AlanT Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Morris in Shrewsbury is a very old maker of special greases. This stuff is intended for marine use. Stern glands and shaft bearings I think. This seems to me a bit like the trunnions. Typically marine practice is stainless steel in brass/bronze. All I know so far is that its hard to wash from your hands with washing up liquid. I am using it in wiper motors, in which the grease functions more as a means of excluding water, than a lubricant for bearings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John L Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 I would still think that the oil is the best option. When the trunnion is loaded with shocks or bumps the oil will be pushed out but will flow back and do its job, but the grease will not, once the grease is pushed out it will not flow back, so you get metal to metal contact. But I do believe that it needs doing regularly. Just my penny worth John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 I suppose that really niether oil or grease will really do a perfect job just squirted in occasionally. Oil is really for closed systems that have circulation. Or like my lathe you can run total-loss lubrication and use a rag to clear up. But a brass trunnion with a threaded peg is not a very good design. Which is why we don't do it this way now. The thread is acting as a retaining method and a bearing surface and does not do either very well. Its best in a mechanical design to optimise one feature for one task. If you look at a failed one of these the thread at the bottom end is OK but eaten away further up along with the root of the peg. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 An advantage of molygrease is the molybdenum disulphide itself coats the metals surfaces and will act as a dry film lubricant even if the grease is squashed out. MS2 is a lamellar mineral, and lubricates by one molecular sheet sliding against another, like graphite only better, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR4Geoff Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 In the 50's, Standard prescribed grease every 1000 miles for their saloons, but this changed to oil with the advent of the Herald. What was on the service schedule of the contemporary TR2's & 3's? If they were grease too then was there a design change - some internal detail of the trunion - with the TR4 onwards? Or was it, as I suspect, intended solely to extend service interval? Cheers, Richard Richard, As far as I'm aware, it was grease for TR2 through to TR4 and then oil from 4A onwards - this being due to the positioning of the lowest nipple on the earlier cars. The trick with using grease is that you must push all the old grease out with the new stuff, otherwise the old stuff turns into grinding paste! Geoff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spit_2.5PI Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Thanks Geoff! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 18, 2014 Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 The trick with using grease is that you must push all the old grease out with the new stuff, otherwise the old stuff turns into grinding paste! Geoff That always applies to all grease points. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Just out of interest, is there an engineering "solution" for trunnions? ie is there a modern alternative to trunnions? Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PaulAA Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 That always applies to all grease points. Stuart. Stuart ... until the new stuff starts appearing? Does this give adequate certainty that all the old grease has been flushed out? Cheers Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlanT Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Most commonly now done with a big ball-joint. These are better because they spread the load over a large area. They are also easier to seal. And are of course less manufacturing operations on fewer parts. But the maching is "compiicated" thats to say can't be done by a guy winding a handle. He would need to wind two handles at once! The TR is method is Victorian machiining technique. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Ah, OK, so would it be feasible to replace trunnions with a decent ball joint? (I know it's not possible to just drop one in) if someone could engineer a better, more reliable, less prone to failing from regular maintenance part, surely there would be a massive worldwide market? Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 (edited) Hi Simon, the average TRunnion lasts about 30,40, 50 years How much better do you want your improvement to be The biggest problem with the TRunnion is it is out of the way, so where as the body gets polished regularly the TRunnion isn;t even thought about. If it was pumped with new grease every year that would ensure that nearly all the old grease comes out as it is still 'liquid'. Combine this with a front end strip down every three years or so and all ther grease can be cleaned out and repacked. Part of the problem fitting a ball would be space. The Tunnion is a very compact unit and sits very close to the disc. A comparative ball joint would probably be bigger and would require more engineering. A new TRunnion fitted today will out last you. Roger PS - simply pumping new grease in does not mean ALL the old grease come out - but does it have to!! Edited March 19, 2014 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 The biggest problem with the TRunnion is it is out of the way, so where as the body gets polished regularly the TRunnion isn't even thought about." That is EXACTLY the issue……If correct maintenance is not done regularly a failure could be catastrophic, a "fit and (almost) forget" solution would be much safer surely? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 (edited) Just out of interest, is there an engineering "solution" for trunnions? ie is there a modern alternative to trunnions? Simon Hi Simon Canley Classics have done it for the Spitfire, Vitesse etc, http://www.canleyclassics.com/?xhtml=xhtml/product/catkit1.html&xsl=product.xsl Edited March 19, 2014 by Kevo_6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 (edited) Do you believe a ball joint is a fit and forget item - it has the same metal/metal interface so lubrication will be required. What our cars suffer from is a lack of regular maintenanace. To fit a ball joint you would need a new design of vertical link, new lower extended wish bones, the ball joint trunnion, possible different front wheels - who would go to these lengths. Now get under that car and start pumping. Tip of the Week - go on ebay and buy a Wanner grease gun. If you haven't tried a Wanner you haven't lived. Roger PS don't forget the UJ's PPS - ooops, just spotted the Canley advert. However it is not a replacement for the trunnion as such it was used to overcome the breaking of the threaded part of the vertical link. Also there is no TR equivalent as the one shown was adapted from another car. Edited March 19, 2014 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
simonjrwinter Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Not fit and forget completely, but modern "sealed for life" units last 60-70-80,000 miles with no maintainance whatsoever, more than most of us will do in our TRs in our lifetimes.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Hi Simon, quite so but!!!!! It still comes down to maintenance. Stick on the list and life will be happy Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevo_6 Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Roger PS don't forget the UJ's PPS - ooops, just spotted the Canley advert. However it is not a replacement for the trunnion as such it was used to overcome the breaking of the threaded part of the vertical link. Also there is no TR equivalent as the one shown was adapted from another car. Hi Roger, Just pointing out that there is a more modern equivalent, agree with you about not a replacement as once the ball wears its still a new vertical link Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 There has been talk of a different solution for years in the way of a new vertical link and a ball joint along the lines of the Jaguar XJ series 1/2/3 type which had a fibre cup in the lower cap adjustable by shims. The advantage of that was the fibre cup was the wearing part and with regular maintenance the ball pin would last for years. Unfortunately to make that lot up to suit the TR range would be very expensive and therefore unlikely. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR NIALL Posted March 19, 2014 Report Share Posted March 19, 2014 Heat the Trunnion first with a small Gas Blow Torch,everything flows in and out much better be it' Oil or Grease,don't set Fire to the Rubber Seal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steves_TR6 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Is this the Wanner grease gun that i want for greasing trunions etc on the TR?? I've never owned a grease gun , and at this price i don't want to buy twice ! could you also point me in the right direction for Moly grease. I think i have Lithium based greased but not Moly?? regards steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 That will do the trick. I can't point you at Moly grease as I use Comma CV joint grease which I think I got from Halfords. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brucer Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Yes I got my Moly grease from Halfords and it says CV joint grease on the tin. Bruce Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steves_TR6 Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Thanks guys, ordered the Wanner, might have that grease or a trip to halfords :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I use EP140, applied with the old plunger type gun. I get round the problem of the oil gun leaking by tipping the oil back in the can! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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