Buy Grease Nipples Online in Australia
Grease Nipple Quick Reference — Thread & Configuration
Grease nipples (Zerk fittings) are the inlet valves through which grease enters a bearing or lubrication point. Selection requires matching THREAD (to the tapped hole in housing), CONFIGURATION (straight, 45°, 90°, drive-in) and STANDARD (SAE J534 for Zerk, JIS for Japanese equipment). AIMS stocks all common combinations for industrial, automotive and agricultural applications.
| Thread Size | Standard | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8" BSP (G1/8) | BS 1414 / ISO 228 | General Australian industrial & agricultural — workshop default |
| 1/4" BSP (G1/4) | BS 1414 / ISO 228 | Heavier industrial points, larger bearings, mining plant |
| 1/8" NPT | ASME B1.20.1 | US-origin equipment, automotive imports, hydraulic systems |
| 1/4" NPT | ASME B1.20.1 | US heavy industrial, mining, agricultural imports |
| M6 × 1.0 | Metric coarse | European-origin equipment, smaller machinery |
| M8 × 1.0 / M8 × 1.25 | Metric fine / coarse | Automotive (predominantly fine 1.0 pitch), general European |
| M10 × 1.0 / M10 × 1.5 | Metric fine / coarse | Larger automotive + European industrial |
| 5/16" SAE J534 | SAE — Zerk standard | North American automotive, fleet, heavy vehicle |
| Drive-In (Drive Fit) | Press-fit — no thread | Unthreaded holes, sheet metal applications |
Configuration options: Straight (most common, vertical access), 45° angled (restricted access), 90° angled (sideways access on flat surfaces). Always match the coupler on your grease gun to the nipple — see grease couplers. For full background on nipple identification, see our grease nipple & Zerk fitting guide. Companion ranges: grease guns, lubrication.
Grease Nipples
Grease nipples — also known as Zerk fittings, lubrication fittings, or grease fittings — are the inlet valves through which grease is injected into a bearing, joint, or lubrication point. The nipple contains a spring-loaded ball check valve that holds grease in the fitting until the grease gun coupler is attached and pressure applied; when the coupler seals on the nipple head and grease pressure builds, the ball lifts off its seat and grease flows into the lubrication cavity. AIMS Industrial supplies grease nipples in straight, angled, and drive-in configurations for all industrial and automotive lubrication applications.
Thread Types and Sizes
Grease nipple threads must match the tapped hole in the housing or fitting. The most common thread sizes in Australian industry are:
- 1/8" BSP (G1/8): The most common size in general industrial and agricultural equipment. Australian metric housings are typically tapped to this size for standard hydraulic nipples.
- 1/4" BSP (G1/4): Larger fittings for higher-capacity grease points on heavy industrial equipment, truck hubs, and large bearings.
- M6, M8, M10 metric: Common in European-designed equipment and machinery. Not interchangeable with BSP threads of similar size — confirm thread type before ordering.
- Drive-in type: Press-fit nipples without threads — pushed into a drilled hole and retained by knurled barbs. Used where threading is impractical or where the fitting must be replaceable without thread engagement.
Head Angles
Straight (0°) nipples are the standard for grease points with direct access. 45° and 90° angled nipples point the grease gun connection away from the bearing housing, allowing coupler access in confined locations where a straight nipple head would be blocked by adjacent structure. The correct angle is determined by the available access space — a 90° nipple on a bearing that is accessible from above may allow a straight-down coupler approach when a straight nipple would require working from the side.
Material Selection
Standard steel nipples suit most applications. Stainless steel nipples are specified for marine, food processing, and chemical environments where the standard steel nipple would corrode. For grease nipple selection by thread type, angle, and material, contact our team.
Grease Nipple Standards and Compatibility
The three most common grease nipple standards encountered in Australian industry are metric (M6, M8, M10 thread), imperial UNF (1/4-28 UNF being most common), and BSPT for older British-made equipment. Before ordering replacement nipples, confirm both the thread size and the head type — hydraulic, standard, and button-head nipples are not interchangeable with standard grease gun couplers. Flush-fitting nipples are specified where protruding heads create a snagging hazard or where guard clearances are tight. Having an assortment kit covering the main types and sizes is standard practice for maintenance workshops handling diverse equipment fleets.