Guy and all:
Over the years this topic has been discussed at length. Your explanation is the
best I've seen. however I believe most TR6 owners use grease on the trunnions,
perhaps because they have grease guns and its so much easier. About five years
ago and 220,000 miles I rebuilt my front suspension. At this time I replaced
the
trunnions, not because they were worn out but because I was replacing everything
at once. The old ones, about 21 years old, were in good condition. Now with
270,000+ miles everything is still going fine. I think most of the trunnion
problems stem from lack of driving together with lack of any luberication. To me
this discussion is similar to the unleaded gas one. I decided to add hardened
valve seats after over 200,000 miles when I was getting a valve job. The shop
ask me why, after all the head showed no wear. This was after about 10 straight
years on unleaded. TR6's are made of good stuff.
Have a good day.
Bob
GuyotLeonF@aol.com wrote:
> 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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