88V8 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 (edited) No, not the grease/oil question. Didn't get the annual lubing done during winter, sidetracked by other issues. So I'm doing it now, and this being the second time around I'm looking harder at things I just did unquestioningly the first time. Having being reminded that the trunnions will eventually fall off if they're not well lubed... The top joint, grease. On one side, the old grease came out around the gasket, fine. On the other side, the new grease immediately came out from a little drill hole in the top plate of the trunnion Over this plate was a nylon washer secured by the grease nipple, the washer's been there some time I think. I replaced it with a steel penny washer to try and keep the grease in but of course it still came out of the hole. So it doesn't seem to be going into the joint at all. What to do? Or is this OK The bottom joint, oil. I bought a second grease gun to apply the oil. Yuk. On one side, the nipple is an oil nipple, ie no pip to lock onto. Some old oil came out from the gasket at the top of the bottom of the trunnion, if you follow me, and ran down the back of the dust shield, not onto the disc but only by the grace of providence On the other side, a grease nipple and traces of old solidified grease around the area so I'm sure it's been greased in the past . Anyway, the oil came out in the same place, some new some old, around the gasket. On neither side did any come out of the bottom of the trunnion, so how do I know it's getting down into the thread Do I just have to hope? Incidentally, did you see this thing called a 'trunnion oiler' on eBay last week? I wasn't prepared to pay £31 for it, but someone did.. whatever it is... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Triumph-TR5-TR6-New-...93%3A1|294%3A50 Ivor Edited May 7, 2009 by 88V8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tony Millward Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 No, not the grease/oil question. Didn't get the annual lubing done during winter, sidetracked by other issues. So I'm doing it now, and this being the second time around I'm looking harder at things I just did unquestioningly the first time. Having being reminded that the trunnions will eventually fall off if they're not well lubed... The top joint, grease. On one side, the old grease came out around the gasket, fine. On the other side, the new grease immediately came out from a little drill hole in the top plate of the trunnion Over this plate was a nylon washer secured by the grease nipple, the washer's been there some time I think. I replaced it with a steel penny washer to try and keep the grease in but of course it still came out of the hole. So it doesn't seem to be going into the joint at all. What to do? Or is this OK The bottom joint, oil. I bought a second grease gun to apply the oil. Yuk. On one side, the nipple is an oil nipple, ie no pip to lock onto. Some old oil came out from the gasket at the top of the bottom of the trunnion, if you follow me, and ran down the back of the dust shield, not onto the disc but only by the grace of providence On the other side, a grease nipple and traces of old solidified grease around the area so I'm sure it's been greased in the past . Anyway, the oil came out in the same place, some new some old, around the gasket. On neither side did any come out of the bottom of the trunnion, so how do I know it's getting down into the thread Do I just have to hope? Incidentally, did you see this thing called a 'trunnion oiler' on eBay last week? I wasn't prepared to pay £31 for it, but someone did.. whatever it is... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Triumph-TR5-TR6-New-...93%3A1|294%3A50 Ivor Hi Ivor, I didn't buy it..(cause I didn't see it). Regarding your bunnions...sorry, Trunnions, there are 2 grooves either side of the inside walls. These are there to allow the oil to find its level around the thread. How do I know...I took mine apart to check em and fitted new rubber gaskets, and checked the for wear of course. You should be fine with yours. I reckon a better place for the 'oil nipple' (love that word.. ), is on the bottom of the trunnion. If you see oil escaping from the top, you KNOW it's full. Cheers Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 (edited) Incidentally, did you see this thing called a 'trunnion oiler' on eBay last week? I wasn't prepared to pay £31 for it, but someone did.. whatever it is...http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Triumph-TR5-TR6-New-...93%3A1|294%3A50 Ivor I did have some bids on the oiler but I wasnt prepared to go that high for it either. A good bit of kit from the US apparently though I dont know who the supplier was. Probably not beyond the whit of man to be able to convert a standard oil gun with the flexible end from a grease gun. Or I did find this conversion to a standard grease gun on the net Oil gun conversion Stuart. Edited May 7, 2009 by stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 I did have some bids on the oiler but I wasnt prepared to go that high for it either. A good bit of kit from the US apparently though I dont know who the supplier was. Probably not beyond the whit of man to be able to convert a standard oil gun with the flexible end from a grease gun. Or I did find this conversion to a standard grease gun on the netOil gun conversion Stuart. Take a look at your local boating supply outfits. Here in the US they sell a nice little grease gun with a flexible hose and cartridges of gear lube that screw into the gun. It is perfect for trunnions and the gun plus a gear oil cartridge sells for around $20 plus shipping. Here is an example of the gun Mercury Grease gun and gear lube cartridge: http://www.mercurypartsexpress.com/us/imag...mp;image_id=216 Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Hi Ivor, regarding your question about whether or not the oil/grease has traveled to the right places in the trunnion - The nipple (thats for you Tony) is in the vertical link and the oil passes down the link to the bottom of the trunnion. Hopefully there is a gap at the bottom of the trunnion. The oil then passes up vertical slots in the trunnion applying oil to the edges of the thread as it fills up. Eventually it comes out the top and all over the discs. As the trunnion is rotated from the steering wheel the trunnion screws itself about the vertical link and spreads the oil about. As a thought when lubricating the trunnions with old grease in - how about 'carefully' applying a hot air gun to the trunnion in order to liquify the grease to help the new grease to push it out and flow better. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
badshead Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Following a previous thread somewhere on this Forum, I experimented with 'Penrite semi fluid grease' using a conventional grease gun. It works really well, goes nicely into the trunnion (you can see it starting to come out the other end, so pentrates well), but doesn't dribble out everywhere like the oil I used to use. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
88V8 Posted May 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Following a previous thread somewhere on this Forum, I experimented with 'Penrite semi fluid grease' using a conventional grease gun. It works really well, goes nicely into the trunnion (you can see it starting to come out the other end, so pentrates well), but doesn't dribble out everywhere like the oil I used to use. I'm really not happy with grease for the lower joint. Although, with the mess that oil makes, it's understandable that someone faced with a grease nipple and with a grease gun is his hand might be tempted. Even more unhappy after Roger's observation that there are two channels for the oil to rise up. After all, what happens when there are two routes for a liquid - given the choice it will take the easier. And I was reminded at the weekend of what happens to grease, after all, it is just oil in a binder; an old grease gun that leaked all over the place, I was throwing away, unscrewed the barrel, it was pretty full, but what it was full of was the consistency of bread pudding. The oil had long since evaporated, leaving only the binder. In no way would new grease have displaced that binder. Your Penrite - the stuff people ruin the swivels of their Series Landys with - is oil in a binder; more oil less binder, but nevertheless.... The trunnions are designed to be filled with oil, that rises, as liquid does, up both channels. Grease will rise up one channel, whilst blocking the other and leaving it dry. I think. Confirmation of this will have to wait until Autumn when I shall dismantle one side and see what's what. In the meantime I'll apply the heat gun to the top joint as Roger suggests, and see if I can get some grease into it. As to the lower joints, I just hope the oil got down there before it all ran out of the top and tried to lubricate the brake pads. Ivor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 I'm really not happy with grease for the lower joint. Although, with the mess that oil makes, it's understandable that someone faced with a grease nipple and with a grease gun is his hand might be tempted. Even more unhappy after Roger's observation that there are two channels for the oil to rise up. After all, what happens when there are two routes for a liquid - given the choice it will take the easier. And I was reminded at the weekend of what happens to grease, after all, it is just oil in a binder; an old grease gun that leaked all over the place, I was throwing away, unscrewed the barrel, it was pretty full, but what it was full of was the consistency of bread pudding. The oil had long since evaporated, leaving only the binder. In no way would new grease have displaced that binder. Your Penrite - the stuff people ruin the swivels of their Series Landys with - is oil in a binder; more oil less binder, but nevertheless.... The trunnions are designed to be filled with oil, that rises, as liquid does, up both channels. Grease will rise up one channel, whilst blocking the other and leaving it dry. I think. Confirmation of this will have to wait until Autumn when I shall dismantle one side and see what's what. In the meantime I'll apply the heat gun to the top joint as Roger suggests, and see if I can get some grease into it. As to the lower joints, I just hope the oil got down there before it all ran out of the top and tried to lubricate the brake pads. Ivor Hi Ivor Grease should only be used to stop dirt etc after the trunnions have been filled with oil Regards Neil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Hi IvorGrease should only be used to stop dirt etc after the trunnions have been filled with oil Regards Neil God idea Niel. I also noticed when I pulled mine apart that the area of the vertical link that is just above the trunnion but under the boot had rusted so putting some grease under the boot would help keep **** out of the trunnion and also stop that section of the vertical link from accumulating surface corrosion. Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Hi Ivor, just had a look at a new trunnion and it only has ONE channel that grease/oil can flow up. Not sure if the ones on the car have one or two channels. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tony Millward Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Hi Ivor, just had a look at a new trunnion and it only has ONE channel that grease/oil can flow up. Not sure if the ones on the car have one or two channels. Roger I think you are correct Rodger and I may be wrong... . There may well be only one channel as two would surely weaken it. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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