on top correct?
Click to expand...

Yes, it sometimes helps to use a punch or small screwdriver to press down on the tiny ball the first time before you use the grease gun in case there’s some paint holding it in place but basically the pressure of the grease from the gun will push the ball down opening the zerk so grease can enter the part. A cheapo grease gun from Harbor Freight or Walmart is all you need.
 
shares said:
Be sure to use approved grease though
Click to expand...

I didn't know there was a food-grade grease, but sure enough. I guess I will have to get a separate grease gun for my smoker from the one I use for equipment. I would just bet that 95% of guys just use regular lithium grease though. It's hard to imagine getting grease from the hinge anywhere near food. It seems like overkill but better safe than sorry.
 
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