paul gardner Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 We are advised to lubricate the lower steering swivel (aka trunnion) with gearbox oil, not grease. I have tried this on numerous occassions using a standard grease gun only to end up with oil in the trunnion and everywhere else. Unless I can find an oil gun, I am tempted to try using 'red grease', which has a consistancy similar to treacle and is recommended for chassis lub, chain saws etc. Anyone have any solutions? Yours Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mikew Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 We are advised to lubricate the lower steering swivel (aka trunnion) with gearbox oil, not grease. I have tried this on numerous occassions using a standard grease gun only to end up with oil in the trunnion and everywhere else. Unless I can find an oil gun, I am tempted to try using 'red grease', which has a consistancy similar to treacle and is recommended for chassis lub, chain saws etc. Anyone have any solutions?Yours Paul If you watch ebay for long enough (under triumph parts) there is an american selling a proper oil gun system - only about £25 imported - this works and doesn't oil everything else - although you may need to strip and clean the trunnions to remove the old grease first. mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ron Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Paul. Frost sell an oil gun for £15, personally I've always used black molly grease without problems. Ron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 I've not had problems putting oil into a grease gun, but it occurs to me that chilling the oil in the freezer beforehand may help with the leakage issue Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dykins Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 I attended the TSSC bash at Stafford a couple of months ago, and there was a guy offering to oil your trunnions for (if I remember correctly) £3 per side. I wish I'd had them done, for that amount it's not worth bothering yourself Regards Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Moltu Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 I'm unconvince by the use of oil rather than grease - fine in theory but in practice the end caps of the trunnions rarely seal effectively so the oil you put in dribble out all too quickly to provide effective long term protection. Thin grease such as LM lubricates well enough and stays in the trunnion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ron Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 P Cobbald who used to contribute on here regularly posted he got 150,000 miles out of a set of trunnions on black molly, that was good enough for me! Ron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paul gardner Posted August 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2007 Many thanks for your imputs, much appreciated. I am tempted by the moly grease idea although may well try the red liquid grease that I have on the shelf. Yours Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest P Cobbold Posted August 30, 2007 Report Share Posted August 30, 2007 P Cobbald who used to contribute on here regularly posted he got 150,000 miles out of a set of trunnions on black molly, that was good enough for me!Ron Ron, But the trunnions were better made then!- the steel disc pressed into their base was grease-tight, unlike more recent offerings. They also got a filling of moly grease every 3k miles, until clean grease oozed out of the seal. I had seen too many Morris Minors with a front wheel at a drunken angle to take chances with those trunnions. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ron Posted August 31, 2007 Report Share Posted August 31, 2007 Peter, the plugs in the bottom of mine seal OK, I grease them with monotonous regularity, usually after I've been away on holiday in the car, I do it after the holiday rather than before in case any water has managed to get in due the wonderful summer weather! They are very easy to reach, put the car on full RH lock and both mine are accessible without jacking the car up, literally a 2 minute job. Ron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted August 31, 2007 Report Share Posted August 31, 2007 Ron Thats ok providing the grease nipples are pointing in the right direction!! It never ceases to amaze me the way some have been fitted. Stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jean Posted August 31, 2007 Report Share Posted August 31, 2007 The vertical link on my 6 has straight nipples to oil the trunnions, so that the oil can enter the trunnion via the bottom of the link, no problem on that side. Early TR6's as far as I know had a small sealing bolt in place of and the nipple was only fitted for refilling the oil. I suggest to solder seal the bottom of the trunnions, so there will be no chance for any leak. The problem with the early greases was that they contained quite an amount of water and for that reason the grease turned into a solid resin after some years I see that as one reason for BL to use oil instead of grease. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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