Brian Eldred Posted July 10, 2020 Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 My TR2 steering box is rather leaky. Is it OK to use steering box lube such as Penrite http://penriteclassicoils.co.uk/product/semi-fluid-and-steering-box-lube/ instead of EP90? Brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John McCormack Posted July 10, 2020 Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 4 minutes ago, Brian Eldred said: My TR2 steering box is rather leaky. Is it OK to use steering box lube such as Penrite http://penriteclassicoils.co.uk/product/semi-fluid-and-steering-box-lube/ instead of EP90? Brian Yes. I use either Penrite steering box grease or another "slumping grease" in both my TR2s. It doesn't leak, at least from a box with a new seal. It lubricates better than the oil which drains out pretty quickly. It has been in my daily driver for 5 or so years. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted July 10, 2020 Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 I use the Penrite steering box grease and it hasn't leaked a drop in 5 years but will take a bit of time to get it in through the filler hole. I heated the bottle in hot water and warmed the steering column with a hot air gun to get it to flow, once full it appeared to reduce the slack in the steering. George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted July 10, 2020 Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 I happen to use Millers steeing box oil, I imagine it's the same as the Penrite version - just a really thick oil. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Eldred Posted July 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 Thanks all! I'll get some. It seems sensible to do it while I've still got the front off the car. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RUBY131 Posted July 16, 2020 Report Share Posted July 16, 2020 Pumped mine full of grease, no leaks and works better than ever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim T Posted July 16, 2020 Report Share Posted July 16, 2020 Steering box on my 3a was leaking oil and I changed to Penrite steering lube and it works perfectly, no leaks at all. Used in suspension trunnions as well. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Eldred Posted July 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2020 It sounds a daft question, but how do I drain it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted July 22, 2020 Report Share Posted July 22, 2020 Undo the Brass nut on the end plate and carefully ease the olive out and off the end of the cable tube then undo the four bolts holding the end plate, careful of the shims and just ease the plate forward, if there is any oil in there it will now drain. There is often none in there anyway as they do leak well! Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Eldred Posted July 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2020 Thanks Stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted July 22, 2020 Report Share Posted July 22, 2020 Don't forget to heat the oil up for while to ease its use - I pour boiling water from a kettle into a saucepan and leave it standing for 15 minutes or so and reheat when necessary. Cheers, Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rodbr Posted July 22, 2020 Report Share Posted July 22, 2020 (edited) Hi Brian, Use Andrews method to fluidise the grease and then a large syringe to put measure amounts in not forgetting to get some it the rubber/plastic plug part way up the steering column tube it's about 16" from the steering box. If you can suck it in the syringe then it will fill the box, if not reheat till you can. something like this. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-200ML-Reusable-Big-Large-Plastic-Hydroponics-Nutrient-Measuring-Syringe Also useful for gearbox top ups. Rod Edited July 22, 2020 by Rodbr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted July 23, 2020 Report Share Posted July 23, 2020 Always fill to the level of the plug on the tube not just to the level of the filler on the box as otherwise it leaves the upper bearing in the box only "Splash" lubricated. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Eldred Posted July 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 On 7/22/2020 at 4:40 PM, stuart said: Undo the Brass nut on the end plate and carefully ease the olive out and off the end of the cable tube then undo the four bolts holding the end plate, careful of the shims and just ease the plate forward, if there is any oil in there it will now drain. There is often none in there anyway as they do leak well! Stuart. OK guys, I've drained the old oil (there was plenty!). However now when I re-tighten the four bolts, the steering locks up. If I slacken them a bit it's OK. I know that end float is adjustable by shims, but how can it have gone out of adjustment just by loosening the bolts? Yours confused PS there's some radial movement in the control head when I turn the wheel, maybe 10 mm. Is that normal? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted July 25, 2020 Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 The slight movement of the control head may just be torsion of the stator tube which is normal, but it shouldn't feel loose. If it does, its possible there is play in the push-fit joint at the top of the tube. Not too important - just a nuisance. The shim thing sounds rather odd. This old thread says there could even be pre-load in which case locking-up surely shouldn't happen? Maybe the peg needs re-adjustment ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Eldred Posted July 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 Thanks Rob, I'll try backing off the peg adjustment first. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Eldred Posted July 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 Well that didn't work. With the peg adjustment bolt undone it's still very stiff and lumpy. Since the car hasn't been on the road for many years it could be that it was never adjusted correctly, though I would have thought I would notice pushing it into the garage. I guess I need to buy some shims, and then I'll have to remove the wiring and stator tube... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted July 25, 2020 Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 (edited) I may be wrong because I've never changed shims, but I don't think you have to take the stator tube out to fit them Brian. On my car the olive is split diagonally so isn't fixed on the stator and is removable which should allow you to slide the end plate off without taking the tube out. The wiring goes to a bunch of bullet connectors and once undone they pass through the olive nut and the hole in the end plate too, so the plate will come off with the stator and wiring in situ. Edited July 25, 2020 by RobH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted July 25, 2020 Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 (edited) Could either of the ball races have got out of position ? Edited July 25, 2020 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted July 25, 2020 Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 1 minute ago, Lebro said: Could the ball race at the base have got out of position ? Its possible the ball cage has disintegrated and was only being held together by the preload and now its all fallen to bits or the top ball cage has dropped away from the race. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted July 25, 2020 Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 Yep thats what I was thinking. If so you will need to strip the box to sort it out. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Eldred Posted July 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2020 Hmm, not really what I wanted to hear! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John McCormack Posted July 26, 2020 Report Share Posted July 26, 2020 On 7/19/2020 at 5:36 AM, iain said: I take it that you didn't misplace a shim by accident? I would be really surprised if a bearing has disintegrated. More likely that they have just moved a bit and are no longer seating properly, especially the outer or bottom one. Take the end plate off again and you will be able to see or feel if the inner bearing has come adrift. Unless you moved the steering column that one should be OK but worth checking. The outer bearing is the one that might have lost a ball or moved a bit. From memory it is held in place by the end plate. It will be a pain to realign if it is in the car with the body/front apron on but it can be done. I had my wife or son stabilise the column at the steering wheel while I put the plate on carefully. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted July 26, 2020 Report Share Posted July 26, 2020 +1 Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted July 26, 2020 Report Share Posted July 26, 2020 Did you loosen the the brass nut with its olive around the tube with the wires coming out of it? If not when you pull the end plate off you extract the stator tube as a whole with the end plate from the column and the horn/indicator control. The top of the stator tube has a slot in it to align and locate the horn/indicator control - Then when the brass nut and olive at the bottom of the column are tightened, gripping the tube, it stops the horn/indicator control from rotating. Peter W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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