Awhile back someone advised that if you went to your local boat dealer you
could buy gear oil in tubes. It seems they use it in the lower ends of the
outboards. They also sell small pumps that screw onto the tube which are
adaptable to grease gun fittings. Just jack up the car, push on the "gun"
and give it a couple of pumps. Couldn't be simpler and doesn't make a
mess. If you need brand names let me know.
----------
> From: GuyotLeonF@aol.com
> To: jsimmons@intrepid.net; triumphs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Trunnion lubrication, or all you ever wanted to know about
trunnionsbut...
> Date: Monday, November 22, 1999 3:27 PM
>
>
> On Sun, 21 Nov 1999 10:40:03 -0500
> "John A. Simmons" <jsimmons@intrepid.net>
> Subject: Re: lube
>
> OK, I'll bite. Why should the trunnions be lubed with gear oil instead
of
> grease. What's wrong with using grease.
> John
>
> OK, if no one else will tell him, I will.
> Dear John,
>
> The factory workshop manuals tell you to use EP90 gear-oil (EP = Extreme
> Pressure)
> It is exactly the same lube you should put into your gearbox, NOT grease.
> This is for several reasons:
> Firstly if you look inside your trunnion, you will note that the vertical
> link section is made with a hole up the centre, this is the oil
reservoir.
> On the outside of the vertical link, inside the phosphor-bronze trunnion
you
> will see a threaded section, and this is an archimedes screw, so called
> because as the front suspension rises and falls, it pumps the oil up and
down
> the threaded section, providing lubrication.
> This is critical to the longevity of your front suspension, steering and
> possibly you!
> Grease OTOH, dries out, whatever anyone says, and is not suitable.
> If you don't believe me, use grease, wait 5 years, and find out for
yourself!
>
> Trunnions should be oiled every 6,000 miles without exception!
> They will then give very many years of service.
> I had a pair - they are sided - in my Triumph for over 100,000 miles
without
> need for replacement.
>
> Good Luck
> Now Go pump that OIL.
>
> BTW, Before putting the oil in, you must take the weight off the front
> suspension of the car, by lifting it, preferably with a hydraulic jack of
> some kind.
> Then, after wiping away any dirt which may be around the nipples, or
blanking
> plugs, remove the nipples from the vertical links, and pump at least five
> strokes of the oil into the link/trunnion assembly.
> You will know when you have put enough in, as it will ooze out from below
the
> rubber seal on top of the trunnion.
> This rubber seal should be in good condition, to keep oil in, and prevent
> water/dirt ingress.
>
> I use a simple and cheap oil can with a flexible spout and a simple
lever,
> this does a perfectly good job and the oil doesn't have to be under
'much'
> pressure to go in
> You don't have to convert expensive grease guns.
>
> Note that should you get a chance to examine the top of the vertical
link,
> behind the natural rubber seal, should you see any, and I mean ANY rust
pits
> on the steel surface, then you must discard that vertical link, as it
will
> certainly be very likely to snap before much longer.
> I know vertical links are expensive, but...
>
> Oh yes, nearly forgot, if you want to know exactly why there is a grease
> nipple in your vertical link, then the reason is almost certainly as
follows:
>
> When your Triumph left the factory, it was usually fitted with steel
blanking
> plugs in all four (front & rear) vertical links, however, over a number
of
> years of removal/replacement for oiling, these very small plugs, got
twisted
> and often snapped off in the vertical link, and then the link had to be
> removed in order to extract the remains of the plug, using a screw
extractor
> or similar.
> This job is a right royal pain, therefore, most mechanics replaced the
steel
> blanking plug with an aluminium grease nipple, which had the same thread,
and
> into the bargain, is much easier to remove, as it already has a hollow
centre
> for grease to pass through.
>
> (I have certainly fitted grease nipples to my cars for that very reason)
>
> Léon F Guyot
>
> Triumph Sports Six Club
> International Liaison Secretary
> 1963 Triumph Vitesse 2-Litre Convertible
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